John and Paul try to enlist Sami's help
At the Kiriakis mansion, Nicole answered Eric's phone call and assured him that she would be back at the farmhouse soon, adding that an unforeseen complication had simply delayed her return.
After Nicole ended the call, Brady applauded her performance and dryly mused that she had clearly earned a huge fan base as Misty Circle on the strength of her acting, not her looks. "I don't know why I thought it was gonna be different for me, 'cause I've watched you [lie] to every single man that you've been with -- Daniel, Deimos, Victor..." he bitterly added.
Brady impatiently ordered Nicole to decide whether she was willing to risk losing her freedom -- and, in the process, her daughter -- just to avoid having to tell one more lie to a man. She insisted that if she was going to break up with his brother, she was at least going to have the decency to do so in person. He actually loved that idea, knowing it would make the breakup even more painful for both parties; his only issue with it was that he wasn't going to be able to watch it all play out. She tried to reason with him, pointing out that he had never been a vindictive person before, but he countered that her betrayal had changed him.
"You have decimated every single thing that I thought we had -- everything -- and I have nothing left [except] the ability to destroy your life, and I'm gonna do it, because you destroyed mine," Brady spat, adding that Nicole seemed to have a knack for turning men into monsters because, after all, Deimos had done some truly awful things to her in the end, too. Chuckling, Brady admitted that it might actually be more fun to let Nicole be with Eric, just so she could eventually turn even him into a monster. Brady maintained, however, that he was going to go for instant gratification instead of playing the waiting game.
Nicole guessed that Brady hated Eric because Eric was a better man than Brady would ever be. "You're more of a monster than any man I've ever known," she spat before leaving the mansion in tears.
At Doug's Place, Gabi, who had just ended a call, informed Eli that Arianna's sleepover was going well. Confused, Eli observed that Gabi seemed worried, despite the reassurance she had just received. Gabi explained with a sigh that Arianna had dreamed about Will for the first time in over a year and had woken up with all the questions a kid her age would be expected to have after such an experience. Eli guessed that Arianna had probably overheard some of the adults in her life talking about Will and had picked up on their concern. Gabi hoped that wasn't the case, insisting, "The last thing I need is Arianna thinking that her father could still be alive."
Chloe soon approached Gabi and Eli's table to thank them for attending the club's soft reopening. They assured her that they were enjoying themselves.
Commenting on the club's new name, Gabi mused, "Keeping it old-school [with] 'Doug's Place'? I thought that maybe you'd want to go with something like, uh...'Club Chloe' [instead]." Chloe explained that the new name had been Julie's idea. Acknowledging that Julie could be very persuasive at times, Eli optimistically suggested that she might even be able to convince Hope to hire him. "There's a concept -- Julie using her powers for good," Chloe joked before going to talk to other customers. Gabi was certain that there could only be one way to explain why Hope had not offered Eli a job yet, but Eli didn't want Gabi to call Rafe out on the matter.
At the police station, Hope informed Rafe that she had reinstated J.J. Stunned, Rafe made it clear that he would have been much harder on J.J., whose very serious infraction arguably should have resulted in immediate termination. Rafe even implied that Hope had shown J.J. special treatment because he was her cousin. Hope defensively protested that the overworked and understaffed Salem Police Department couldn't afford to lose a good cop like J.J. due to one lapse in judgment that had been made under extraordinary circumstances. Rafe still didn't agree with Hope's decision, but he conceded that she was the police commissioner.
Hope assured Rafe that she would always be willing to listen to his input, even if she ultimately chose to do things her own way. She pointedly added, after giving him a kiss, that he was just going to have to live with the fact that she would be showing a certain detective special treatment from time to time because of that detective's romantic connection to her.
At the cemetery, Sami demanded to know what John and Paul were trying to do to Will's grave. John started to explain that some things had recently been said about Will, but Sami quickly interrupted to clarify that Marlena had already told her about Ben and Clyde's claim. Sami was stunned when John mentioned that Rolf could be behind the whole thing -- a detail Marlena had apparently decided not to reveal during a phone call -- but she insisted that still wasn't enough to justify an illegal exhumation. "It was my idea," Paul admitted.
"Oh, we finally meet, Paul -- the man who destroyed my son's marriage," Sami replied. Paul explained that Sonny was a wreck because of the questions Ben's claim about Will had raised -- questions that needed to be answered definitively. "Were you so concerned about Sonny when you slept with his husband?" Sami countered. When John tried to intervene, Sami snapped, "[Your son] has a hell of a lot of nerve. You both do."
"I just wanted to come and visit my son's grave in peace," Sami sadly added, approaching Will's gravestone. Surprised, Paul observed that Sami clearly didn't believe there was a chance that Will could still be alive. "I was in the morgue with his dead body! I saw them lower his coffin into the ground! No, it's not possible!" Sami insisted.
Paul assured Sami that he shared her opinion on the matter. "Really? 'Cause the shovel in your hand says you don't," Sami pointed out. Paul explained that other people had doubts. Nodding, John reminded Sami, "This is Dr. Wilhelm Rolf we're talking about. I'm living proof that coming back from the dead is possible [when he's involved]." Paul argued that the uncertainty was ripping the doubters apart, and an exhumation was the only way to put their doubts to rest so they could move on with their lives. John added that Sonny and Will's legal separation meant that only Will's parents could request the exhumation, and Lucas had already refused.
"So you ended up going behind Lucas' back -- and Sonny's, too, I bet," Sami concluded. Paul reluctantly confirmed the suspicion, explaining that he was determined to give Sonny closure so they could get back to building a life together. "I also know how much Will loved [Sonny and] would hate to see [him] suffer the way he is right now," Paul pointedly added.
John pointed out that Sami could end all the madness with one call to Justin. "You've convinced me. I need to do what has to be done...for Will," Sami agreed, retrieving her cell phone.
Rafe was still with Hope, making it clear to her that he would never accept Eli as a partner because Eli was impetuous and took too many risks, when his cell phone started ringing. "Speaking of [people who are] impetuous and [take] too many risks..." Rafe muttered before answering the call. "I'm calling to report a grave robbery," Sami explained to Rafe while glaring at John and Paul.
At Doug's Place, Eli wrapped up a phone conversation with Valerie then returned to his table and found it empty. Chloe helpfully revealed, when asked, that Gabi had paid the bill and rushed off shortly after he had stepped aside to answer his phone call. Eli groaned, sensing that Gabi would never leave without first saying goodbye to him unless she was planning to do something she knew he wouldn't like.
Rafe rushed over to the cemetery and talked Sami out of pressing charges against John and Paul, who both promised to forget about performing an illegal exhumation. "Good to see you haven't changed," Rafe told Sami after John and Paul left. Sami accepted a hug from Rafe, who assured her that if she ever needed a shoulder to cry on, he would happily provide one -- and wouldn't tell anyone afterward. Fighting back tears, she admitted that if it would always be their little secret, she might just take him up on the offer sometime, since she would be sticking around until the craziness surrounding her son's death was settled for good.
Eli burst into the police station just as Gabi was in the process of pointing out that Hope, as the new police commissioner, could make staffing decisions without approval from Rafe or any other police officer. Eli made it clear that he wanted to earn a new job based on his own merits instead of having it handed to him as a result of pressure from well-meaning parties, such as Abe or Gabi.
Gabi refused to leave with Eli, insisting that she wanted to talk to her brother first. When Rafe returned a short time later, Gabi dragged him into an unoccupied conference room and declared that he was being an idiot for refusing to work with Eli, who was the perfect partner for him because they were actually quite similar. Rafe dismissively countered that Gabi was butting into matters that were none of her business because that was the best way for her to avoid having to think about Ben's claim that Will was still alive. "Everyone's thrown for a loop [over it], okay? Hell, Sami came back to town!" Rafe revealed, surprising Gabi.
Rafe insisted that Gabi needed to fight her own battles and stay out of his. However, when Rafe and Gabi rejoined Eli and Hope, Rafe reluctantly told Eli, "Two people that I love and trust more than anything in this world say that you are the right man for the job, so...I'm willing to give it a shot." Hope immediately offered Eli the job, and he quickly accepted. Gabi and Hope each gave Rafe a nod of approval as he shook Eli's hand. Rafe warned Eli, "I'll work with you...but if you ever pull [another] stunt like you did with my sister and Raines, [then] you're out."
Lucas stumbled into the Kiriakis mansion and caught Brady knocking back drinks at the bar. "Mind if I get one of those?" Lucas asked. "Help yourself," Brady replied. While filling a glass, Lucas explained that he could use some liquid courage to help him get through a conversation he was planning to have with Sonny. Brady reported that Sonny wasn't at the mansion. "You have to be going through hell," Brady guessed.
Lucas wondered what Brady's excuse for drinking was. "Wait, don't tell me -- Nicole again, right? What, is she, uh, banging your brother's drum again?" Lucas guessed. "Something like that," Brady confirmed, adding that he had been right all along about the true nature of Nicole and Eric's relationship. "But I won -- I shot their happily ever after straight to hell," Brady bragged.
Changing the subject, Lucas wondered if Brady could use another pair of hands at Titan while Sonny was busy chasing ghosts. "I can offer inside-trade information on Countess Dub -- stick it to my mom, you know, for all that tough love she tried to give me," Lucas pointed out. Brady carefully declined, claiming that no staffing decisions could be made until Victor officially named Titan's new CEO.
Shrugging, Lucas admitted, after gulping down a shot of whiskey, that he was enjoying his vacation too much to go back to work just yet, anyway. Brady tiredly hinted that he wanted to be alone, so Lucas started to leave -- with an unopened bottle of whiskey. When Brady didn't object, Lucas appreciatively declared, "You're the man! I like you. We should hang out. We should drink together, you know? Go out sometime, end up passed out in a cab together... It'd be great!"
Nicole went to the Salem Inn to see if Chloe would be willing to watch Holly again. Chloe was happy to help but was also eager to find out what Nicole had been up to since their last conversation. Nicole revealed that she had gone to see Eric afterward -- and had decided that she wanted to be with him. Nicole added that Brady had been devastated when she had ended their relationship earlier that night. Chloe guessed that Brady would eventually forgive Nicole. Chloe tried to find out what Nicole was planning to do next, but Nicole dodged the question and rushed off after giving Chloe a hug that had a hint of finality to it.
Later, Nicole arrived at the farmhouse and reluctantly knocked on the front door. Meanwhile, Brady continued drinking at the Kiriakis mansion. "You lying little bitch. You'd better be breaking that bastard's heart right now, or I swear to God, I'm gonna bring you down," he vowed between shots.
Alone at Will's grave, Sami wiped away tears while acknowledging, "I know you hate it when I cry, don't you? I just thought [this] would be easier... Oh, Will, I almost lost my mind when I lost you, and I miss you with every breath. All this crazy talk that you might still be alive -- I...I know I said that it's not possible, but it's not because I don't wish, more than anything, that it was true. Oh, Will, I would give my life -- I would give my last breath -- to see your smile one more time. [But] I promised you, Will, that I would keep the tigers away, and I'm gonna do that; I'm gonna find some answers so that everyone just leaves you alone so you can rest in peace."
"Well, lookee here -- first Will comes back to give me grief, and now you're here to give everybody hell," Lucas observed, shaking his open bottle of whiskey at Sami, who stared at him in disbelief.
At the cemetery, Lucas was stunned to see Sami and did not believe she was real. Sami grabbed Lucas' liquor bottle and threw it to the ground. "Is that real enough for you?" Sami growled. Angry, Lucas dove for his bottle and yelled at Sami once he realized she was actually there with him. A furious Sami confronted Lucas about falling off the wagon. Lucas countered that he had lost Adrienne, woken up next to a dead body, and been forced to reexamine his grief over Will's death. Lucas said he was entitled to his alcohol.
Seeing that Sami did not react to the Will news, Lucas asked if Marlena had called her. Emotional, Lucas said he wanted Will to be alive, but he believed the Westons were torturing them with lies. Sami told Lucas about Dr. Rolf's involvement, and she admitted that it was possible that Will could be alive. Sami reminded Lucas that Dr. Rolf had revived John in the past. As Sami turned to Will's headstone, she thought about when she and Lucas had cried over Will's body in the morgue. Sami lamented that she and Lucas had been an embarrassment to Will. Overwhelmed, Sami cried in Lucas' arms.
After comforting Sami, Lucas said he did not believe that Will had survived. Sami and Lucas agreed that they desperately missed their son. When Sami reminded Lucas that he needed to get sober for their daughter's sake, Lucas reminded Sami that Ally did not live with him. Sami changed the subject to Arianna and how thankful she was that Arianna had Sonny in her life. Lucas grumbled that Sonny had been a horrible husband to Will. Sami countered that Will had made his own mistakes in his marriage as well.
Sami told Lucas about John and Paul's attempt to exhume Will's body illegally. With a triumphant grin, Sami explained that she had called the cops on them and stopped the exhumation. Lucas confessed that he did not want to get his hopes up about Will because the grief of losing Will all over again would be too much. Sami urged Lucas to think of the positive things in his life, but Lucas refused. Lucas said he had no reason to stay sober.
Frustrated, Sami grabbed the bottle of liquor from Lucas and guzzled the remaining contents. Lucas said that Sami's gesture was pointless because he had more liquor. Gritting her teeth, Sami warned Lucas that she was going to stop Lucas from ruining his life. Sami promised to stay in town and help Lucas figure out how to get through the ordeal.
In his room, Sonny stared at a framed picture of Will that he had hidden in a drawer. Sonny asked the picture of Will if he could be alive. Paul overheard Sonny as he entered the room. When Sonny saw Paul, he hurriedly set Will's picture aside. Sonny asked Paul if there were any leads on Dr. Rolf. Paul admitted that it would take time to track down the nefarious doctor. With a nervous stammer, Paul confessed that he and John had attempted to exhume Will's body illegally. Sonny was upset because they had acted against Lucas' wishes.
Paul apologized and explained that Sami had stopped them. Eyebrows raised in surprise, Sonny said that Marlena would not have called Sami if she had not believed there was a chance that Will was alive. Paul said he was worried that Ben's seed of doubt was spreading in Sonny's mind, blotting out all other thought, including thoughts of him. Enraged, Sonny accused Paul of being selfish.
Paul admitted that he felt helpless. Paul added that Will would remain a large chunk of their lives until they learned the truth about him. Tired, Sonny suggested that they not discuss Will anymore and go to bed. "There is not enough room in bed for three of us," Paul said sadly. Paul left for his home instead.
Downstairs in the Kiriakis living room, Bonnie ordered Victor to dump Maggie or else Bonnie would turn him in to the police for Deimos' murder. Scowling, Victor said that he had never realized that Adrienne was a cold-hearted bitch. Bonnie cautioned Victor not to call her names. Victor grumbled that no one would buy Bonnie's story that she and Victor had fallen in love. Before Bonnie could protest, Justin and Maggie walked in to meet them for dinner.
While Bonnie and Maggie talked by the fire, Justin sat on the couch with Victor and urged him to pick a CEO soon. Victor grew surly with Justin. Shaking his head, Justin asked Victor why he was in a bad mood. Over at the fireplace, Maggie asked Bonnie about Sonny. Bonnie said she was not worried about Sonny. Stunned, Maggie asked Bonnie why she was not worried about her son. With a shrug, Bonnie said that either Sonny would marry Paul, or, if Will was alive, he would have his husband back. As Maggie's jaw dropped open in shock, Bonnie walked over to Victor and told him to make his announcement.
Grudgingly, Victor said, "Adrienne and I have fallen in love." Bonnie smiled and said she and Victor had attempted to fight their feelings but that their love was "bigger than both of us." Justin called Victor's announcement a sick joke. Victor said he was serious. Shaking his head with confusion, Justin reminded Victor that he and Adrienne had hated one another for decades. Bonnie jumped in and said that Victor had been overcompensating to hide his feelings.
Suspicious, Maggie asked Bonnie what her game plan was. Maggie asked Bonnie if she was after Victor's money. Bonnie said she was insulted by the accusation. After staring daggers at Bonnie, Victor asked Maggie for a divorce so that he could marry Adrienne as soon as possible. Maggie worried aloud if Victor had suffered a stroke. Justin chimed in with the suggestion that Adrienne was suffering side effects from her cancer. Bonnie said she was healthy and clear-headed. Bonnie said that cancer had shown her that life was too short not to go after the man of her dreams.
Disgusted, Maggie walked out. Justin vowed to figure out what was going on then he left. Bonnie muttered that Maggie would "get what was coming to her after what she did to me." Suspicious, Victor asked Bonnie what she was talking about. Bonnie changed the subject to her threat, and she told Victor not to forget her ultimatum. "I never forget anything," Victor growled.
At the farmhouse cabin, Nicole stood on the doorstep and thought about Brady's order for Nicole to break Eric's heart. Nicole gently knocked on the door. An eager Eric threw open the door and smiled at Nicole in relief. Eric hugged Nicole and told her that he was thrilled that she had returned. Eric asked about Holly. Nicole said Holly was spending the night at Chloe's place.
With a nod, Eric said he hoped that Chloe would still be able to see Holly once Holly moved out to the farmhouse. Eric noted that there was a girl down the street close to Holly's age. Nicole announced that Holly was not moving in. Worried, Eric asked Nicole if she was having second thoughts. Eric suggested that they find a house in Salem. "I'm not moving in with you," Nicole said through tears.
"You're staying with Brady?" Eric asked with concern. Nicole said she was not staying with Brady, but she had told Brady what had happened between her and Eric. Nicole said that Brady had not handled the news well. Eric told Nicole that Brady would recover in time. Placing his hands on Nicole's shoulders, Eric said that what was important was that he and Nicole loved one another. Nicole lied and said she had spoken too soon.
Confused, Eric asked Nicole what she meant. Nicole said that she had changed her mind about moving in with Eric because she did not want to hurt Brady more than she already had hurt him. When Nicole added that she did not want to divide Eric from his family and make him resent her, Eric promised that he had already spoken with Marlena, and she had supported his decision to be with Nicole. Nicole said she could not be with Eric.
"I can't lose you again! I won't," Eric cried out. Eric begged Nicole to stay. "It was real. That was love," Eric said about his night with Nicole. Nicole thought about Brady's threat and demand. "Last night was a terrible mistake," Nicole lied. Nicole said she had acted out of anger with Brady and that Eric had taken advantage of her vulnerability.
Angry, Eric yelled that Nicole was wrong. Fighting tears, Nicole said she had told Eric that she loved him because she had been caught up in the moment. "We made love last night. We made love this morning. Don't turn your back on that," Eric pleaded. Nicole claimed that their night together had just been sex and nothing more.
"We belong together!" Eric yelped. Heartbroken, Eric asked Nicole what Brady had done to her to make her change her mind. Nicole denied that Brady had forced her to do anything. Desperate, Eric grabbed Nicole and kissed her passionately. Nicole shoved Eric away then left. Eric screamed out Nicole's name. As Nicole walked away from the cabin, Eric continued to scream her name over and over.
Hattie was alone in Statesville's recreation room, typing a letter to the governor on the only available computer, when Adrienne walked in and unplugged the device to get her attention.
Hattie, who was planning to ask the governor for a pardon, complained that it was going to take ages for the ancient computer to boot back up again, but Adrienne didn't care. "I'm not playing anymore! You're gonna help me get my life back from Bonnie Lockhart, and you're gonna do it now!" Adrienne insisted.
Still forbidden from making phone calls, Adrienne begged Hattie to contact someone on her behalf and explain the situation to that person. Hattie refused to rat out Bonnie, who was one of her only friends. "Hope Brady's your friend, too. How do you think she'd feel if she found out what you did to me -- a member of her own family?" Adrienne countered.
Conflicted, Hattie thought about helping out, if only to prove that she wasn't a bad person; she ultimately decided, however, that she couldn't because Bonnie had aligned with Sheila, who was still aligned with Coco, who was still in control of the prison and had no qualms about harming those who crossed her or her friends. "Sorry -- you're on your own," Hattie told Adrienne before rushing off.
Bonnie went to the cemetery to visit Mickey's grave -- and was annoyed to discover that Maggie had been there earlier and had left behind a bouquet of fresh flowers. "They'll wither and die in a day," Bonnie pointed out, tossing them into a nearby bush and replacing them with a bouquet of artificial flowers. "[Mine are] weatherproof, [and] they will never die -- just like our love," Bonnie continued.
Sensing Mickey's disapproval, Bonnie protested, "Don't look at me like that! [Maggie] made my life a living hell -- and, honestly, she took away the only man I ever really loved. [And] sure, I would have liked to have come up with a better plan to pay her back than marrying Grandpa Munster, but what are you gonna do? You gotta play the hand you're dealt, right?"
Recalling that Maggie had once been confined to a wheelchair, Bonnie began imagining how things might play out if that were still the case -- and the result looked a lot like a remake of What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, complete with servings of dead rats. "I know, I know -- too cruel. I mean, I'm -- I'm really not spiteful like that. I'm not gonna break her hip -- just her heart," Bonnie promised.
After opening a bag of potato chips, Bonnie continued, "Honestly, Mick, I don't want to actually do any harm to Maggie; I just want her to feel the same kind of pain that she made me feel. And once I'm married to Victor, Maggie will be out of my life for good, and I'll be the lady of the manor. [But] I'm not heartless -- I could probably find her a spot on the household staff."
When Bonnie began imaging how that would look, the result was a scene straight out of Mommie Dearest, with Bonnie smashing things just to give Maggie more work to do. "[Still] too cruel? Fine. I'll just have to take comfort in knowing that I took Maggie's money and her man -- just the way she took you away from me all those years ago," Bonnie concluded.
While sharing a meal at the Brady Pub, Steve and Kayla discussed Joey, agreeing that he seemed to be doing well, all things considered.
Steve soon received a phone call from his mother, who was worried about his sister. After promising to investigate, Steve ended the call and explained to Kayla that, like them, Jo had noticed disturbing changes in Adrienne's behavior lately. Steve and Kayla decided to check in with Justin, hoping that he might know what was going on.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Justin dialed Marlena's number and left her a voicemail message, explaining that he needed to talk to her about Adrienne, who had been doing some extremely troubling, out-of-character things lately.
After ending the call, Justin realized that Sonny had joined him in the living room at some point. "You said someone was acting out of character. You were talking about Mom, weren't you?" Sonny guessed worriedly. Justin claimed that he had actually been talking about a client, but Sonny seemed skeptical, knowing that his mother had been acting a bit weird lately. "She's just worried about you -- that's all," Justin assured Sonny.
Eager to change the subject, Justin wondered what Kate had learned during her recent conversation with Clyde. Sonny explained that Clyde's story about Will being alive had originated from a fellow Statesville inmate -- Dr. Wilhelm Rolf. "Stefano DiMera's scientist?" Justin recalled. Nodding, Sonny excitedly pointed out, "Will wouldn't be the first person he's brought back from the dead!"
Justin warned Sonny not to get his hopes up, but Sonny argued, "You know [Rolf's] history! Everyone believed John was dead, [and Rolf] brought him back to life, even when all hope was lost, [so] what if he did the same thing with Will? What if Rolf and Stefano had Will the entire time? Let's find Rolf and find out the truth about Will!"
Justin thought that was easier said than done, but Sonny disagreed, revealing that he had spent the whole night, thinking of ways to track Rolf down -- and had finally realized the perfect way to do so.
After Sonny rushed off to put the plan in motion, Steve and Kayla arrived to talk to Justin about the recent changes in Adrienne's behavior. "I think she's completely lost her mind," Justin admitted with a sigh. Steve and Kayla were both stunned to learn that Adrienne was planning to marry Victor. "Could this be caused by the treatment that she was going through with the chemo? I mean, could it be a side effect of the drugs that changed her brain chemistry?" Justin asked Kayla, who insisted that, although everyone reacted to such treatments differently, any resulting chemical imbalance should have subsided at that point, months after the final round of treatment.
Confused, Steve pointed out that Adrienne and Victor had never even liked each other. Kayla asked Justin if Victor had said anything about the matter. Groaning, Justin replied, "Don't get me started. The old fool has clearly lost his mind, [too]; I mean, how could he do this to Maggie?" Steve acknowledged that Adrienne could be impulsive at times but agreed that her latest move was completely out of character.
"It's like she's forgotten who she is," Steve mused. "Maybe you're onto something," Justin replied, suddenly recalling that Adrienne had spent time with Hattie when Hattie had been posing as Marlena -- and had even had a therapy session with her. Kayla argued that one therapy session couldn't possibly change someone's entire personality, but Justin suggested that Hattie might have hypnotized Adrienne during that session. Kayla remained skeptical, finding it hard to believe that Hattie could master such an effective form of hypnosis without years of training, but no one could think of a better theory, so Steve agreed to pay Hattie a visit at Statesville.
At the DiMera mansion, Chad informed Andre that DiMera Enterprises' board members had found out about the Alfie debacle. "[And] it's gonna be your job to convince [them] that you deserve a second chance. No, wait, sorry -- a third chance," Chad stressed, adding that Andre would have to resign from the company if he failed to fix things.
"What if I did a good deed -- something selfless and...public?" Andre suggested. Chad warned that Andre couldn't just snap his fingers and conjure up someone who was in need of help. "If you're serious about helping someone, you can help me," Sonny requested, having entered the mansion in time to hear what was being discussed.
After Sonny elaborated, Chad pointed out that tracking down Rolf -- one of Stefano's most trusted and infamous henchmen -- would be an effective way for Andre to prove to DiMera Enterprises' board members that he was committed to the idea of cleaning up the company. Andre insisted that he didn't know where Rolf was hiding. Undeterred, Sonny guessed that Andre at least knew the right places to check.
"Will you please help me? I need to know if Will's alive, and [Rolf] may be the only person with the answer," Sonny stressed. Nodding, Andre promised, "I'll see what I can do."
Marlena was working in her office when she received an unexpected visit from Sami, who greeted her with a hug. Delighted to see Sami, Marlena immediately wished her a happy birthday. "You know, it's hard to believe that you and Eric are turning --" Marlena began to add. "Twenty-nine, of course -- again," Sami interjected. Chuckling, Marlena wistfully continued, "I just held you in my arms just a few weeks ago!"
Marlena was somewhat disappointed that Sami hadn't stayed at the townhouse the previous night, since she had consequently missed out on a special birthday breakfast. Sami insisted that she couldn't stay at the townhouse after the stunt John and Paul had tried to pull at the cemetery. Nodding, Marlena revealed that she had heard about that. "Don't make excuses for John, please, the way that you always do," Sami preemptively warned Marlena, who instead stressed that although the sudden questions about Will's death had been unspeakably painful for everyone involved, they would find a way to get through the ordeal together.
"You know, despite this craziness, I have to say...it's really good to be home, Mom," Sami tearfully admitted, seizing another hug from Marlena.
Sami soon regained her composure and explained that although she wanted answers to the questions about Will's death, she didn't think that digging up his grave was the best way to get those answers. Marlena revealed that Lucas felt the same way about the matter. Sighing, Sami shared the details of the encounter she'd had with Lucas at the cemetery. Marlena suggested that Sami might be the only person who still stood a chance of getting through to Lucas. Sami wasn't sure about that but promised to try. Blaming Adrienne for Lucas' relapse, Sami vowed, "[I'm gonna] track down that heartless bitch [and] kill her!"
Marlena carefully suggested that it might be better for Sami to focus on helping Lucas instead. Calming down, Sami conceded the point but insisted that Lucas' ex would at least be getting a piece of her mind if they ran into each other while she was in Salem. "I would expect no less," Marlena replied with a smile.
Changing the subject, Marlena observed, "I [can] see that all this business with Will has hurt you to the core." Fighting back tears, Sami explained that she simply couldn't allow herself to get her hopes up about Will because she couldn't handle the devastation of having those hopes smashed in the end. "Like they were with E.J.," Marlena knowingly concluded.
Nodding, Sami tearfully recalled, while curled up on a couch with Marlena, "I did everything right -- I followed the address that I found in that DiMera family Bible, and I took the kids all the way to Paris..." Marlena listened patiently, already aware that Sami hadn't found E.J. there. "But there was another clue [there] -- another location, another reason to believe -- [so] off we went again -- to Madrid, to Morocco -- and every night I would just fantasize about that moment when I would finally walk into the right room...and E.J. would be there, and he would have that perfect smirk on his face, and he would say, 'Samantha, what took you so long?'" Sami continued between sobs.
"[And] every day I had to pretend for the kids -- because of course I'm not gonna tell them what we're really doing -- so I had to paste this happy smile on my face and tell them we were on some globetrotting adventure..." Sami continued. Marlena sympathetically guessed that it had been extremely hard for Sami to keep up that act. "It's not just that -- I mean, I not only didn't find their father, I let [them] down!" Sami fretted. Marlena tried to assure Sami that wasn't true, but Sami insisted it was, pointing out, "I dragged them all over the world, and for what? Nothing! Nothing but heartbreak!"
Marlena said that was why Sami couldn't allow herself to believe that Will was alive. Sami sadly confirmed, "I would give anything for one more day with Will -- one more hour... I dream about him; I dream that I hear his sweet voice... People say that time heals, [but] it doesn't! That is a lie! I miss him more now than I ever have! I miss him every day! I just can't...I just can't give myself the chance to believe, because if I did, and it turned out not to be true... I just don't think I could stand to lose my son a second time. I just don't think I'd survive."
"You don't have to do anything. You just take care of your children and help Lucas the best way you can, and leave it to Sonny and Paul to find Dr. Rolf," Marlena advised as Sami cried on her shoulder. Stunned, Sami pulled away from Marlena and insisted, with sudden composure, "Finding the truth is what's best for my family! I have to find Dr. Rolf!" Marlena pointed out that Sami had just finished explaining that going down that road could be more than she could handle. "I know what I said, but you know me well enough to know that I can't just sit around and do nothing!" Sami countered. "Maybe this time you could give it a try," Marlena suggested.
"No! Will is my son, and if anyone is gonna find out the truth, it's gonna be me!" Sami insisted. Sonny had taken Arianna to the Salem Inn to see Sami earlier that day and had mentioned during the visit that he was planning to ask Andre for help luring Rolf out of hiding, so Sami spontaneously decided to head over to the DiMera mansion.
Marlena warned that Sami might end up hitting a wall there, just as she had several times during her search for E.J. "Then I'm gonna run into it headfirst, because that's what I do -- that's what I always do. But I'm not gonna sit around and do nothing. What kind of mother would I be if I did nothing?" Sami countered. "Well, you wouldn't be Sami Brady -- that's for sure," Marlena conceded with a smile. Sami gave Marlena one last hug before rushing off.
Sami soon arrived at the DiMera mansion and sighed as she looked around the familiar rooms of the place she had once called home. "This is a surprise," Chad admitted when he found her standing in the living room. "No -- this is," she replied before giving him a kiss.
Chad pulled away from Sami in shock and wondered why she had just kissed him.
"Payback," Abigail, who had witnessed the kiss, guessed. Sami feigned innocence, claiming that she had more important things to worry about at that moment, but Abigail wasn't convinced, knowing that her former adversary could always find time for revenge.
Flashing a condescending smile, Sami began, "Look, Abby, I'm sorry if E.J. made you think that you mattered more than you did, but everyone knew, including you, that I was the love of his life. I mean, you were a blip on the radar, and it's forgotten...though I have to admit, it's a little awkward for you to bring it up when the ink on your marriage license is barely dry --"
"That's enough," Chad interrupted, adding that he was going to overlook what Sami had just done to upset his wife instead of kicking her out of the DiMera mansion for doing it -- but only out of respect for Will.
After shooting Abigail one last glare, Sami changed the subject, wondering if Sonny had talked to Andre about Rolf yet. Nodding, Chad reported that Andre had already begun trying to locate Rolf. "I would not have agreed to help if I knew that this woman was involved," Andre stressed as he joined the others in the living room.
"I'm surprised you agreed to help at all, given that the wizard forgot to give you a heart," Sami countered. Chad quickly intervened, wondering if Andre had managed to figure out where Rolf was hiding. "Not yet, but if I ever do, this thief is going to be the last person who should reap the rewards of my efforts," Andre insisted.
Sami bragged that she had been happily spending DiMera money to care for her children. "A quarter of a billion dollars to take care of your children? What are you planning to do, buy them the Chicago Cubs?" Andre asked incredulously. "Go to hell," Sami spat, prompting Andre to change his mind about looking for Rolf.
Chad tried to remind Andre that locating Rolf would be a good way of appeasing the DiMera Enterprises' board members, but Andre dismissively insisted that he didn't really care what those people thought about him, anyway. "Chad, it's fine. I'll figure it out. I just hope Will isn't in trouble and needing me in the meantime..." Sami stressed with a pointed sigh.
"Oh, there she goes, playing on our sympathies again like a violin concerto," Andre grumbled before starting to walk away, determined not to fall for Sami's act.
Abigail stopped Andre and reminded him that she, too, had issues with Sami. "But she's Will's mother, and we all need to know the truth, so if you won't do it for her, will you just...do it for me?" Abigail asked Andre, who considered the request for a moment then agreed to continue searching for Rolf.
Sami hadn't been able to resist rolling her eyes during Abigail's exchange with Andre but was quick to thank Abigail -- and Chad -- after Andre left the room. "I think we can all agree that the past is best left forgotten. The important thing is, if Will is out there --" Sami began to add. "We'll find him," Chad promised.
After Sami left, Chad jokingly guessed that Abigail was probably starting to regret their decision to postpone their honeymoon. Chad added that Andre clearly shared his inability to say no to Abigail. Chuckling, Abigail insisted that Andre had a good heart, even if he didn't show it very often. Abigail and Chad agreed that getting confirmation that Will really was still alive would be the greatest miracle ever.
Meanwhile, at the cemetery, Sami placed a hand on Will's gravestone and tearfully admitted, "I thought this was gonna get easier...but it's not. It's still as fresh as that day in the morgue. Seeing your name on this stone..."
After regaining her composure, Sami continued, "Your Dad and I, we promised you -- we promised each other -- that we were gonna keep you alive with all the people that you loved, and we have been doing that -- especially with your beautiful little girl, little Arianna. She loves it when I find new pictures of you [from] when you were little, and she loves the stories of how funny you were, how sweet you were... I was telling her just the other day about how you used to say the word 'yellow,' [and] you should have heard her. See, I was doing an impression of you -- I was saying, um, 'vellow' like you used to -- and she laughed so hard, and then she was trying to say it, and she sounded just like you."
Sighing, Sami stressed, "I would give anything to see you again -- to see you laugh, to hold you in my arms... You were the best part of me... If Weston is wrong, and you are here, I am sending you all of my love...but if you are out there somewhere, Will, I am sending you all of my strength -- and you have the Horton strength, and the Brady strength, and E.J. is sending you the DiMera strength, and that's a force to be reckoned with, right?"
"Oh, I can't think of it -- of you being out there somewhere... What if you're sick? What if you're hurting? What if you're being held against your will or feeling alone and abandoned? I swear to you, Will -- I swear to you -- that I will find you if you are out there somewhere. I. Will. Find you," Sami vowed.
Theo was curled up on the couch with Claire, listening to one of her new songs, when she suggestively pointed out that there were other things they could be doing while they had the apartment to themselves. "Here?" Theo asked incredulously, reminding Claire that Tripp could return home at any moment. Claire dismissed the concern, revealing that Tripp was in the middle of a shift at the café in the Horton Town Square.
Theo wasn't particularly pleased to learn that Claire had helped Tripp get a job at her place of employment. "I don't want you working with [him]," Theo admitted. Claire found Theo's jealousy cute and flattering but warned that it was going to get old really quickly. Claire assured Theo that she was in love with him and that Tripp was just a friend. Theo didn't think he could just snap his fingers and make his feelings of insecurity go away, but he promised that he would try to at least hide them a bit better in the future. Satisfied, Claire gave Theo a kiss, prompting him to remind her that they had been about to take advantage of their alone time earlier.
Tripp approached a table in the town square and began to ask the woman seated there if she was ready to order -- then chuckled nervously when he realized that he was talking to Kayla. "What are you doing waiting tables?" she wondered. He explained with a shrug that he needed money to pay his rent each month, prompting her to point out that he would have been set for life if he hadn't given away the money he had inherited from the Vitalis. He assured her that he didn't regret his decision, adding, "Feels like more of a fresh start without it...[and] I know you get that, 'cause you wouldn't even accept the money [at first] because of where it came from."
Although the hospital administrators had not yet decided what to do with the money Tripp had donated, Kayla assured him that it was going to do a lot of good for a lot of people one way or another. "Happy to hear it," he replied before changing the subject, asking again if she was ready to order. Again ignoring the question, she began, "There's something that I want to clear up..."
"This is my first day, so if you're upset about something, can it wait?" Tripp nervously requested. Kayla clarified that she simply wanted to acknowledge that she was the reason he had decided to skip the double wedding. "I can see how it might be hard having me around. Uh, in fact, let me see if I can find another server to take care of you," he replied before starting to rush off.
Kayla stopped Tripp and stressed that although his decision to skip the double wedding had made things easier for her, the fact of the matter was that Salem was a relatively small town, and they were bound to run into each other from time to time while they were both living there. "I don't want another server; I just want to be okay with this. And I will," she promised.
"Just like that?" Tripp asked skeptically. Nodding, Kayla confirmed, "You're Steve's flesh and blood, which means that you are a part of our lives -- his and mine -- [so] one way or another, I'm gonna make this work."
Tripp appreciated Kayla's promise, but she knew her words would mean nothing without actions that backed them up. "[So] from this day forward, I don't want to just say it anymore; I want to show you [and Steve] that I accept you as part of our family," she stressed.
Steve went to Statesville to question Hattie, who claimed to have no explanation for Adrienne's recent behavior. "I know you're lying, Hattie, and I won't stop until I find out the truth. If it turns out that you had anything to do with what happened to my sister, I'm gonna pay you another visit, and you'll wish you'd told me the truth when you had the chance, because I will make you pay. You can count on it," Steve warned.
As Steve was leaving the visitor's lounge, Adrienne entered it and called out to him, but he didn't hear her. She tried to chase after him, but a guard stopped her, insisting that she wasn't allowed to roam the halls.
Adrienne demanded an explanation from Hattie, who reluctantly revealed that Bonnie had been doing things that had made Adrienne's loved ones start wondering what was wrong with her -- like making plans to marry Victor. Stunned and confused, Adrienne tried again to convince Hattie to help her stop Bonnie, but Hattie maintained that Adrienne was on her own.
"You ever hear of Black Patch? That's my brother's private investigating firm, and guess what -- he runs it with Marlena's fiancé," Adrienne pointedly informed Hattie, adding that Steve and John would definitely figure out the truth sooner or later. "So Hattie, for your own sake, let go of this misguided loyalty to a person who hasn't even thought twice about you since you've been in here -- and help me [instead]," Adrienne continued.
Steve entered the town square while Tripp was serving Kayla a drink -- and thanking her for the things she had said earlier about being willing to accept him as part of her family. She stressed that she had meant every word.
After Tripp walked away, Steve greeted Kayla with a kiss and asked about the conversation he had just overheard. "Just trying to make some progress," Kayla explained. Steve admitted with a sigh that he hadn't made any progress during his conversation with Hattie, who definitely knew the reason for Adrienne's odd behavior but hadn't been willing to share it. Steve vowed to keep digging until he figured out what was going on.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Bonnie dodged Justin's questions about Adrienne's recent behavior and retreated to the living room -- where Victor and Maggie were making out on the couch. "What in the hell is going on?" Bonnie angrily demanded to know. "This has got to stop, woman! I told you it's over between us!" Victor snapped at Maggie in response, pulling away from her.
Victor produced a folder and a pen and handed both items to Maggie, claiming that he wanted a divorce right away. "You'll get a divorce over my dead body!" she shouted.
"Best idea I've heard all day," Bonnie dryly muttered. Ignoring Bonnie, Maggie turned to Justin and asked him to help her fight the divorce. Justin happily agreed to do so. Victor urged Justin and Maggie to at least look over the terms of the divorce, stressing that he had been more than fair. Justin opened the folder, flipped through the pages of the enclosed document, and reluctantly confirmed that Victor had actually been quite generous.
"How generous were you?" Bonnie asked Victor with obvious concern, but he ignored her. Meanwhile, Maggie agreed, based on Justin's advice, to go along with the divorce. After Maggie signed the documents, Bonnie cheerfully told her to leave the mansion immediately. "You think you have the upper hand now, but just wait -- sooner or later, everything you've done is gonna blow up in your face!" Maggie warned Bonnie before storming off in tears. Justin threw the divorce documents at Victor then followed Maggie out of the room.
Once the coast was clear, Bonnie demanded to know why Victor had given Maggie a generous divorce settlement. "I wanted her homeless, on the streets, and dancing for nickels!" Bonnie complained. When Victor wondered why Adrienne was fixated on hurting Maggie, Bonnie backpedaled, claiming that she simply didn't want any of her money to go to someone else. Victor said that had been the only way to quickly convince Maggie to agree to the divorce. Sighing, Bonnie agreed to drop the subject then informed Victor that it was time to move on to the next phase of their agreement -- the wedding, which needed to take place that very day.
Victor pointed out that he could always just have Adrienne killed instead of marrying her. Bonnie was worried for a moment but soon recovered, guessing that he would rather spend the rest of his life with her instead of spending it behind bars. "I wouldn't be so sure..." he muttered after she left the room.
Meanwhile, at Statesville, Hattie gulped as she recalled Steve's earlier threats. Sighing, Hattie handed Adrienne a calling card. Adrienne hugged Hattie then quickly dialed Justin's number on a nearby phone and anxiously waited for him to answer the call.
At the police station, Jennifer interviewed Hope about her new job as commissioner. After concluding the interview, Jennifer thanked Hope for reinstating J.J. on the police force. The two women chatted, and Jennifer asked Hope, off the record, about Dr. Rolf. Hope told Jennifer that Ben had given the police information about Will.
At the farmhouse cabin, Sami visited Eric with a birthday cake. Eric complained that he was not good company, but Sami insisted that they blow out the candle on the cake and make a wish. Sami added that neither should wish for something they knew they could never have. With sad eyes, Eric looked over at a picture of Nicole on the table. After blowing out the candle, Eric asked Sami if she had been referring to Will. Sami said she needed to investigate Ben's story to find out the truth.
Sami informed Eric that Andre had agreed to track down Dr. Rolf and lure him into a meeting. While Eric retrieved silverware from the kitchen, Sami spotted the photo of Nicole on the table. Sami joked about grudgingly sharing their cake with Nicole, but Eric grumbled that Nicole had dumped him. Eric told Sami the rough details of the breakup. Furious, Sami said she wanted to give Nicole a piece of her mind. As Sami bad-mouthed Nicole, a frustrated Eric warned Sami to shut up. With a nod, Sami whispered, "You still love her."
Shaking his head, Eric commented that he and Nicole had appeared to finally be in sync and happy together, but everything had changed after she had talked to Brady. Eric wondered aloud what Brady had said to Nicole. "I wonder if I'll ever know what happened," Eric said. Sami muttered to herself that one of them should learn the truth. With a smile, Sami abruptly excused herself to leave. Suspicious, Eric asked Sami what she was "up to." Sami promised to behave.
Nicole and Brady met in the park, and she confirmed that she had broken Eric's heart, as instructed. With a sigh, Brady lamented that it was the low point of his life. Confused, Nicole asked Brady what he wanted. Brady said he wanted Nicole to hurt because she had ruined his life, and she did not deserve to be happy. Hoping for a second chance, Nicole quietly pleaded with Brady to let her leave town with Eric. Fighting back tears, Brady said he did not like to blackmail Nicole, but he was not the same man he had once been.
"Look what being a nice guy has gotten me," Brady said. Brady vowed that he would never let another woman walk all over him again. "I am giving you your freedom and your daughter. You just can't be with the person that you love, Nic. Welcome to my world," Brady said softly. Choking back tears, Nicole nodded and walked away. As Nicole walked into the square, Sami walked over to her.
The two women made chitchat, but Sami cut her off, citing no need for a "fake friend reunion." Sami growled that she had heard that Nicole had hurt both her brothers. Sami sniped that Nicole had never been good enough for Eric. Frustrated, Nicole blurted out, "As usual, you have no idea what you're talking about." When Sami pressed Nicole to explain what she meant, Nicole backed off of telling the truth. Nicole called Sami mean and vindictive, and Sami said she felt the same way about Nicole. Sami wished Nicole luck then left.
Jennifer spotted Sami walking away, and she rushed over to ask Nicole if she had just been talking to Sami. Nicole nodded yes. When Jennifer asked Nicole if she was okay, an exhausted Nicole said she had never wanted to hurt anyone. Nicole added that she felt it was best to take Holly and leave Salem. Jennifer reached out to Nicole and said she was sorry. With a nod, Nicole said, "You don't always get what you want." Nicole looked into Jennifer's eyes and asked her to check on Eric at the cabin. Fighting tears, Nicole ran off.
At the cabin, Eric picked up his box of photos of Nicole and flipped through them. Despondent, Eric threw the box of photos across the room. Still upset, Eric flipped the table then destroyed all the items in the living room. Eric looked down at his hand and saw that it was bleeding. Overwhelmed with emotion, Eric sat down on the floor, his eyes brimming with tears. When Jennifer arrived, she found the front door ajar. Jennifer walked in and saw Eric sitting on the floor among the wreckage, staring blankly into the distance.
At the DiMera mansion, Andre told Kate that Dr. Rolf had contacted him about a meeting at the Salem Inn. Andre said he planned to interrogate Dr. Rolf. Kate discouraged Andre from his plan, and she urged him to turn his information over to the police. Kate said she was worried about Andre because it would look suspicious if the police learned he had met privately with Dr. Rolf. Reluctantly, Andre agreed, but he countered that if the police screwed up the lead, it would be Kate's fault.
Andre went to the police station and told Hope about his scheduled meeting with Dr. Rolf. When Andre noted that he was reluctant to hand the matter over to the police, Hope convinced Andre that it was the best course of action. Hope said she believed Dr. Rolf would talk to her, based on their history. With a nod, Andre handed Hope an envelope to use for the meeting. With envelope in hand, Hope went over to the Salem Inn and knocked on Dr. Rolf's door. Hope slid the envelope under the door. Dr. Rolf opened the door and was surprised to see Hope standing in the hallway.
At the DiMera mansion, Kate waited anxiously for news about the meeting with Dr. Rolf. Sami arrived, and the two shared a hug. Sami demanded to know why no one had told her about Ben's announcement about Will, but Kate explained that they had not wanted to upset Sami until they had more evidence. Nodding, Sami said that she still had a vivid memory of seeing her son lying in the morgue. Kate and Sami talked about Lucas, and both women were worried that they would lose him. Sami promised to make another attempt to get through to him.
Talk turned to Andre, and Kate updated Sami on the latest. Sami was frustrated that no one had called her with the new information, but Kate assured Sami that Andre had only told her about the meeting with Dr. Rolf just before Sami had arrived. Andre returned from the police station. With fire in her eyes, Sami asked about Dr. Rolf.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Bonnie and Justin argued in the foyer about her impending nuptials to Victor. At Statesville, a desperate Adrienne used Hattie's calling card to reach out to Justin and warn him about Bonnie. As Justin's cell phone rang, a frustrated Bonnie urged Justin to answer the call. Justin took the phone out of his pocket, but his attention was diverted to Maggie as she struggled to carry her suitcase down the staircase. Justin placed his phone on the table and rushed to assist Maggie.
As Bonnie rolled her eyes, she saw Statesville on the caller ID. Bonnie deftly snatched the phone off of the table and slipped into the living room to take the call. Adrienne confronted Bonnie on the phone. As Bonnie cackled that Adrienne was out of luck, Adrienne explained that her brother Steve was suspicious of Bonnie and had talked to Hattie. Adrienne noted that it was only a matter of time until Bonnie was discovered. With a furrowed brow, Bonnie reasoned aloud that if Steve knew the truth, he would be at the mansion. Adrienne pleaded with Bonnie to confess her scheme to Justin, but Bonnie hung up the phone.
Justin walked into the living room and demanded to know why Bonnie had his phone. With a shrug, Bonnie said someone from the prison had called. Bonnie assured Justin that she had taken care of the unwanted caller. With a devilish grin, Bonnie warned Justin to leave unless he wanted to act as a witness for her wedding to Victor. Justin groaned. Bonnie urged Justin to move on with his life.
While Bonnie went upstairs to dress for the ceremony, Victor met with a man in the living room. After instructing the man to do what they had discussed, Bonnie returned dressed in the white gown she had originally purchased to wear at Sonny's wedding. Victor introduced the man to Maggie as a justice of the peace. With a scowl, Victor pointed at the brooch Bonnie was wearing and noted that it was Maggie's. Bonnie corrected Victor and said that it had been a brooch from Mickey that Maggie had left behind. Grinning, Bonnie fired the justice of the peace.
Victor beamed. With a smirk, Victor asked Bonnie if she had decided to cancel the wedding. Bonnie announced that she had hired her own officiant. Sheila walked into the room, and Bonnie explained that Sheila had been ordained online. Brady walked in and blinked at the sight before him. After a brief explanation by Victor that he had divorced Maggie and was marrying Bonnie, he asked Brady if he would be the witness. Confused, Brady shrugged and joined the party.
Sheila stumbled through the ceremony quickly then asked if there were any objections to the marriage. With a raised eyebrow, Brady mumbled, "I feel compelled to say something." Bonnie shut Brady down. As Sheila resumed the ceremony, Maggie marched in and objected to the wedding.
