Carly and Lawrence Alamain argued. Then, she stabbed him in the stomach. As he fell to the ground, Lawrence told Carly, "You'll never find..." After Lawrence died, Carly wiped her prints off the knife and threw it on the ground. Then she searched through a locked drawer, grabbed some papers, and fled the scene. On the plane, Carly told a passenger that she was going home to Salem.

At Chez Rouge, Sami asked Maggie for a job. Kate overheard Sami and told Maggie that if she hired Sami, Kate would never eat at her restaurant again. Maggie wanted to hire Sami on the spot after Kate's comment. Maggie told Kate that her promise not to return to Chez Rouge was not an effective threat, given what Kate did to Lucas, Chloe, and Daniel.

Stefano reminded Maggie that her investors would be upset if they knew how Maggie talked to one of her restaurant's most influential customers. Maggie said that Kate knew how Maggie felt about her. Maggie showed Stefano to a table. Sami told Kate that it was nice to know that despite Kate ruining Lucas' life again, it didn't ruin Kate's appetite. Kate didn't care what Sami thought. Maggie told Sami that she didn't have many positions available, but she encouraged Sami to fill out an application, anyway.

Stefano ordered fattening food for dinner and a dessert with heavy sauce. Kate expressed concern with Stefano's diet. He suggested that they travel to Tuscany one day for a wine-tasting. Kate warned him to protect his health. She asked if he checked his blood sugar. He felt like she was nagging, but he realized that she cared about his health. Kate said she didn't want to see him leave in a gurney. Stefano said he could take care of himself and was motivated to stay healthy for their marriage.

Maggie realized that Sami's skills didn't match any job openings that Maggie had, so she asked why Sami didn't go to the pub for a job. Sami said she didn't want anyone to feel sorry for her, and she would be required to work for Rafe's sister. Sami preferred to work somewhere where she didn't know anyone. Maggie suggested that Sami start in a position in the office.

Sami wasn't interested, because she realized that Maggie was creating a job for her. Sami was worried that when her kids got back into town, they would see how much she still missed Grace. Maggie empathized with Sami's grief because Maggie lost Janice, even though Janice wasn't Maggie's biological daughter. Maggie told Sami that she would be okay and that she was "one hell of a mother."

Maggie watched as Kate offered Stefano some of the sauce that went with her meal, because he thought his food was bland. Kate then put some tenderizer on it instead. Stefano was impressed that Kate was being a devoted wife. Kate stopped mid-sentence when Philip walked in with a business associate. The associate wanted to offer his congratulations to Stefano and Kate, but Philip refused to speak to Kate.

Brady ran into Mia at the pier, and Mia asked if things were okay with Nicole. Brady said that everything would be fine as long as they kept their secret between him, Mia, and Nicole. Brady sensed that something was wrong. She said she had told Will about her giving her baby up for adoption. Will told Sami, Mia said, and Maggie and Chad knew, as well. Mia said there was no need to worry, because they all thought it was a closed adoption.

Mia said she had convinced Chad not to try to find the baby, but only by agreeing to be with Chad again. Brady expressed sympathy for Mia's situation, and he offered to listen if she ever needed to talk. Chad showed up and tried to comfort her. He noticed that Mia was upset and wondered if it was because of Will. He asked her to try to get over Will. He wondered how long that would take. She told him to back off and stop pressuring her.

Mia asked if that meant that Chad planned to look for their baby. He said he might as well, because that was what he wanted to do in the first place. Chad didn't want Mia to hate him anymore. Mia told him how much her life had changed since having their baby. When he comforted her, Will walked up and saw them, realizing that she and Chad were together. Mia confirmed to Will that she and Chad were back together. Will thought it was too fast for Mia to move on with Chad.

Chad left to give Mia and Will time alone to talk. Will wanted to know if Mia was with Chad as Will's payback for telling her secret to Sami. Mia denied seeking revenge on Will. She said she realized that she still had feelings for Chad. She said she cared about Will, but she felt betrayed. She and Chad needed each other, Mia said, and Chad understood what she was going through. Will promised not to waste any more of Mia's time. Mia told Will that she wished things had been different.

E.J. asked Nicole if their baby had died. She denied it, saying that Sydney was their baby and E.J. was Sydney's father. E.J. demanded to know if Sydney was the baby that they conceived and Nicole gave birth to. E.J. made Nicole admit that she had lied. Nicole broke down into tears. She admitted that she had a miscarriage, but she said that Sydney was their daughter because they loved and needed her. E.J. said that Nicole needed Sydney, because without Sydney, Nicole wouldn't have the DiMera fortune.

E.J. asked Nicole for the truth and threatened to get another DNA test. Nicole admitted that Sydney wasn't their biological child. E.J. grabbed Nicole's face and asked if she thought that he was fool. Nicole denied it, but he was convinced that she had laughed at him behind his back every time she refused to have sex with him while she was "pregnant." Nicole said all she wanted was for them to have a family. He pointed out that she wouldn't let the truth stand in her way, because she knew the baby was her meal ticket.

E.J. brought up how empathetic Nicole was to Sami when E.J. discovered that Sami had hidden the truth about Grace from him. E.J. assumed it was because, like Sami, Nicole hid the truth about his baby from him, too. E.J. said that everyone warned him that Nicole couldn't be trusted, and he realized that they were right, because Nicole was a "lying, selfish, piece of trash." Nicole said that everything that she and E.J. shared with Sydney wasn't a lie -- it was real love.

E.J. accused Nicole of being greedy, for faking her pregnancy immediately after the miscarriage. Nicole explained how she felt when she lost their baby. E.J. pointed out that Nicole didn't turn to him -- she confided in Brady. Nicole reminded him that he was out of town when she miscarried. She said she wasn't blaming E.J. for what happened, but she saw how E.J. looked when he saw the sonogram of their child. That was when Nicole knew how much E.J. wanted the baby.

E.J. reminded Nicole that his child was dead. He said that he had two daughters, and both of them died. Nicole said she was trying to prevent E.J. from getting hurt. He accused her of doing it for the money, but she denied it. E.J. said his family's money came in handy when Nicole needed to fake her pregnancy. He demanded to know who Sydney's real parents were. E.J. grabbed Nicole's throat and asked if she was thinking about lying to him again. Nicole thought about the baby switch. E.J. demanded an answer.

At the Brady Pub, Bo told Justin how much he appreciated Justin trying to talk Hope into staying. Bo asked Justin for some advice and possible legal representation. Bo told Justin that he needed Justin to handle some domestic issues between him and Hope, because Bo couldn't reach Hope by phone and didn't even know where Hope and Ciara were.

Bo denied wanting a legal separation. He said that Hope and Ciara were his life. Justin said that once the courts were involved, it diminished the chances of having a happy ending. Justin asked Bo why he needed a lawyer if he didn't want a legal separation. Bo didn't think it was okay for Hope to make a decision about what was best for Ciara without his input. He just wanted to be able to communicate with Hope. He knew that Hope listened to Justin and hoped that Justin would help.

Justin warned Bo not to make ultimatums to Hope. Bo asked why he needed to wait when he had the right to see Ciara. Justin said that Bo and Hope's marriage was damaged from the ordeal of Ciara's kidnapping, and their problems were amplified because they had to deal with it as cops, as well. Justin advised Bo to give Hope some space. Bo said that when Hope took Ciara away and didn't let him talk to Ciara, it made Bo angry -- angrier than he had ever been in his life.

At the hospital, Chloe told Daniel that Lexie gave her a clean bill of health. Daniel was excited to be able to work again. Chloe ran into Philip, and he apologized for Kate trying to kill Chloe. Chloe asked how Lucas was doing. Philip said that Lucas wasn't supposed to talk to his family for a while, but Philip was confident that Lucas would be okay, because the facility where he was staying was great. Philip gave Chloe the annulment papers that Lucas had given to Philip before leaving for rehab.

Chloe apologized for hurting Lucas. Philip told her that Lucas did the right thing by signing the papers. Philip thought that Chloe leaving Lucas might be a good wakeup call. Philip noticed Chloe's engagement ring. Philip told Chloe about Kate marrying Stefano. Philip found it ironic that the woman who tried to kill Chloe married the man who tried to kill him. He said that Kate wasn't in his life anymore.

Chloe told Daniel about Lucas signing the annulment papers, but she couldn't help but feel guilty. Daniel didn't think she had a reason to feel that way. He said that while he never gave Lucas any credit, by signing the papers, Lucas proved that he was a real man by setting her free.

In the DiMera living room, E.J. theorized that Dr. Baker was the person that helped Nicole falsify the birth of Sydney. Furious, E.J. refused to admit that Sydney was their child. "The only thing that will ruin this dream is you," Nicole screamed. When E.J. asked how Nicole planned to respond to the biological parents if they ever came to reclaim their child, Nicole answered that Sydney would always be a DiMera.

"Why didn't you just come to me? You didn't think that I would help you? You didn't think that I would understand?" E.J. asked. "Well maybe I would have if I knew you loved me," Nicole responded. Nicole explained that she was convinced that E.J. loved the baby and not her. Noting their conversation on the plane, Nicole accused E.J. of already admitting that he did not fall in love with her until after the baby was born.

"Think about it, E.J. I did the right thing," Nicole stressed. Nicole reminded E.J. that Sydney was the same little girl that they had been raising since her birth. When E.J. started to talk about Nicole's ethics, she became incensed. "You put an innocent girl in a morgue drawer and I'm in trouble for lying?" Nicole asked.

"I gave you everything you ever wanted!" Nicole said. "I wanted my own child," E.J. huffed. Hurt, Nicole reminded E.J. that he has his own child. "I couldn't bear to see you hurting the way that I hurt so I lied. I lied to you!" Nicole cried out. Nicole noted that her lies had made E.J. happier than he had ever been in his life. Accusing E.J. of harping on the fact that Sydney was not his biological daughter, Nicole asked him whether he could face up to the reality of his relationship to his adopted daughter.

As the cries of Sydney echoed on the baby monitor, Nicole urged E.J. to think about how much he loved Sydney. "She may not be our biological daughter. But she is ours. Yours and mine," Nicole pleaded. Nicole retrieved Sydney from the nursery and brought her to E.J. With his back turned, E.J. refused to look at his daughter. Nicole urged E.J. to believe that her love for Sydney and E.J. was real. "She is ours in every way that matters most," Nicole said.

"She's not my daughter. And she never will be," E.J. said as he kept his back to Nicole and Sydney. Nicole urged E.J. not to punish Sydney for her lies. "She's the most perfect little girl in the world," E.J. whispered. "But I can't do this," E.J. said. E.J. kissed Sydney and told Nicole that he was kissing Sydney for the last time.

Nicole pleaded with E.J. to remember that Sydney was innocent. E.J. assured Nicole that he was not punishing Sydney, but that he was coming to terms with the reality of their situation. "You compromised your daughter's safety. All of it just to protect a lie," E.J. said. Angry, E.J. suggested that if Sydney had become ill he would have done anything to protect her but that it would have been in vain since he had no connection to her.

"No, E.J. You do," Nicole said breathlessly. "You are Sydney's real father," Nicole admitted.

At Chez Rouge, Sami teased Philip about his new stepfather, Stefano. Philip smirked in response and thanked Sami for her part in convincing Lucas to go to rehab. Sami reminded Philip that Lucas had continued to remain a good friend to her over the last few years. As Philip and Sami gazed over at Kate, Sami marveled at how Kate never suffered any consequences for her actions. "There will be consequences," Philip muttered.

While eating at Chez Rouge, Kate noted that Philip was staring at her with the same intent that he usually reserved for Stefano. Kate questioned whether Stefano married her as payback to Philip. Stefano denied the accusation, and delicately kissed Kate's hand. Still upset, Kate watched Philip stare at her. Stefano urged Kate to call her son over.

"Don't let him see you cry. He may enjoy it," Stefano advised. Philip walked over to the table and explained to Kate that Stefano had called his office earlier to determine where he would be having dinner. With a sneer, Philip told Kate that Stefano was putting her on display to get to him. Stefano laughed off the accusation.

"This woman crossed the line and I don't think I can forgive her. This is your life," Philip said curtly as he stormed out of Chez Rouge. Philip brushed past Chloe and Daniel on their way into the restaurant. Unfazed by Kate's presence, Chloe and Daniel sat at their table to eat. Kate was not so easy going and begged Stefano to head home so that she could get away from the happy couple.

Daniel ordered champagne to celebrate his engagement to Chloe, and then gave Chloe a gift. Inside the box was a key to his apartment. "I thought we were going to wait until the annulment came through?" Chloe asked. Eager to start his life with Chloe, Daniel urged Chloe to move in with him but remain celibate until the annulment was final.

Tortured by the presence of her former paramour Daniel and his fiancé Chloe, Kate told Stefano that she was leaving the restaurant. As Kate rose from her seat, Stefano started to cough and then fell out of his chair on to the floor, clutching his chest. Daniel rushed to Stefano's side and began to perform CPR. "Is he going to be all right?" Kate asked Daniel. "Well that depends on what you did to him," Daniel quipped.

When Daniel got Stefano's heart beating again, he warned Kate to stay away from her husband. The paramedics arrived and tended to Stefano. Daniel escorted Stefano to the hospital, leaving Maggie and Chloe to stare angrily at Kate. "My husband just had a heart attack. Maybe you could offer a few words of comfort," Kate suggested. Maggie sarcastically offered some comforting words, and Kate told them both to go to hell before storming out the front door.

Bo and Justin chatted at the Brady pub about Bo's failing marriage. "Maybe we just pushed it too far after Zach died," Bo said quietly. Uncomfortable, Bo changed the subject and asked when Justin would be returning to Dubai. Justin admitted that his marriage with Adrianne was also in trouble and that he had no plans to return to Dubai any time soon. Bo wondered aloud how strange it was that you could know someone so well and still be surprised by them.

On a plane back to Salem, Carly Manning thought about her fight with her husband, Lawrence Alamain. "You will never leave me! I own you!" Lawrence bellowed as he pushed Carly onto the bed. Carly warned Lawrence to stay away from her. Carly then thought about when she stabbed her husband. "Bo can help. I know he can. He has to," Carly thougth to herself as she shifted in her seat on the plane.

Still in flight, Carly thought about when she had left Salem with Lawrence all those years ago. With a small smile on her face, Carly thought about stabbing Lawrence again and her smile quickly faded. Tortured by her memories, Carly thought about how Bo had fought Lawrence for her in the past. When she was startled awake by turbulence, Carly grabbed the phone and made a call to Salem.

In the Brady Pub, Bo received a phone call from Carly. Unable to hear the call, Bo hung up the phone. Bo admitted to Justin that the voice he heard was familiar but he could not place it. Justin theorized that the call came from Hope and that she might be headed home.

At Grace's grave, Sami brought flowers and talked to her daughter. "Everyday I think about trying to be the mom that you would want me to be and I am trying to be strong for you. But Grace, there is a part of me that's missing. And no matter how hard I try I just am so afraid that I am never going to be whole again," Sami said as she wept. Sami worried aloud whether the hole in her heart would ever heal.

Will stopped by to visit the grave and startled Sami. Will admitted that he visited the grave once a week, and Sami hugged her son tightly. The two discussed their dreams about Grace. Sami told Will that Mia visited the apartment earlier that day and that she got the impression that Mia wanted to see him. Sami suggested that Mia's renewed relationship with Chad did not seem like the full story. Will responded that he thought Rafe's departure was weird as well.

When Sami said that Rafe was probably better off without her, Will assured her that they were good together. Touched by her son's words, Sami thanked Will. Sami informed Will that the twins were due to arrive in the next hour and that they missed him. "I am so blessed. I have my beautiful sweet, sensitive Allie. My funny, fearless outgoing Johnny. And then there's you. And you are smart, strong, and you have a good heart," Sami said. "I don't know about that," Will countered. Sami assured Will that he was keeping her strong.

In a hotel room an employee of Lawrence Alamain found him bleeding on the floor. "Oh my, God! He's dead," the man exclaimed as he examined Lawrence.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Victor overheard Philip booking a hot-air balloon ride and assumed it was to entertain a client. Philip informed him that it was not a business-related outing. Victor guessed that it must involve a woman, and was relieved to learn that the woman wasn't Stephanie. Philip seemed reluctant to divulge whom he was taking out, revealing only that she was smart, funny, and beautiful in a unique way, and he'd known her for a while. "Good God," Victor exclaimed, dismayed. "It's Melanie Layton, isn't it?"

Philip refused to discuss it, declaring that his father was a "flaming misogynist," who would disapprove of anyone Philip dated. Victor indignantly argued that he simply didn't like to see Philip make a fool of himself, pointing out what he saw as Stephanie and Melanie's flaws. Exasperated, Philip gave up and started to leave the room. Victor stopped him and asked why he should approve of Philip seeing Melanie. "Sell her to me," Victor commanded.

Nathan returned home to find Melanie pulling a charred, smoking meatloaf from the oven . Laughing sheepishly, she explained that she'd made it for their dinner, since Maggie was out for the night. Nathan suggested that the two of them go out for a casual dinner- unless Melanie wanted it to be an official date.

Melanie seemed unsure, so Nathan asked what her ideal date would be. She admitted shyly that no one had ever asked her that before. They jokingly discussed going to Paris or Rome, but Melanie decided that the Cheatin' Heart would be just fine. They agreed to meet there after Melanie picked up her schedule at the hospital. "Our first official date." a giddy Melanie remarked on her way out. "Better make it memorable!" Nathan concurred, "Definitely."

On a plane bound for Salem, Carly asked a flight attendant if the turbulence was the reason her call to Bo hadn't gone through. The flight attendant didn't know, so Carly decided to try to reach Justin instead.

Bo and Justin were at the Brady Pub when Justin received a call from an in-flight phone, as Bo had earlier. The call was dropped before he could answer it. Justin was sure that if it had been Hope who had called, she would have called Bo back instead of calling Justin.

Carly hung up the phone on her row as her seatmate returned. Seeing her obvious distress, the man tried to reassure her that the bumpy flight was merely due to "air pockets." Carly again recalled fighting with Lawrence, and then stabbing him. When the turbulence grew much more violent, she asked the man next to her if he were sure it was normal. He admitted that it was the most extreme turbulence he'd ever felt. He grabbed Carly's hand, asking shakily, "Shall we pray together?" Alarmed, Carly exclaimed, "Oh, my God, you think we're going down!"

Carly quietly begged, "Please, please, don't let me die like this. I need to be with the people I love." Suddenly, a hallucination of Lawrence appeared in the seat next to her. "But you are, darling," he declared, smirking. "You killed me, Carly. Now you'll join me in death!" "No!" she shrieked, as the plane pitched and rolled, the lights flickering.

Bo was relieved when Ciara called him shortly after Justin's dropped call. "I miss you, Daddy!" the little girl exclaimed. Bo asked if she had gone on a trip with her mommy, but she said no. "I just wanted to tell you that I love you," Ciara declared. Bo returned the sentiment, asking his "little one" to give her mommy a big hug. Bo wondered aloud to Justin who could have been trying to reach them so urgently before.

In Lawrence and Carly's home, a man looked at the bloodstain from Lawrence's stabbing. "Find the wife immediately," he ordered. "It was her. She did this."

At the townhouse, Sami was overjoyed that Johnny and Allie were home. When Will suggested that they all watch a movie together, a disappointed Sami informed him that it was E.J.'s night to have Johnny-although she was surprised that she hadn't yet heard from her ex.

Later, Sami tried to call E.J., but there was no answer at the mansion or on E.J.'s cell phone. Will happily concluded that E.J. must have something important going on, which meant that Johnny could stay with them at the townhouse that night.

At the DiMera mansion, E.J. was fed up with Nicole's lies. Nicole argued that if Stefano were there, he would support her assertion that E.J. was Sydney's "real father." She began to relate the entire truth about Sydney's birth, but suddenly Chloe burst in, interrupting to inform E.J. that Stefano was in the hospital. Nicole wanted to accompany E.J., but he angrily ordered her to stay where she was.

After E.J. left, Chloe asked, "What in the world was that about?" Nicole tearfully, falteringly explained that Sydney wasn't really her baby. Stunned, Chloe asked, "Then whose is she?" Nicole began to tell her, but then realized that it might not matter, since Stefano was ill. Citing their friendship, a baffled Chloe demanded to hear the whole story. Nicole recounted how she'd miscarried E.J.'s baby in her second trimester, and because she had been unable to accept it, she had faked the remainder of her pregnancy, and then had found a woman willing to give Nicole her baby.

Chloe was devastated for her friend, but wondered how Nicole could believe that she would get away with something like that. Sobbing, Nicole maintained that she'd done it out of love, because E.J. and her baby were her life. She then declared that she needed to go to E.J. at the hospital. Chloe firmly reminded Nicole that E.J. clearly didn't want her there, adding that the best thing for Nicole to do was to give E.J. some time and space.

Unconvinced, Nicole abruptly switched gears and asked about Stefano's condition, demanding to know if he could die. Chloe wasn't sure, but conceded that he might. Nicole declared, "That changes everything! Chloe, I need to be with E.J., so please don't try to stop me." She rushed out, asking a disconcerted Chloe to watch Sydney until Mary returned in an hour.

Sami was surprised when she arrived at the mansion a while later with Johnny, and Chloe answered the door. Chloe hastily explained that E.J. and Nicole were at the hospital because Stefano was ill, and she needed to leave right away, as well. She handed Sydney to Sami, quickly rattled off some instructions, and rushed out. Sami was perplexed, but seemed happy to be able to spend some time with Sydney.

Later, Sami left a message for Nicole, explaining what had happened, so Nicole would know why she was at the mansion taking care of Sydney. A while later, Sami tried to reach E.J., but had to leave a message reminding him that it was supposed to be his night with Johnny-and warning him, because she knew he wouldn't be pleased that she was looking after Sydney.

At the hospital, Daniel ordered a full workup on Stefano, including screening for a wide range of toxins.

Maggie tried to prevent Kate from entering Stefano's room, adamantly believing that Kate had caused her husband's illness. Kate insisted that Stefano's diabetes had caused it, because he had been gorging himself on food and alcohol ever since the wedding, despite her repeated warnings. Maggie declared that she'd seen Kate sprinkle something on Stefano's food at Chez Rouge. An indignant Kate strode toward Stefano's door, but Daniel emerged just then and barred her from entering.

E.J. then rushed in and asked Daniel how Stefano was. Daniel explained that Stefano had suffered a heart attack, and although he was stable, he couldn't have visitors for a while. When Daniel added that they were awaiting the results of a toxicology panel, E.J demanded to know what Kate had done to Stefano.

Kate adamantly maintained that Stefano had brought on the heart attack himself. She then informed E.J. that if Stefano died, their prenuptial contract stated that she would receive controlling interest in DiMera Enterprises. E.J. was incredulous-and furious.

Daniel returned and ordered Kate to follow him to a private waiting room, where he informed her that the lab results showed exactly what had caused Stefano's heart attack. Kate was unconcerned, stating that she'd done nothing to harm her husband. Daniel theorized that Kate had married Stefano in exchange for his helping cover up her attempts to kill Chloe and frame Daniel for it. Kate didn't see what that "fabulous fiction" had to do with Stefano's illness.

Daniel pointed out that Kate was well aware of how Stefano cavalierly refused to believe that his diabetes was life threatening, but she did nothing to prevent him from self-destructing, because she wanted him to die. Kate argued that she would never hurt the one man who had stood by her when no one else would. Unmoved, Daniel firmly declared that he would not allow her anywhere near Stefano's room.

Nicole arrived at the hospital, explaining to a fuming E.J. that she was there to support her husband. E.J. declared that she meant absolutely nothing to him, and ordered her to leave before he had her thrown out. "Our entire union was based upon a lie," he stated coldly. "So why don't you go home, and get that daughter you tried to pass off as mine, and get out of my house, 'cause I never want to set eyes on you again." Nicole pleaded with him to reconsider, and tried again to explain what she had meant when she said that Sydney was his real daughter. E.J. cut her off. "It's like some kind of insane disease with you, isn't it, these lies?"

Nicole insisted that she wanted to tell him everything, but he refused to listen. He remembered the lengths to which she'd gone to cover up her sham pregnancy-her insistence that Dr. Baker deliver the baby, her claims about volunteering to help pregnant teenagers-and berated himself for being so gullible. Nicole believed that he truly loved Sydney, but E.J. declared that it had nothing to do with his bond with Sydney. "This is about you, and the lies that you brought into our house-the lies that destroyed everything!" He stormed off.

E.J. quietly entered Stefano's room, where Lexie was tending to their father. She informed him that there was no change in Stefano's condition, and asked why Nicole wasn't also there. "Nicole is no longer a part of my life," E.J. replied.

A heartsick Nicole headed for the elevator, but stopped before getting on. "No, Nicole, you're not leaving," she declared resolutely. "There's something you have to do first."

Sami called E.J. to tell him that she was watching Sydney because E.J.'s nanny had called in sick. Sami tried to get Sydney to go to sleep by giving her a sweater that smelled like Nicole. She understood that Sydney missed Nicole, because Sami missed Grace. Sami told Sydney about Grace and said that Sydney would have loved her half-sister.

Sydney wouldn't stop crying, so Sami rang the bell for Harold, the butler, who explained that he was off-duty. Sami said that she didn't feel comfortable searching through the kitchen for food for Sydney, so she wanted him to do it. Harold said that it was Marie's job. Sami told him that Marie wasn't there, and she asked if Harold wanted her to tell E.J. that he wasn't willing to help E.J.'s daughter when she was upset.

Sami fed Sydney, but the girl was still inconsolable. Harold told Sami that if they "broke the baby," Nicole and E.J. would be upset. Sami said that they didn't "break her" -- Sydney was just missing her parents and needed to go to sleep. She asked him what Sydney's nighttime routine was. He said that Nicole and E.J. usually sang a song to Sydney, but he couldn't remember the name. Sami called her grandmother to ask her to watch Johnny. Then, Sami planned to find Nicole and E.J.

At the hospital, E.J. filled Lexie in on Nicole's scheme. Lexie was amazed that Nicole was able to fake her pregnancy. E.J. blamed himself, thinking that he had a habit of being attracted to deceitful women. Lexie told E.J. that women like Sami and Nicole knew how ruthless E.J. was. She said that Nicole probably loved him so much that she couldn't stand the thought of disappointing E.J., and that was why she'd kept her miscarriage a secret. E.J. wondered whether Nicole thought that he couldn't be sensitive towards her if she had told him about the miscarriage.

Lexie asked if E.J. would have reacted that way, and he said he didn't know, because Nicole didn't give him the chance to find out. He told Lexie that he planned to kick Nicole and Sydney out of the house that night. While Lexie understood E.J. wanting to push Nicole away, she thought it was harsh to punish Sydney, because he was the only father Sydney ever knew.

E.J. explained that he didn't sign any adoption papers. Lexie encouraged E.J. to fight for custody. E.J. thought that if he didn't let Sydney go right away, she would only get hurt later. Lexie questioned E.J.'s reasoning and said that "for a smart guy," he was "a total idiot." Lexie said that Sydney shouldn't suffer just because Nicole messed up. E.J. thought that if he didn't let Sydney go sooner rather than later, it would be harder to do it later. He said that he saw himself when he looked into Sydney's eyes, and he couldn't imagine living his life without Sydney. Lexie consoled E.J.

Nicole visited Stefano in the hospital and asked Daniel if Stefano would make it, but Daniel didn't know. She asked to be alone with Stefano. Nicole told Stefano that she had to decide whether to tell E.J. that Sydney was E.J. and Sami's baby or let him think that Nicole adopted Sydney. Nicole realized that she had to do what was best for Sydney. Nicole told Stefano that she knew E.J. would eventually find out about Nicole's fake pregnancy.

Nicole thought about letting E.J. believe that Nicole adopted Sydney so that she could leave Salem with Sydney and never return, but Nicole wondered what she would do without E.J. Nicole knew that Stefano would never let her take E.J.'s daughter out of the DiMera mansion, but Nicole also thought that Stefano wouldn't want Sami to know that Sami was Sydney's mother.

Nicole said that if she told E.J. that Sami was Sydney's biological mother, Nicole could lose E.J. and Sydney, but if Nicole let E.J. think that she adopted Sydney, Nicole could keep Sydney and might not need to leave town. Nicole even hoped that E.J. would "adjust to the truth," remember how much he loved Nicole and Sydney, and would forgive Nicole and take Nicole and Sydney back. Nicole vowed to fight for her family. She said Stefano would have to kill Nicole first before she gave up Sydney.

E.J. saw Nicole outside of Stefano's room and ordered her to leave. Sami carried Sydney into the hospital and asked E.J. what was going on. Nicole asked what Sami was doing with Sydney. Sami explained that she took Johnny to the DiMera mansion, but E.J. wasn't there; Chloe answered the door, gave Sydney to Sami, and left.

Sami asked what was going on, and Nicole and E.J. just looked at each other. E.J. told Sami about Stefano's heart attack. Sami asked if E.J. wanted to hold Sydney. He told Sami that it was best that Sydney be with Nicole. Nicole stared at Sami and Sydney, and Sami asked why Nicole was looking at her "like that."

Stephanie stopped by Maggie's house to get information on Chez Rouge for the hospital fundraiser. Nathan was there and gave Stephanie the package that Maggie had left for had her. Stephanie noticed the smell of something burning, and he told her that Melanie was cooking and burned some meatloaf. Stephanie told Nathan that money from the fundraiser would benefit pediatric AIDS. Stephanie asked where Melanie was.

Nathan said that Melanie was at the hospital getting her schedule. Stephanie apologized for asking about Melanie. On the way out the door, Stephanie noticed a flyer on the table about hot air balloon rides, and she asked if he wanted to go on a hot air balloon that night with him. Stephanie apologized for being pushy.

Nathan told her that it wasn't like he didn't want to go with Stephanie. He turned Stephanie down, because he had plans to go out with Melanie. Stephanie was surprised to hear that, after what had happened between Philip and Melanie. Nathan told her that Melanie wanted nothing to do with Philip. Stephanie excused herself and left.

Philip asked Victor if he expected Philip to sell him on the idea of Philip dating Melanie. Philip said Melanie liked him for who he was, and she was the first woman who didn't try to change him. Victor received a call, informing him about Stefano's condition. Philip thought about Kate and hurried off to the hospital.

Kate watched Melanie ask Daniel about Stefano's condition. Then, Kate accused Melanie of helping Daniel save Chloe so that Melanie could seduce Daniel the way Melanie seduced Philip. Melanie laughed at Kate's accusation. "What are you accusing me of, lady?" Melanie asked.

"Lady? I'm Mrs. DiMera to you, you little tart," Kate said. Melanie corrected her and said that to Melanie, Kate was "the crazy woman that tried to poison her daughter-in-law." Melanie said that she was just asking Daniel about the condition of Kate's new husband. Then she confronted Kate for calling her a "tart." Kate accused Melanie of seducing Philip and then putting the sex tape on the Internet.

Philip walked past and intervened, telling them to calm down. Kate ignored Philip's request and asked Melanie how much money she got for the sex tape. Philip chastised Kate for insulting Melanie and ordered her to leave Melanie alone. Philip apologized to Melanie. Kate told Philip not to talk to Kate the way he did, and he said he would rather not talk to Kate at all. Kate reminded Philip that he was rich and Melanie wasn't. After Kate left, Melanie said that Kate had a "charming way of looking at things."

Philip explained that Kate was "out of her mind," and he encouraged Melanie not to take anything that Kate said personally. Melanie thanked Philip for standing up to his mother for her. He got a business call, so Melanie left. He asked Daniel about Stefano's condition. Then, Philip asked if Daniel knew where Melanie went. Daniel said that Melanie went to the Cheatin' Heart.

At the Cheatin' Heart, Philip told Melanie that he wanted to ask her something. Nathan sat down at Melanie's table and gave her a drink. Philip asked if Nathan and Melanie were on a date. Melanie confirmed it and asked what Philip wanted to talk to her about. Brady walked in, so Melanie excused herself. Brady called Nicole and left a message for Nicole, because he was worried about her.

Melanie told Brady to check for Nicole at the hospital. Brady worried that E.J. had hurt Nicole, but Melanie said that Nicole went to the hospital to visit Stefano, who had suffered a heart attack. Philip teased Nathan for taking Melanie to a bar on their first date, and Nathan said that was what Melanie wanted. Philip accused Nathan of not knowing Melanie well enough. Nathan stood up and told Philip to leave so that Nathan could get to know Melanie better.

Melanie told Brady that Nicole wasn't at the hospital when she was there, but Melanie figured that Nicole would show up later. She asked why Brady thought that E.J. did something to Nicole.

Stephanie stopped by the hospital to pick up information on the hospital fundraiser. She told Daniel that it was good to have him back on the job. He noticed that Stephanie wasn't her usual "bubbly self." Stephanie said that she thought there might be something between her and Nathan, but he was dating Melanie, so she was being supportive.

At the DiMera mansion, Victor showed up to gloat to Kate about Stefano's heart attack. He told her that she couldn't seem to "get the dosage right." He said, "First, you screw up with Chloe. Now, Stefano." Victor said that with Stefano in the hospital, Kate had "the run of the house" unless E.J. kicked her out. Kate realized that Victor was right. She would be Stefano's proxy at DiMera Enterprises. Not only would E.J. not be able to kick Kate out, but if anything went wrong with business between Titan and DiMera, Victor would have to deal with Kate, she said.

Stephanie met with Maggie at Chez Rouge to go over the details of the fundraiser. Maggie said that pediatric AIDS was a cause close to Nathan's heart, because he volunteered at a clinic in medical school. Stephanie was impressed with Nathan. Maggie asked Stephanie to talk to Nathan about the fundraiser. Maggie sensed that there was problem between Stephanie and Nathan, and asked what happened.

Maggie thought that Nathan did something to upset Stephanie, but she said that she wasn't angry with Nathan. Maggie sensed that Stephanie was interested in Nathan, and she said she was until Nathan told her that he was dating Melanie.

At the Cheatin' Heart, Philip and Nathan argued about which of them truly had Melanie's best interests at heart. Nathan asserted that Melanie deserved better than to be Philip's second choice after Stephanie dumped him.

At the bar, Melanie wondered why Brady was so worried about Nicole. "Did E.J. find out that you're still in love with his wife?" Brady insisted that he wanted to do whatever he could so that Nicole could stay married to the man she loved.

After Brady left, Melanie returned to Nathan and Philip and teasingly asked if they had been fighting over her. When Nathan went outside to take a call from the hospital, Philip asked if Melanie were sure she wanted to date Nathan. She pointed out Nathan's finer qualities, adding, "You're not so bad yourself, you know." "Nathan's a lucky guy," Philip said, just as Nathan returned. Philip then left the two of them to enjoy their date.

At Chez Rouge, Stephanie told Maggie that she'd asked Nathan out earlier because she enjoyed his company, but he couldn't accept because he was having dinner with Melanie. Maggie hinted that she had advised Nathan not to date Melanie, and asked what Stephanie thought. Stephanie replied that she had no right to judge anyone after the way she'd treated Philip. Maggie wondered why Stephanie wasn't still with Philip when she clearly still loved him. "Because loving him isn't enough," Stephanie replied matter-of-factly.

When Maggie went into the kitchen to investigate a crashing noise, Stephanie headed for the bar-where she ran into Philip. She explained that she and Maggie were working on the hospital fundraiser, and he was happy that her new job was going well. Stephanie noted that Philip seemed upset about something besides his mom's marriage to Stefano, but he insisted that it was nothing he couldn't handle on his own. Stephanie invited him to join her for a drink-as friends-but Philip didn't think they could be friends.

Maggie returned and offered to get rid of Philip for Stephanie, but Stephanie insisted that it wasn't necessary. When Maggie pointedly mentioned Nathan and Melanie's date, Philip noted that he'd just seen them, and they looked like they were having a great time together.

Maggie excused herself to "take care of something," and Stephanie guessed that Philip's bad mood was because he was jealous that Melanie was out with Nathan. Philip denied it, countering that Stephanie had just as much cause to be jealous. Stephanie maintained that she and Nathan were friends, "Something I thought you and I could be."

Philip apologized if he'd hurt her, but insisted he was trying to move on. "With Melanie?" Stephanie asked bluntly. Philip shrugged. "Even if I was, and if you were moving on with Nathan, it looks like they've moved on without us and found each other." Stephanie asked what was next, since the two of them couldn't be friends, but they couldn't be together, either. Philip replied that he'd finally realized what she'd known for a long time: "We're just not right for each other-and we never will be." Without another word, he turned and strolled out.

Over burgers, Nathan and Melanie chatted and laughed about one of their patients. He took her hand to show her a "party trick," massaging her pressure points, and she was amazed to realize that she felt it in other parts of her body. Giggling, she playfully asked if he did that to all the girls he took out. "Only the ones I want to see again," he replied sincerely.

After dinner, Melanie and Nathan wandered outside the Cheatin' Heart, agreeing that they'd had fun. When both noted that they had early mornings the next day, their goodnight turned momentarily awkward. Nathan leaned in to kiss Melanie, but cell phone calls to each of them from Maggie interrupted them. After ignoring their ringing phones, they finally managed to share a tender kiss.

At the hospital, Sami demanded to know what was going on with Nicole and E.J. She tried to get E.J. to hold Sydney, but E.J. coldly ordered her to give the baby to Nicole. Smiling, Sami handed the child over, apologizing that she hadn't been able to get Sydney to go to sleep. "I think she really needs her daddy," Nicole declared quietly, but E.J. ignored her, so she left with Sydney. Sami asked E.J. what was going on.

In a private waiting room, E.J. tried to dodge the question, citing his father's condition. Sami gently insisted that she could tell something was going on between E.J. and Nicole. "She lied to me," he replied. "And now I've lost another daughter." Sami assured him that whatever was going on with him and Nicole didn't mean he'd lost Sydney. E.J. didn't want to discuss it, but Sami pushed, pointing out that Nicole loved him and would do anything for him.

E.J. reminded Sami that she'd always believed Nicole was a "lying tramp." Sami replied that she had changed her mind, believing that Nicole had become a totally different person since she had Sydney. E.J. quietly informed his ex that Sydney was not his child-and Nicole was not Sydney's mother. Sami had to drag the rest of out him, but E.J. eventually revealed the whole story about Nicole's miscarriage and subsequent fake pregnancy. Sami was completely floored, but E.J. asserted that what Nicole had done wasn't all that different from Sami keeping Grace from him. "Either way, it's the same thing," he quietly stated. "I had two daughters, and I lost them both."

Sami began to storm off in a huff, but E.J. reminded her that she'd forced him to have the conversation in the first place. Sami argued that because he was her son's father, she needed to know what was going on at the DiMera house-especially since E.J. had thrown Nicole and Johnny's sister out of it. When E.J. countered that Johnny and Sydney weren't actually related, Sami declared that it didn't matter, because they loved each other like they were. She reminded E.J. that although they had both lost Grace, he still had a little girl who believed that he was her daddy-if only he wanted her. E.J. demanded to know how he was supposed to explain things to his family.

"E.J., get over yourself!" exclaimed an exasperated Sami. "Get over your ego! What upsets you the most is that Nicole outsmarted you." E.J. contended that Nicole had only managed it with Brady's help. Sami gently stated that Brady must have had a good reason if he had helped Nicole, adding, "I guess the only question left is, who are Sydney's real parents?" E.J. didn't know, and didn't think Nicole did, either. He berated himself for not having seen what Nicole was up to. "I didn't see it because I chose not to," he concluded sadly, almost in a whisper. "I let my guard down because I really loved her. And I wanted her to really love me. And I thought I had finally found somebody that I could truly give my heart to."

Sami gently countered that Nicole really did love him. E.J. declared that he would never again let love blind him. He then demanded to see Johnny immediately, despite the late hour. Sami urged him to try to get some rest first, but he insisted: "I'm not having you or anyone else keep another one of my children from me."

Soon, Sami and E.J. were at the Brady Pub, which was closed. She carried a sleeping Johnny in and placed him in E.J.'s arms. Johnny stirred as his dad snuggled him tightly, kissing him on the head, while Sami looked on. "At least I still have you, right?" E.J. whispered.

Nicole pushed Sydney's stroller through the park on the waterfront, assuring her daughter that they would figure something out. Brady rushed up, relieved to see that Nicole was there and all right. She sadly informed him that Stefano might not make it, and Brady wondered why she was so upset, since she'd never been that close to Stefano.

Nicole confessed that E.J. knew the truth about Sydney, and explained how it had happened. Brady was thankful that E.J. hadn't hurt Nicole, but she clarified that E.J. had thrown her-and Sydney-out. That made Brady angry, but he was sorry for Nicole. She reminded him that he'd predicted it all along, and hotly blamed him for slipping up and telling E.J. on purpose-and accused him of wanting it to happen.

Brady pointed out that he'd gone to great lengths to make sure the truth wouldn't come out, including lying that he'd fallen off the wagon. He insisted that he hadn't intentionally blurted the truth. "Why would I do that?" he demanded. "So I could say I was right? So I could say you were wrong?" "Because you're in love-" Nicole began, but cut herself off. Brady softened, admitting that he had screwed up, and stating that he intended to keep the promise he'd made to help her any way he could.

Nicole sadly stated that it was too late, but Brady declared that she needed to think about Sydney. Nicole argued that everything she'd done had been to give Sydney a good life, with two loving parents. Brady asked what Nicole planned to do, and when she didn't know, he tried to give her some cash. She declined, since she had always managed on her own in the past. Gazing down at Sydney, Nicole declared softly, "I may not have given birth to Sydney, but she is my little girl in every way." Brady maintained that E.J. was a "bastard" for not feeling the same way.

Nicole asserted that it was only because E.J. hadn't realized how much he really loved and would miss Sydney. Brady worried that Nicole wasn't prepared for the day when E.J. did realize it and decided he wanted Sydney back-but not Nicole. Nicole insisted that E.J. just needed some time to cool off, and then he'd take them both back. Brady didn't think that would happen. Incensed, Nicole ordered him to leave, so he obeyed, but first reiterated his offer to help.

After Brady had gone, Nicole sat dejectedly on the bench next to Sydney's stroller. She expressed her regret for what she'd done to Sami, for how her plan to keep E.J. had turned into something so much bigger than simply giving him the daughter she'd lost. She looked at Sydney, who was contentedly playing with Nicole's keys. "Oh honey," Nicole murmured, beginning to cry. "I can't give you up-I just can't. You're mine, and I'm never going to let you go."