At the hospital, Daniel informed Eric that John's condition hadn't changed. Eric started to share the news about his potential trip to the Vatican, but Nicole arrived before he could do so, and he made it clear that he didn't want to talk about the matter while she was around. Eric walked away after telling Daniel to have a good trip.
Nicole joked about the icy reception, but Daniel wasn't amused. Nicole asked about John and was disappointed to learn that his condition hadn't changed. Nicole questioned Daniel about the trip Eric had mentioned earlier, and Daniel reluctantly confirmed that he was going out of town and might be gone for a while. Nicole wondered if Brady knew that Daniel was planning to leave town while John was in a coma.
"Okay, you always need answers to everything, don't you, Nicole? But, you know, I don't want to tell you where I'm going -- or why. I don't want to talk to you, period -- now or ever," Daniel snapped. Nicole conceded that she couldn't change how Daniel felt about her. Nicole said she had tried to make amends with Eric, but Daniel believed it was too late for that.
Daniel predicted that Eric was never going to forgive and forget, since Nicole had hurt Eric deeply at a time when he had been particularly vulnerable. Nicole reminded Daniel that Eric had been kicked out of the priesthood as a direct result of Kristen's actions, not hers. Nicole acknowledged that she had handled the situation poorly, but she insisted that she loved and had never meant to hurt Eric.
"You actually hurt him more than Kristen did. [...] He liked you, then he trusted you, then he cared about you. He actually came to love you. He never thought you'd be his Judas," Daniel argued. Nicole observed that it seemed like Daniel was purposely trying to hurt her. Nicole reminded Daniel that he had previously forgiven her for what she had done, and he admitted that doing so might have been a mistake.
Elsewhere, Anne bluntly informed Theresa that, according to John's medical files -- which Anne had inspected at Theresa's request -- he had passed a critical milestone and still hadn't shown any signs of improvement, which meant he would likely never recover. "Oh, thank God," Theresa blurted out, surprising Anne, who had been trying to display a modicum of sympathy.
Anne noted that the comment had been a bit cold, but Theresa reasoned that it would be hypocritical of her to wish for John to recover, since he had treated her viciously in the past. "[So] he wasn't just attacking Brady that night?" Anne asked. Theresa protested that Anne was putting words in her mouth, and she abruptly excused herself before Anne could continue questioning her.
Roman entered John's hospital room and found Marlena sitting at John's bedside. "I wish I could bring him back for you," Roman told Marlena. A short time later, Eric arrived and informed his parents that he was headed to Rome for a while. Marlena and Roman wished Eric luck. At Marlena's request, Eric gave John a blessing before leaving. Roman quietly watched the proceedings.
When Eric emerged from John's room a short time later, he bumped into Nicole, who apologized for the collision and abruptly excused herself. Eric gently grabbed Nicole's arm and asked her to stay. Eric wondered if Nicole had decided to go to Rome to testify on his behalf. Nicole confirmed that she would do anything to help Eric. Eric thanked Nicole and abruptly excused himself.
Elsewhere, Roman offered to take Marlena back to her place so she could get some rest, but she said she couldn't leave John's side. "Of course. You still love him. Even if you didn't know or admit it to yourself, you have never stopped loving John," Roman knowingly guessed before excusing himself so Marlena could have some privacy.
At St. Luke's, Eric sought advice from Brother Timothy, the monk he had previously consulted with during his spiritual retreat a few months earlier. Eric informed Timothy that Nicole was going to Rome, too. "Brother Timothy, I've been praying for help...getting past the feelings that I have for her. When I see her, I can't bear it. Sometimes I think I'm as angry with her as I am with Kristen -- maybe more. Is it normal to have such...anger towards another human being?" Eric wondered.
Timothy wondered if Eric was certain that the emotion he was feeling was anger. "I keep telling myself, no matter what Nicole's done, I cannot forgive her...but I still have feelings for her -- such strong feelings," Eric admitted. Timothy asked if Eric was still in love with Nicole.
At the Horton house, J.J. scanned the front page of the latest edition of the Salem Spectator, which included an article about the attempted murder charges that Brady was potentially facing, as well as one about Jennifer and Eve's legal battle. J.J. set the newspaper aside as Jennifer entered the living room. Assuming that the article had upset J.J., Jennifer said she was sorry they had gotten to the point where the matter was front-page news. J.J. vaguely clarified that something else was bothering him, and he silently recalled what had happened with Paige the previous night.
Jennifer told J.J. that she would be happy to listen if he ever decided to break the male code and talk about his feelings. J.J. thanked Jennifer for the offer before abruptly excusing himself. Jennifer suddenly remembered that it was J.J.'s last day of community service. Jennifer joked that she had been unable to find a card for that particular milestone, but J.J. wasn't amused.
Jennifer hugged J.J. and declared that she was proud of him, but he told her not to be. Jennifer tried to get J.J. to open up about what was bothering him, but he said he didn't want to talk about it. Guessing that she knew what J.J. was thinking about, Jennifer told him that she missed Jack, too.
"All I know how to do is talk. But your dad -- when something was bothering you, you'd wash the car [with him]. And I would watch, and neither one of you would say anything, but you always ended up smiling again. [...] I hate washing the car. But I also hate that you are not proud of yourself...because you came back. And yeah, we -- we've had a tough go, but I really feel like the three of us are stronger and closer than ever. You were my miracle baby, and the doctors said that you would never survive, and here you are. You beat the odds. And I love you more than anything, and I don't know what I would do without you," Jennifer added.
Jennifer's words had an obvious effect on J.J., but he tried to act cool, joking that she had just done a lot of talking. J.J. hugged Jennifer and thanked her for always thinking the best about him.
Eve entered Club TBD and spotted a stack of newspapers on the bar, so she glanced at one to make sure that the story about her lawsuit had been printed on the front page. Meanwhile, Eve received a phone call from her throat surgeon. After a brief conversation -- which seemed to be about the cost of the surgeon's services -- Eve ended the call and went to join Paige, who had been sitting alone at a table, thinking about what had happened with J.J. the previous night. Paige greeted her mother and abruptly excused herself, vaguely explaining that she needed to take care of something.
After Paige left, Eve placed a phone call to Theresa and asked if she had seen the front page of that day's newspaper. Theresa confirmed that she had, and -- assuming that she knew what Eve was referring to -- she irritably thanked Eve for sounding thrilled about the fact that Brady might be getting arrested later that day. Eve clarified that she had actually been referring to the article about her lawsuit.
Theresa wasn't surprised that Eve had called to talk about herself. Eve explained that she needed a favor, but Theresa didn't give Eve a chance to elaborate before refusing to help. Theresa said someone she really cared about might be sent to prison later that day. Reasoning that Theresa only cared about herself, Eve curiously wondered why Theresa was worried about being sent to prison. Annoyed, Theresa abruptly ended the call.
Paige approached J.J. while he was doing community service in the town square. J.J. said he had wanted to contact Paige but hadn't known what to say to her. "I want you to know -- and I'm totally sure that this is gonna probably come out wrong -- that I didn't mean to push you. It's just -- I mean, you're so beautiful and -- and -- and sexy and -- no, that -- can -- can we -- can we erase that, please? Just -- that was a stupid, guy thing to say. I'm not pressuring you. And I -- I wouldn't do that. That -- that is not like me, and, uh, just -- that is not cool. Um, I mean, I'd never try to get you to do something that you're not ready for. And I -- I hate myself if I offended you. You're just -- you're just great and...amazing. Can you ever forgive me?" J.J. nervously asked.
Paige said she wasn't going to forgive J.J. -- because he hadn't done anything wrong. Paige admitted that she had overreacted, but J.J. maintained that he should have paid attention when she had asked him to stop. "Well, you can stop now," Russ said as he approached the couple. J.J. started to apologize to his supervisor, but Russ clarified that he meant that J.J. could stop working and go home early.
J.J. happily handed over his vest to Russ, who praised J.J.'s work and said he was glad that his initial assessment of J.J.'s character had been proven wrong. After Russ left, J.J. and Paige went to the park. J.J. admitted that he was glad that he had been forced to do community service, since that was how he and Paige had met. J.J. said he would have died if Paige hadn't forgiven him for what had happened the previous night, since he wanted to be with her always. Paige returned the sentiment. "I, uh -- I think I'm in love with you," J.J. declared, and Paige returned that sentiment, too.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Victor was trying to convince Brady to seek the help of a lawyer -- something Brady adamantly refused to do -- when the doorbell rang. Brady opened the door and found Abe standing outside. Brady suspected that he was about to be arrested, but Abe revealed that the district attorney had decided not to press charges. "You dodged a bullet this time. Maybe you should think long and hard about what led to all this," Abe suggested before leaving.
"[That] man likes nothing better than to lower his voice and sermonize," Victor complained. Brady defended Abe, acknowledging that Abe had simply been trying to get him to wake up -- something Brady admitted that he should have done months earlier. "All right, all right -- let's not fight. It's good news. All's well that ends well, huh?" Victor reasoned. Brady reminded Victor that John could still die and that, if that happened, it would be Brady's fault, even if he didn't get charged with the crime.
A short time later, Daniel arrived and said he had just heard the good news from Abe when their paths had crossed outside. "Not really good news -- it's just news that doesn't completely suck...which makes it different than all the other news lately," Brady clarified. Daniel announced that he was planning to leave town for a while, and Brady encouraged him to do so, since there wasn't anything else Daniel could do for John, anyway.
After Daniel left, Brady excused himself so he could meet with Theresa. Victor predicted that Theresa might somehow try to milk money out of Brady. "A money-hungry woman will get it any way she can. And I've known enough of them in my time that I hope and pray you don't make the same mistakes that I did," Victor added.
Outside, Eve arrived as Daniel was leaving the property. Eve innocently apologized again for the earlier misunderstanding involving her history with Jennifer. Daniel said he had read about Eve's lawsuit in the newspaper and had gotten the impression that it was kind of a big deal. Eve offered to explain her side of the story to Daniel sometime, but he vaguely stated that he wouldn't be around to hear it, and he abruptly excused himself.
Eve rang the doorbell as she muttered that it wasn't her morning at all. "Anybody order a hooker?" Victor called out to no one in particular when he opened the door. Eve said Victor hadn't changed at all, and she stressed that she hadn't meant that as a compliment. Eve explained that she was looking for Theresa. "I gave her the old heave-ho. I have this prejudice against money-grubbing whores. But then, she's just targeting one drunk rich guy. You, on the other hand, are stealing from our wounded warriors. So you might as well pack your bags and get the hell out of Salem and prostitute yourself somewhere else," Victor advised Eve.
"Sorry, Victor. You can huff and puff until you stroke out. I don't give a damn. I'm back, and I am gonna get what's mine," Eve vowed. After Eve left, Victor went over to the Horton house to offer to do whatever he could to help Jennifer defeat Eve. Jennifer appreciated the gesture but assured Victor that she could handle Eve alone. "Oh, I don't know -- you deal with a creep like Eve, you need a creep like me to watch your back," Victor reasoned. Jennifer promised to keep Victor's offer in mind.
Victor casually changed the subject to Daniel's trip, but Jennifer recognized the tactic. Jennifer said she was going to respect Daniel's wishes and give him space, but Victor insisted that was a big mistake. Victor said that Maggie could get him to change his mind about anything, and he reasoned that Jennifer could do the same to Daniel, since that power seemed to be a universal "girl thing." Victor predicted that if Jennifer didn't soon find a way to work things out with Daniel, she would live to regret it.
In the park, Theresa was relieved when Brady informed her that the district attorney had decided not to press charges against him. Brady thanked Theresa for her support, but she claimed that she had simply told the truth. Brady still found it hard to believe that Theresa's version of events was what had really happened, but he didn't want to talk about the matter either way, so she agreed to drop the subject.
Brady told Theresa that he would have annulment papers drafted and sent over to her right away. Theresa claimed that she was fine with that, but she stressed that she didn't want Brady to feel any pressure to get the annulment taken care of immediately. Brady said he was sorry for dragging Theresa into his mess, but she dismissed the apology, insisting that she had simply been helping a friend.
Theresa hoped that, despite what Brady had previously said about needing to stay away from her for a while, they could still be friends. Brady confirmed that he and Theresa could probably go back to being friends at some point in the future, but he maintained that he needed to fly solo for a while so he could get his head straight again. After Brady left, Theresa fought back tears as she assured herself that she had only suffered a temporary setback. "Oh, then why do I feel so bad?" Theresa wondered with a sigh.
Later, Eve visited Theresa's apartment, and she was surprised to find that Theresa was crying. Theresa claimed that she was simply suffering from allergies, but Eve suspected that their earlier phone conversation had upset Theresa. Eve claimed that she felt awful about what she had said about Theresa during that conversation, but Theresa guessed that Eve was just pretending to be nice because she still wanted something from Theresa.
Meanwhile, Anne arrived and started complaining about how Theresa had ditched her earlier. Theresa introduced Anne to Eve, but Anne refused to leave just because Eve was visiting. Theresa clarified that she actually wanted Eve to leave, and Eve agreed to do so, although she left the apartment door slightly ajar so she could eavesdrop from the hallway.
Anne observed that Theresa was crying, and Theresa admitted that Brady had decided to move ahead with the annulment. Theresa claimed that she had really meant her vows, and she reasoned that Brady simply needed some space and time to realize that he really wanted to be with her. "Okay. I'm sorry, but did you forget you're talking to me? Can you save the Tammy Wynette crap for that dumb stud with the two-point-gazillion alcohol level?" Anne suggested.
Theresa warned Anne to refrain from talking about Brady like that, so Anne changed the subject, wondering why Theresa had been relieved to learn that John wouldn't be emerging from his coma. Theresa dodged the question, instead apologizing for her earlier treatment of Anne. Anne wasn't willing to let Theresa change the subject that easily, but she didn't have time to question Theresa further. Anne warned that she wasn't going to drop the matter anytime soon.
As soon as Anne left, Eve returned and admitted that she had heard the entire conversation. Eve was interested in getting the same answers Anne had sought, especially since Eve knew that Theresa had been eager to leave Salem the previous night but apparently no longer had any desire to do so. Eve suspected that Theresa's change of plans had something to do with the fact that John was probably never going to recover, and she wondered why Theresa had feared the possibility that he would recover.
Nicole visited Brady at the Kiriakis mansion to offer her support -- if they were still friends. Brady acknowledged that he wasn't in a position where he could be picky about his friends. Relieved, Nicole hugged Brady, who wondered what was wrong. "I just can't believe someone still wants to be my friend," Nicole admitted. Brady vowed that he was done consuming liquor and drugs, done lying, done hurting people, and -- most importantly -- done making mistakes with women like Kristen and Theresa.
Marlena dozed off for a while in John's hospital room, and when she woke up, she seemed worried about something. When Roman returned to check on Marlena, she told him about what had happened. Roman suspected that the situation was simply scaring Marlena, but she disagreed. "Look, I'm a doctor. I'm level-headed. But I've got this feeling of...dread -- like something terrible is about to happen," Marlena explained.
A man was waiting for Daniel in his hotel room, and he knocked Daniel out before being spotted. After making sure that Daniel was unconscious, the man opened the hotel room door and let a woman in -- Kristen DiMera.
As Sonny cleaned his apartment, E.J. knocked on the door and asked to speak with Sonny and Will together. Upset, Sonny asked E.J. why he should listen to the man that had broken Sami's heart and had also used Abigail in the process. E.J. said that he understood why everyone was angry but that he did not understand why all the good deeds he had done for Will and Sonny were erased by his affair with Abigail.
"I made one stupid mistake. But I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying here and I hope that you and William will give me another chance because my family, this family, means everything to me. That includes you, William, and Arianna," E.J. said. Sonny countered that if E.J. had cared about the family then he would not have cheated on Sami. Sonny asked E.J. to show himself out, and he went to check on the baby.
At the club, Will and Abigail talked over drinks. Abigail said that Sami had every right to be furious and she was worried that the situation would drive a wedge between Will and Sami. Will thought about the fight he'd had with his mother, but he told Abigail all was well. When Will asked Abigail how her relationship with E.J. had started, Abigail said that she had been drawn to E.J. When Abigail noted that E.J. had been having problems with Sami, Will asked if E.J. had pursued Abigail.
"No. No, it was very mutual. He was wrong, and I was wrong. We just didn't stop ourselves," Abigail said. Will reminded Abigail of a conversation they had previously had about her feelings for her secret boyfriend, and Abigail blurted out that she was not in love with E.J. Abigail apologized for snapping. Abigail explained that she did not understand what had happened with E.J. but that it was not love. Abigail reiterated that Sami had every right to be angry.
Will warned Abigail that Sami had threatened her. Abigail reminded Will that E.J. was not the only person that had hurt Sami. Will admitted that he was unhappy about Abigail's affair with E.J. but that he believed Sami might go too far to get back at Abigail. As Abigail's face twisted in confusion and concern, Will cautioned that Sami was known to hold a grudge.
In the Brady Pub, Anne approached Sami and said hello. Sami thanked Anne for meeting her. As Anne smiled, Sami said that she had heard that Anne had a reputation for doing her job no matter who she upset. With a devilish grin, Sami said that Anne was the kind of person she needed. Anne offered to assist Sami with John's care, but Sami dismissed the request. Sami explained that she would be taking over the DiMera seat on the hospital board.
Sami asked Anne to help her understand hospital regulations regarding employee misconduct. Pleased at Sami's interest in her job, Anne pulled out her phone, eager to show Sami the language from the human resources handbook. Sami handed Anne a business card and asked her to send the information to the email address on the card. Anne sent the information via email then she informed Sami that she had ideas for reorganizing the hospital. Sami smiled reluctantly and agreed to listen to Anne's ideas at a later date.
Once Anne was gone, Sami reviewed the hospital regulations on her computer tablet. Kayla arrived at the pub to meet Sami, and she gave Sami an update on John's condition. When Sami asked Kayla about her niece, Kayla assumed Sami was asking about Theresa's role as a witness to John's injury. Sami interrupted and said that she meant Kayla's other niece, Abigail. Kayla said Abigail was doing well at the hospital.
When Kayla offered her condolences for Sami's ruined wedding, Sami smiled and cheerfully said that the wedding had gone as planned. Sami admitted that she had given the incriminating evidence against E.J. to the police. Confused, Kayla asked why Sami had engineered the arrest of the man that she loved. Sami said that she had learned that E.J. had been sleeping with Abigail. Kayla did not believe it. When Sami alluded to the incident with Austin, Kayla said that Abigail's infatuation with Austin was no reason to believe that Abigail had slept with E.J.
Sami remarked that she was surprised that Jennifer had not reached out to Kayla. When Kayla asked Sami if she had talked to Jennifer about her theory, Sami corrected Kayla and said that she had gone to Jennifer with proof. Sami opened her tablet and showed Kayla a photo of Abigail and E.J. kissing in the cabin. Sami added that Abigail had admitted that she had slept with E.J. Nodding, Kayla said that she would talk to Abigail.
With a look of faux concern on her face, Sami leaned forward and asked Kayla to break the news to her niece that Abigail was no longer able to work at the hospital. Kayla quietly informed Sami that she could not fire Abigail. Sami disagreed and pointed out that Kayla was the person that oversaw the committee on which Abigail worked. Kayla refused to help Sami exact revenge.
"You're wrong, Kayla. That is exactly what you are going to do," Sami said. Kayla said that Abigail had made a mistake in her personal life and not at work. Sami read aloud the human resources paragraph regarding immoral conduct then she reminded Kayla that Abigail had slept with a member of the hospital board. When Kayla asked Sami not to go after Abigail, Sami urged Kayla to handle the matter quietly rather than turn the event into a scandal.
Kayla warned Sami that it would not make her feel better for Abigail to lose her job. Kayla refused to take part in Sami's scheme. With a raised eyebrow, Sami reminded Kayla that DiMera Enterprises had a twenty million-dollar donation for the hospital pending. When Kayla argued that the donation was earmarked for the children's ward, Sami leaned forward and said that if Abigail was not barred from working at the hospital, she would pull the donation.
Will returned to his apartment, and Sonny asked about Abigail. Will said that Abigail was surprisingly calm. With a shrug, Sonny said that the same could not be said about E.J., who had visited. Sonny explained that he had sent E.J. away. Will and Sonny talked about the article about Sami that Will had promised to write. Will noted that his mother was out of control and that he needed to neutralize her.
In the town square, E.J. talked to a business associate on the phone and promised the man that he and Stefano had total faith in Kate and Samantha's leadership of the company. Through gritted teeth, E.J. informed the associate that their investment in the company was safe with him. As a frustrated E.J. hung up his phone, he looked up and saw Abigail walking across the square. Abigail stopped dead in her tracks when she saw E.J. After a moment, Abigail scurried away into the park. E.J. followed Abigail and asked to speak with her.
In Theresa's apartment, Eve grilled Theresa about why Theresa was relieved that John was not expected to wake from his coma. When Theresa refused to answer the question, Eve casually threatened to call the police or Theresa's parents. Theresa ignored Eve. With a wide grin, Eve wondered aloud if Theresa was worried that John would wake up and dispute Theresa's account of what had happened between John and Brady.
"Can you keep a secret?" Theresa asked. Eve raised an eyebrow. Theresa said that she did not wish John ill and that her statement to the police was "in her husband's best interest." Theresa elaborated that she did not want to make matters worse for Brady. Not buying Theresa's story, Eve accused Theresa of lying. Eve noted that if Theresa was prepared to return to Los Angeles where she would face jail time, then Theresa was clearly lying to protect herself and not Brady. Cornered, Theresa asked Eve what she wanted.
"I thought you would never ask!" Eve said with a chuckle. Eve explained that she had a problem with her scheduled surgery. Theresa guessed that Eve needed money, but Eve corrected her and said that she needed Theresa to donate blood because they were the same rare blood type. Eve promised not to talk to anyone about John or Brady if Theresa would donate blood for her surgery. With a grimace, Theresa reluctantly agreed.
In John's hospital room, Marlena confided to Roman that she had a terrible feeling that something bad was going to happen. From the doorway, Brady asked if Marlena's fear was that he was going to visit John. When Brady asked how John was doing, Marlena said there was no change. Brady apologized. Marlena asked Brady if he had remembered what had happened and whether Theresa's account of the fight was accurate.
Brady admitted that he had no memory of the fight. When Brady asked how John was doing, Marlena refused to talk to him about John. Brady said he understood because he hated himself for what he had done. Marlena stressed that she did not hate Brady. Upset, Brady recounted that his last memory that night was of drinking.
"I was wrong. I was so, I was so angry at everybody. Eric, just everybody. It was the anger that kept me alive for so long because I felt so dead inside after," Brady said. "After Kristen?" Marlena asked. Brady said John had wanted him to stop drinking and that he had lashed out at John for caring about him. Brady leaned over John and whispered that John had been right.
"We've all made our mistakes with John. I know deep down that he was trying to help. I just couldn't forgive him. So now we just have to tell him and hope he comes back to us," Marlena said. Marlena encouraged Brady to continue to talk to John and help him fight to regain consciousness. Brady thanked Marlena for letting him spend time with John. After Brady left, Marlena held John's hand, and Roman returned to the room.
Brady walked down the hallway and saw Theresa. Theresa said that she was there to check on Brady and his family and to give blood to help her sister Eve. Nodding, Brady said he would get the annulment information to Theresa soon. After Brady walked away, Marlena walked into the hallway and glared at Theresa. Unnerved, Theresa turned around and walked down the hallway. As Marlena started to follow, Eve arrived at the hospital and called out to Marlena.
On Marlena's questioning look, Eve introduced herself. Marlena asked Eve if Theresa had remembered any further details about the night of John's accident. Eve covered for Theresa and said that Theresa had said that the night had been a blur.
In the Kiriakis mansion, Brady looked at the fireplace poker and thought about when Theresa had told him about the fight between John and him. Overcome, Brady fell into a chair and sighed.
In Daniel's hotel room, he woke up to find that he had been bound to a chair and gagged. Confused, Daniel looked up and saw Kristen standing in front of him. Kristen warned Daniel to remain quiet so that she could talk to him. Daniel nodded. When Kristen removed the gag, Daniel screamed out "Help!" and then yelled the room number. The thug with Kristen grabbed Daniel's shoulders, and Kristen slapped Daniel. Stunned, Daniel fell silent.
Kristen ordered the thug out of the room. When Daniel yelled for help again, Kristen asked Daniel if he had wondered why he had been upgraded to a suite. Kristen yelled to prove her point. Kristen said that the room was soundproof.
"What do you want, you crazy bitch?" Daniel asked. Kristen reminded Daniel that they had once been friends. Daniel corrected Kristen and noted that Kristen had fooled him but that they had never really been friends. Angry, Daniel said that Kristen had hurt Eric even after Eric had helped her. Daniel added that Eric had lost his vocation, the support of the town, and his brother. When Daniel mentioned that Kristen had destroyed Brady, she scowled in silence. With a twinkle in his eye, Daniel guessed that Kristen was aware of Brady's troubles.
Kristen admitted that she knew about Brady's fight with John and that Brady had married a gold-digger. Kristen demanded that Daniel tell her everything about Brady. When Daniel asked why, Kristen said that she wanted to help Brady. Daniel refused, and Kristen invited her thug back into the room. Daniel still refused to help. The thug punched Daniel in the stomach and placed the gag over Daniel's mouth.
Daniel's cell phone rang. Kristen picked up the phone and saw that Brady was calling. Curious, Kristen answered the call but did not say a word. Brady asked Daniel if he was there, but there was only silence on Daniel's end of the phone call.
At the monastery, Brother Timothy asked if Eric were still grappling with the feelings of love he had for Nicole. "Brother Timothy, what I feel for Nicole is in no way love... After what Nicole has done, I can never feel love for her, ever again," Eric insisted. He admitted that he had made it difficult for Nicole to do the right thing, and the monk pointed out that Eric had told Nicole that he'd loved her for a long time. Brother Timothy guessed that Eric still wanted Nicole. Eric blurted out that he did but quickly denied it.
Eric was angry because he didn't think he would have a chance he went to Rome to plead his case to Cardinal Filippi because he would have to rely on Nicole. Brother Timothy urged Eric to take that chance, but Eric didn't want to be near Nicole. The monk asserted that she was Eric's only chance to return to the priesthood -- unless Eric expected Kristen to reappear. Eric asserted that Kristen would never return to Salem -- and it was a blessing, because it was clear she was evil after what she'd done to his life and Brady's.
Eric added that he had faith that God would never allow Kristen to strike at him again. Eric acknowledged that he would have to depend on Nicole, since he couldn't produce Kristen or Dr. Chyka. He added that he had been praying about that all night, as well as for a release from the "physical longing" he felt for Nicole. Eric wished that God would show him a sign. Brother Timothy assured him that the sign would arrive -- but it might not be what Eric was looking for.
In Daniel's hotel room, Kristen answered Daniel's phone when Brady called, but she didn't say anything. A puzzled Brady called Daniel's name several times, urging him to say something, and finally asked if he should try calling back. Although gagged and tied to a chair, Daniel grunted loudly and struggled against the ropes. Kristen quickly hung up and ordered her goon, "Do something!" The thug punched Daniel, hard, in the gut. Kristen apologized to Daniel and pulled off his gag then instructed her henchman to leave.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Brady looked at his phone and wondered if he should try calling Daniel back. Meanwhile, Daniel warned Kristen that Brady would be so concerned about the dropped call that he'd keep trying until he got in touch with Daniel. As if on cue, Daniel's phone rang again -- so Kristen sent Brady a text message as Daniel: "Sorry, in a meeting. Picked up by mistake. Was it urgent?" Brady sent a quick reply that he'd just wanted to thank Daniel.
Nicole was walking through Horton Square, carrying a bag with Brady's favorite ice cream, when she bumped into Maggie -- who had the same item in her shopping bag for Brady. Nicole irritably assumed that Maggie had no desire for Nicole to visit Brady -- but soon the two women were walking through the front door of the Kiriakis mansion together.
Brady was a bit taken aback when he saw Nicole and Maggie arriving together. Maggie explained that they had both had the same idea about how to make Brady feel a little better. Maggie added that there had been no change in John's condition. Brady said that he had been trying to find someone at Titan to help out with John's duties at Basic Black. Brady headed to the kitchen to put the ice cream away and make some calls.
Maggie admitted that there was another reason she'd invited Nicole back to the house. Maggie admitted that she wasn't happy about what Nicole had done to Eric, Daniel, and Jennifer, but Maggie was glad that Nicole was there for Brady, who really needed friends. "Nicole, just...don't screw it up," Maggie requested.
Once Nicole was alone with Brady, she tried to convince him that he could get back on track after losing his way because of what Kristen had done to him. Brady pointed out that it did nothing to help his dad. Nicole assured Brady that even if he had been drunk and high, he wasn't to blame for what had happened to John, because she knew Brady would never intentionally hurt his father. "You need to concentrate on making things different, new, and good. The past can't change. You just need to leave it behind you," Nicole stated firmly.
On the phone in the park later, Nicole confirmed that she had received her tickets and itinerary. As she hung up, she recalled her most recent argument with Eric in her hotel room. She muttered to herself that she shouldn't expect much thanks from him.
Brady headed to Horton Square and made a phone call. "I'm sorry you won't be able to make it, Mister Schmidt. Just please tell your colleagues at Basic Black that my father would want you to reach out to me at any time." As Brady hung up, he remembered shopping in the square with Kristen. While Brady was lost in thought, Nicole approached and startled him out of his memories. Brady admitted that he'd just been thinking about Kristen.
When E.J. arrived at the mansion, Victor had already poured a glass of scotch for him. Without taking a drink, E.J. deposited the drink on a side table and demanded to know why Victor had summoned him. Victor explained that instead of reveling in E.J.'s misfortune, he preferred to do a deal with E.J. E.J. said that he wasn't interested in anything Victor had to offer. When E.J. headed for the door, Victor remarked, "Can you really afford not to listen, not to hear what I have to say?"
Back in the hotel room, Daniel firmly warned Kristen that he would not tell her anything about Brady. Kristen used Daniel's phone to send text messages to all the colleagues he would have seen at the medical conference, plus Maggie and all his friends in Salem. Daniel didn't think anyone would buy it, but Kristen maintained that she had captured his voice by reading his old messages. When Kristen announced that she still had to send a message to Jennifer, Daniel warned her that Jennifer would be expecting a call, not a text message.
While Kristen composed a message to Jennifer about what gifts Daniel should buy Abigail and J.J., Daniel pleaded with her to leave Jennifer out of it. Before she sent the message, Kristen decided that she should check Daniel and Jennifer's old text messages so she didn't leave out anything important -- and she discovered that they had not sent any messages to each other in weeks. Kristen deduced that Daniel and Jennifer had broken up and that he wanted to alert Jennifer so she would call the police. Daniel refused to discuss Jennifer with Kristen.
Kristen mused menacingly, "I think you need a major attitude adjustment... I think your son and your daughter would really appreciate that. I mean, after all, it would be nice for them to be able to see their father again, don't you think?" Daniel shouted at Kristen to leave his children alone. With a wry scowl, Kristen assured Daniel that she would never threaten Parker or Melanie -- or any child. Recalling how much Kristen had wanted a child of her own, Daniel wondered how she could have hurt Eric so much when she had shown such compassion for children -- and for Jennifer.
"Enough with the priest! Enough! Today is about Brady," Kristen declared. After she let her henchman back into the room, Kristen admitted that she didn't know much about what had been going on with Brady. When Daniel refused to discuss his friend, Kristen recounted that she did know about John's injury and "that barnacle," Theresa, who had attached herself to Brady. Kristen wanted to know all of Theresa's strengths and weaknesses. Daniel said that he wasn't going to indulge Kristen's sick fantasies about getting back together with Brady.
Kristen pointed out that she couldn't show her face in Salem again -- and that was why she had waited until Daniel had gone out of town to have a chat with him about Brady. She added softly that she only wanted to know how Brady was doing because she still cared about him a great deal. Daniel guessed, "Oh, Kristen. Nice try... I don't think I'm tied up to this chair because you want me to fill you in on Brady. Now, somehow, you think you're going to see him face-to-face. Is that right? And you want him here -- and I'm the bait." With a coy shrug, Kristen confirmed that Daniel was correct.
Kate slid in, uninvited, across from Victor at a restaurant table. After she got a martini, Kate toasted to herself and thanked Victor for his part in helping her take the reins at DiMera Enterprises -- even though he hadn't known he was doing it. "You duplicitous bitch," Victor said without much venom as he raised his glass to Kate. Kate explained that she was there to show Victor just how grateful she was. After Kate had outlined her plan to Victor, she handed him some papers to sign before he wired funds to the DiMera Enterprises account. "Stefano's going to go through the roof," Victor warned her, but he signed the papers.
E.J. followed Abigail to the park outside Horton Square, but she snapped that she had nothing more to say to him. E.J. tried to reassure Abigail that what had happened between the two of them was neither reprehensible nor horrible, but Abigail disagreed. E.J. asserted that the two of them had connected through their discussions about art and her father's book, and he wished that things had ended differently. "Are you saying that you want us to be together again?" a stunned Abigail asked.
E.J. assured Abigail that wasn't what he wanted; he just hated to see her punishing herself, because she was a beautiful, intelligent woman with integrity, although she might not agree at that moment. E.J. and Abigail each wished that the other could get past what had happened. E.J. admitted that things with Sami had been very difficult, but he refused to give up hope. As Abigail left, she thanked E.J. for what he'd said.
Later, E.J. was sitting alone at Club TBD when Kate strode in and warned him not to harass any more board members. E.J. calmly pointed out that he had merely been trying to protect the company. He wondered why Kate had gotten involved in the takeover of DiMera Enterprises with Samantha, whose motivation was much clearer. Kate ordered E.J. to butt out. "[Sami and I are] just cleaning up the mess, thanks to what you did to Abigail and Stefano did to Rafe. Now the two of you, you're just spectators," Kate declared before walking away.
E.J. got a phone call from Victor, who mysteriously hinted that he was a potential ally. After instructing E.J. to meet him at the Kiriakis mansion in a few minutes, Victor hung up.
Jennifer went to the hospital to look for Kayla, who hadn't been returning her text messages. A nurse informed Jennifer that Kayla was at the Brady Pub, so Jennifer headed in that direction.
At the Brady Pub, Sami stated that she had instructed the corporate giving department at DiMera Enterprises put a freeze on the twenty million dollar donation for the children's wing of University Hospital. An irked Kayla pointed out that the renovations had already begun. Sami agreed that the renovations were needed -- and she refused to let Kayla make her feel guilty. "Let me just be clear that there's a choice to make, here. It's either Abby gets fired, or the hospital gets the donation. Choose," Sami said.
Kayla sympathized with Sami but stressed that revenge wasn't the answer. Unmoved, Sami promised to find another worthy hospital to receive the donation -- or simply take it up with Anne Milbauer -- if Kayla didn't comply with her request. "At least don't make me fire Abigail. Let her resign on her own," Kayla proposed. Sami agreed provided that Abigail wrote a letter stating that she had violated the hospital's code of conduct by having inappropriate relations with a board member and could never work at the hospital again.
Sami requested a copy of the letter for her records. "You have really turned into a DiMera, haven't you?" Kayla said with obvious disgust and disapproval. "Look at it this way. You saved the hospital twenty million dollars. You should be proud, Aunt Kayla," Sami pointed out. "I'd appreciate it if you never called me that again. I'm ashamed that we're even related," Kayla retorted before storming out.
Outside, Kayla ran into Jennifer, who was dismayed to learn that Sami had already told Kayla about E.J. and Abigail's affair. Kayla reluctantly said that she also had to ask Abigail to resign, or the hospital would lose DiMera Enterprises' twenty million dollar donation. Jennifer was ready to charge into the pub to give Sami a piece of her mind, but Kayla warned her that Sami would not back down.
As soon as Kayla was out of sight, Jennifer headed inside and stomped over to Sami's table. "You monster!" Jennifer hissed. Sami asked if she, the woman who'd found out her husband was having an affair, were a monster, what that made the "slut mistress." Jennifer urged Sami to concentrate on E.J. and not Abigail. Sami noted that Abigail was just like her mother, who'd jumped back into bed with Daniel Jonas before Jack had been cold in his grave.
Sami sarcastically urged Jennifer to help her daughter look for work at an escort agency, where they could make good use of Abigail's interest in older men. As Sami strolled out, Jennifer spat, "Nothing you say about my daughter will ever change the way I feel about her! I wonder if Marlena could say the same thing about you."
When Abigail arrived at Kayla's office, Kayla revealed that she'd just spoken to Sami. Abigail apologized and admitted that she was embarrassed about what she'd done. Kayla noted that E.J. was at least half to blame. Producing the employee handbook binder to show Abigail, Kayla explained everything that Sami had demanded. "Do I have to write [the letter] in blood, too?" Abigail cried. She promised to turn the letter in the following morning -- but she had something to take care of first.
A few minutes later, Sami opened the door and found Abigail on the doorstep. "Why, Abby, hello! I'm sorry, your lover boy's not here," Sami said, closing the door on Abigail -- but Abigail forced the door back open and strode inside. "I didn't come for E.J. I came for you," Abigail announced.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Victor explained that he wanted E.J. to do a little consulting job for him. "Now, before you get all bent out of shape because it's beneath you, aren't you at all curious as to what companies I want you to consult on?" Victor wondered. E.J. dismissively guessed that Victor had simply concocted a flimsy excuse to see E.J. so he could gloat about E.J.'s predicament.
E.J. vowed that he and Sami would eventually resolve their differences, at which point he would be back in control of DiMera Enterprises, and Kate would be free to go back to running Mad World into the ground for Victor. "Phoenix Limited, S and E Holdings. 'S and E' -- I assume that stands for 'Stefano and Elvis,' yes? Those are my new companies -- the ones I want you to consult on. I assume you're familiar with them," Victor replied when E.J. finished grandstanding.
E.J. protested that he and Stefano owned ninety percent of the stock in those companies. Victor clarified that Kate had just sold the companies to him, and he reminded E.J. that she was fully authorized to make such transactions. Victor produced the contract, and as E.J. inspected it, he furiously observed that the companies had been sold for half of what they were worth. "Well, I told you it was a good deal," Victor agreed.
E.J. angrily started to vow that Victor wasn't going to get away with the maneuver, but Victor interrupted and said he'd already gotten away with it, thanks to Kate and Sami. Victor warned that it wouldn't be wise for E.J. to get apoplectic yet, since Sami and Kate were likely just getting started. E.J. refused to let Victor take advantage of the situation, but Victor clarified that he was content to sit back and watch Kate and Sami work their magic. "You know, I -- I have been married to some pretty vindictive women, but you, sir, I think, take the cake. Oh, I almost forgot -- congratulations on your wedding," Victor cheerfully added as E.J. silently exited the mansion.
At the DiMera mansion, Sami guessed that Kayla had told Abigail about Sami's ultimatum. Abigail wondered if Sami was proud of herself. Sami shrugged and admitted that she did think she deserved some gratitude for being willing to let Abigail resign instead of having her fired, since that would make it easier for Abigail to find a job flipping burgers somewhere.
Abigail wondered if Sami had even bothered to think about why E.J. had chosen Abigail in the first place. Amused, Sami clarified that E.J. had chosen her and that Abigail had simply been a distraction -- a notch in his bedpost. Sami reasoned that E.J.'s fling with Abigail had been a mistake and that Abigail hadn't meant anything to him.
Abigail said that wasn't what E.J. had told her, but Sami dismissively replied that men were willing to say anything to get women to sleep with them. Sami reasoned that E.J. had only slept with Abigail because Sami hadn't been willing to sleep with him at that particular time. Abigail insisted that wasn't true, and she theorized that Sami was furious and scared because she knew it wasn't true, too.
"My mom's a psychiatrist, and you just sound silly trying to diagnose me. Almost makes me feel sorry for you -- like E.J. did," Sami dismissively replied. Abigail maintained that her relationship with E.J. had been about much more than just sex, which was why he had gone back to her again and again. Abigail argued that Sami's relationship with E.J. was the one that had been superficial, which was why Sami had sought art lessons from Abigail in a halfhearted effort to connect with him on a deeper level -- a plan that hadn't really worked because Sami had never cared enough to get fully invested in the project and absorb Abigail's knowledge.
"E.J. and I -- we shared a love of art. We could talk about it for hours. We shared a love of literature. And then we shared our bodies with each other," Abigail summarized. Sami mockingly pinched Abigail's cheeks and observed that it sounded like the young woman was still in love with E.J. -- a possibility that freaked Sami out. Abigail insisted that she had never loved E.J., but she guessed that Sami had -- and still did.
Sami found it fascinating that Abigail had pretended to regret destroying Sami's life, not to mention Sami's kids' lives, for approximately one second before proceeding to rub her actions in Sami's face. "Unfortunately for you, payback is as big a bitch as you are," Abigail replied. Abigail insisted that she had felt terrible about what she had done -- until Sami had started acting like Abigail's actions had been worse than anything Sami had ever done.
Abigail promised that her resignation letter would include everything Sami had demanded. "But then? That is it -- we are done. You ever come after me or my family again, and I'll teach you a few lessons in vindictiveness that I learned straight from you, because unlike you, Sami, I am a real quick study, and I can hurt you so much worse than you could ever hurt me," Abigail warned before storming out of the mansion.
Later, while Sami was working, she stumbled upon the wedding gift Allie had made for her. Seeing the picture on the front of the album made Sami think about the night before her wedding, when E.J. had started trying to undress her while they had been lying in bed together. Sami had stayed turned away from E.J. as he had slipped a bra strap off of her shoulder while whispering in her ear that he wanted to hear her say that she loved him, since he hadn't heard those words lately.
Sami had protested that she often said those words to E.J., but he still wanted to hear them again -- and again and again and again. E.J. had eventually asked Sami to look him in the eyes while saying the words, so she had forced herself to act normal, turned to face him, and repeated the words for the fifth time before kissing him. "That is the last time you are ever gonna touch me, E.J. -- the very. Last. Time," Sami tearfully vowed as she stopped thinking about the memory.
When E.J. returned home, Harold reported that Abigail had visited the mansion earlier and that the conversation between her and Sami had been rather animated. E.J. found Sami in the living room and told her about his earlier conversation with Victor. E.J. warned that if Sami weren't careful, she might end up running the company into the ground and destroying their kids' inheritance in the process.
"Oh, no -- oh, no, E.J. You do not talk to me about our children. They don't need the DiMera dirty money to be happy or to be healthy or to live a nice life. They don't need to live in this house of horrors, either, all right? And don't you lecture me about what is best for them when you are the one who ripped this family apart! I do nothing but think about what is best for our children! And frankly, I think it's great that they have seen who you really are, because you don't care about anything but yourself," Sami snapped.
"And, for the record, the board is thrilled that Kate and I got rid of those subsidiaries, because we're making them a lot of money. I mean, obviously, it's hurting your cash flow, which you seem to be more upset about than losing me. [...] I'm not an idiot just because I haven't been to the Louvre or read War and Peace. I don't have to read it -- I live it. I know I'm not book smart, but the board seems to be thrilled with how much money I am making them, how much money is turning up in their bank accounts -- obviously, except you and Stefano. It's too bad the government is cutting food stamps, 'cause after I'm through with you, E.J., you're gonna need 'em," Sami added.
Confused, E.J. assured Sami that he had always admired her intelligence and strength, but Sami didn't want to hear anything else that he had to say. Sami started to leave, but E.J. grabbed her arm and warned that she would leave him with no other choice if she continued to try to destroy him. "But to what? What, E.J.? No, tell me. Threaten me. Threaten to come after me, guns blazing. Bring it on -- I dare you," Sami replied before walking away.
Will invited Kate over to his and Sonny's apartment to spend some time with Arianna, but the child fell asleep moments before Kate arrived. Kate didn't mind, since she was content to watch Arianna sleep, but she guessed that Will hadn't just invited her over to see her great-granddaughter. Confirming the suspicion, Will pointed out that he and Kate had a lot of catching up to do.
Will casually asked Kate a series of questions about how she and Sami had plotted their revenge against Stefano and E.J. Kate cited her unparalleled business skills, as well as the fact that they shared a common enemy, as the reasons why Sami had sought her help. Kate said E.J. and Stefano hadn't figured out her and Sami's plan ahead of time because the men had been too busy trying to take each other down.
Kate added that she and Sami had also stroked Stefano and E.J.'s Siberia-sized egos to get the men to lower their guard. Will mused that Kate, in particular, had apparently been pretty convincing, since she and Stefano hadn't even been together during the planning stages of the operation. "When the stakes are high enough, I can convince anyone of anything," Kate assured Will.
Will marveled that Kate and Sami had managed to scam a roomful of business moguls, including Shin, to take over DiMera Enterprises during the pivotal board meeting. Kate said Shin would be the first to admit that he was happy he had been scammed, since she and Sami had dumped the subsidiaries that E.J. and Stefano had been using to hoard their profits, which meant everyone was receiving more money than before.
Will acted impressed, and Kate bragged that she and Sami were being lauded as geniuses. Kate suddenly remembered that she had a meeting to attend, so she excused herself, and Will escorted her out of the apartment. After shutting the door behind Kate, Will retrieved his cell phone, which he had hidden on a stand behind the couch, and checked to make sure that he had successfully recorded the entire conversation.
Rafe went to Club TBD to talk to Ben about Jordan. Rafe felt like Jordan had been avoiding him, but Ben insisted that wasn't the case. Ben stressed that Jordan really cared about Rafe and really wanted to talk to him about a few different things. Rafe muttered that he had some things he wanted to discuss with Jordan, too.
Sonny interrupted and said he had a bunch of pictures of Arianna for Rafe to take to Gabi the next time he visited her. Rafe revealed that he was actually planning to visit Gabi the following day. At Sonny's request, Rafe promised to tell Gabi that Sonny and Will loved her, missed her, and would visit her soon. Rafe excused himself, and Ben helpfully suggested that Jordan might be between appointments at the hospital at that time.
Later, Kate arrived for a meeting with an investor. Kate took a moment to greet Sonny, and she casually mentioned that his business bent seemed to be rubbing off on Will, who had asked a lot of questions about her new acquisition during their earlier conversation -- questions about things she had never expected her grandson to be interested in. Sonny shrugged and reasoned that Will liked to know a lot of different things.
Kate excused herself when her investor arrived, leaving Sonny looking slightly puzzled. Sonny asked if Ben would mind watching the place for a while, and Ben happily agreed, pointing out that he owed Sonny for recently allowing him to leave work early to take care of something. Later, Abigail arrived and greeted Ben, who could tell that she was upset about something. Ben was shocked to learn about what Sami had done to Abigail.
Abigail assured Ben that Sami was going to back off -- starting immediately -- and he observed that Abigail seemed fairly confident about that. Abigail confirmed that she was, adding that she simply wasn't going to take the abuse anymore. Meanwhile, Kate approached and greeted Abigail, who demanded to know what she wanted. Kate shrugged and said she had simply wanted to say hello to an old friend, but Abigail thought it would be more appropriate to call herself one of Kate's new enemies.
Kate clarified that she and Sami had different agendas that only occasionally intersected. Kate explained that her agenda had nothing to do with Abigail -- it simply involved putting Stefano in his place. "I understand why Sami is angry, but your family took decades to get over what happened with -- well, never mind that," Kate added, alluding to her past relationship with Bill Horton. Kate approvingly observed that it looked like Abigail was moving on with a nice young man who was much more age-appropriate and suitable than E.J., and she walked away before Abigail could respond.
When Sonny returned home, Will was lounging on the couch, working on his laptop. Will was surprised to see Sonny, since he had expected his husband to be at the club the entire afternoon. Sonny explained that Ben was covering for him. "Well, that is just what I wanted to hear," Will said before passionately kissing Sonny.
Later, while Sonny and Will were lying in bed together after making love, Sonny admitted that he was glad he had left work early. Will agreed, declaring that the day just kept getting better and better. Sonny wondered if Will's story was going well, and Will confirmed that he was more than halfway finished with it already.
Sonny said that Kate had mentioned that she had visited Will earlier, and Will reported that she had given him plenty of great material. Will admitted that he hadn't told Kate that he was writing a story about the takeover, but he assured Sonny that she would be fine with it. Sonny wondered if Sami and E.J. were going to be fine with it, too. Will reasoned that he wasn't going to be printing lies and that the story was going to be revealed eventually, one way or another.
Sonny argued that Will didn't have to be the one to tell the story -- especially in the way he planned to tell it. Will maintained that his mother needed to be taught a lesson, and he admitted that he had expected Sonny to be on his side in the matter. Sonny clarified that he was on Will's side but didn't want him to get hurt. "Oh, I'm not the one who's going to get hurt -- I can promise you that," Will confidently replied with a mischievous grin before kissing Sonny, and they started to make love again.
Clyde tracked Jordan down at the hospital because he felt like she had been avoiding him. Jordan was horrified to learn that, in the process of searching the hospital for her, Clyde had introduced himself to various staff members as her father. Clyde observed that everyone at the hospital seemed to love Jordan.
Jordan retrieved an envelope from her purse and handed it to Clyde. The envelope contained a cashier's check for an amount of money that seemed to impress Clyde. Jordan promised to continue sending checks to Clyde until her debt was paid, but she stressed that he needed to take what she had already given him and leave Salem immediately. Clyde accepted the check but refused to leave.
Clyde reminded Jordan that he had previously told her what family meant to him. Jordan agreed that she knew exactly what family meant to Clyde, which was why she had left in the first place. "You didn't leave -- you kidnapped my son, which makes you a felon on the run. Now, this isn't even a down payment on what you owe me -- unless, of course, you want all your new friends to know exactly why you left...and exactly what you did," Clyde countered.
Jordan refused to let Clyde rattle her. "I'll tell you what'll rattle you -- the proof I've got stashed away," Clyde replied. Jordan suspected that Clyde was bluffing, but he offered to show her the proof to convince her that he was telling the truth. Meanwhile, Rafe entered the physical therapy room to talk to Jordan, expecting her to be alone. Clyde smiled and urged Jordan to introduce him to her friend.
In Daniel's hotel room, Kristen explained that she planned to send Brady a text message from Daniel's cell phone, summoning Brady to St. Louis under a veil of mystery and secrecy. Daniel dared Kristen to send the text message, predicting that it would only arouse suspicion, since Brady would likely wonder why Daniel wanted him to leave Salem while John was in a coma.
Kristen groaned with frustration and tossed the cell phone across the room, knowing that, while Daniel was just trying to make her doubt herself, there was still a chance that he might be right. "Is it so very, very hard to understand that I -- I just really badly want to -- I just want to see [Brady] in the flesh, just one time? I just want to make sure he's okay. And if I can't have that, then I -- I just want reassurance that I didn't completely ruin this man's life," Kristen explained.
Daniel admitted that he might be willing to strike a deal with Kristen if she revealed how he fit into her plan and she promised not to go after his kids. Kristen happily agreed, assuring Daniel that she was really a very reasonable person. Kristen encouraged Daniel to ask her whatever he wanted to know. "How's this -- do you really think that I would fall for this, you freaking lunatic?!" Daniel roared.
Daniel guessed that Kristen was secretly recording his comments so she could later manipulate them to make it sound like he was desperately asking for Brady's help. Impressed, Kristen's goon observed that Daniel was smarter than she had claimed, and she warned the man to shut up. Kristen told Daniel she was trying to be nice, adding that her goon -- Lenny -- had wanted to simply point a gun at Daniel's head and force him to cooperate.
"Okay, I admit it -- I've been recording you. And you want to know what my plan is? I'm gonna tell you -- I have cutting-edge A.I. software that I can use to get Brady here. What it does -- it listens for questions, it, uh, creates responses, and it basically steers the conversation the way I programmed it to. [...] It's unbelievably amazing, and I could use it to get Brady here, but, you see, it just needs one thing -- it needs your words," Kristen explained.
Daniel refused to cooperate, so Kristen shrugged and gave Lenny permission to start torturing Daniel into changing his mind. Meanwhile, Kristen fretted about the fact that she had ruined her manicure when she had pointed a finger at Daniel's head earlier to mimic the barrel of a gun. Kristen eventually stopped the torture and tried to reason with Daniel again, promising to disappear after seeing Brady one last time, but Daniel still refused to cooperate, so Kristen left the room so Lenny could move on to more serious methods of torture.
After enduring several rounds of torture, Daniel's breathing was labored and his voice was raspy, and that concerned Lenny, since he knew Kristen needed Daniel's voice. Lenny untied one of Daniel's hands and handed him a water bottle, instructing him to drink the water and start talking. Daniel started to raise the bottle to his lips before elbowing Lenny in the stomach instead.
When Kristen returned, she was shocked to find that Lenny was lying on the floor, unconscious, and Daniel's chair was empty. Before Kristen could react, Daniel grabbed her from behind.
When Kristen returned to Daniel's St. Louis hotel room, she found her henchman unconscious on the floor. Before she could react, Daniel grabbed her from behind and clapped a hand over her mouth. After struggling for a moment, Kristen managed to break free, but Daniel caught her and gripped her in a chokehold until she passed out. He stuck his head into the hallway to make sure the coast was clear then he picked up Kristen's limp form and carried her into a supply closet. He placed her on the floor, closed the door, and sat down to catch his breath -- then realized that he'd forgotten his phone.
The henchman had just regained consciousness when another of Kristen's goons entered Daniel's room. The first thug explained that the doctor had knocked him out.
As Daniel was listening at the supply room door to make sure no one was in the hallway, Kristen suddenly woke up and pounded him over the head with a bucket. After he fell to the floor, she continued pummeling him with it. Daniel managed to get the bucket away from Kristen then he wrestled her to the floor and covered her mouth to muffle her screams. "This is my game now," Daniel growled.
Soon, Daniel had tied Kristen up and slapped a piece of black tape across her mouth. "How does that feel?" Daniel asked with a laugh. When one of Kristen's henchmen called for her from outside, Kristen tried to scream, but the tape and Daniel's hand prevented her from making much noise. With his gun drawn, the thug reached for the handle of the supply-closet door.
After a moonlit dip in the lake, Paige and J.J. headed to their blanket to dry off. They reaffirmed their love for one another and began to kiss, but J.J. put a stop to it before things got too heated, since they were in public. He sent a text message to Daniel, who was out of town at a medical conference. J.J. said that he regretted how he'd treated Daniel at first, but J.J. was clearly glad about how much their relationship had improved.
J.J. explained that he'd wanted to send the message to Daniel to thank him for some good advice. J.J. clarified that Daniel had advised him to live in the moment and enjoy what was happening with Paige. J.J. admitted that he would go crazy if he allowed himself to think about Paige leaving for college soon. Paige reassured J.J. that they would see each other at holidays and when he visited her.
J.J. said that it was just difficult to think about the two of them not being able to hang out whenever they wanted. "I'm going to die," J.J. added melodramatically, but he quickly apologized. Although Paige said she understood, she abruptly stood up and announced, "We should go." A confused J.J. grabbed the rest of their things and hurried after her.
Eve dropped by the Kiriakis mansion unannounced to pay Maggie a visit. Despite Eve's attempts to make small talk, Maggie impatiently demanded to know why Eve was there. Eve explained that she hoped Maggie could talk some sense into Jennifer about the lawsuit, which Eve felt Jennifer was sure to lose. Eve claimed it was for Jennifer and J.J.'s sake, since J.J. had confided in Eve that he was worried about the lawsuit. After referencing J.J.'s past drug abuse, Eve maintained that everything could be avoided if Jennifer weren't being so unreasonable.
Maggie argued that Jennifer knew just how much Jack had wanted the proceeds from his book to go to the veterans. Eve contended that she and Jennifer would still be discussing things in a reasonable manner were it not for Daniel Jonas. Maggie didn't understand what Dr. Jonas had to do with Eve's issues with Jennifer. Eve explained that, even though Jennifer and Daniel had broken up, Jennifer was insanely jealous that Daniel had shown interest in Eve. Maggie let a giggling Eve dig the hole even deeper before bluntly informing her, "[Daniel] is my son."
A shocked Eve insisted that she would have known that Maggie had a son. Maggie icily confirmed that Daniel was, indeed, her son, but she refused to discuss the circumstances with Eve. Snickering at the presumed scandal, Eve assumed that Maggie had given birth to a child out of wedlock. "It is just so heartwarming to know that you could be reunited with a child that you threw away so many years ago -- and I can totally see where Daniel gets his good looks," Eve declared.
"Shut up, Eve!" Maggie barked, adding indignantly, "How dare you waltz in here, trash my niece and her son, and misrepresent your involvement with my son! All I want from you is your absence." She commanded Eve to leave immediately, but Eve wanted to finish her explanation about why she needed Maggie's help. Maggie ordered Eve to get to the point. "You have money now, thanks to Victor, and since Jennifer won't settle the case, I'm hoping that you and I will come to some understanding," Eve explained.
Maggie asserted that there was no way she and Eve would ever reach an understanding, financial or otherwise, elaborating her main reason: "This conversation has reminded me of just who you really are." Eve insisted that all she wanted was her fair share, but Maggie argued that there was nothing fair about what Eve wanted. "Fine, Maggie. You just look down your nose at me like everybody else in this town, but I tell you what -- you're only gonna hurt your nephew," Eve complained. Maggie again ordered Eve to leave, and Eve obeyed.
As soon as Eve had gone, Maggie gazed at a photo of J.J., Abigail, and Jennifer taken at J.J.'s graduation.
When J.J. dropped Paige off at her door, she surprised him by giving him a passionate kiss goodbye.
Later, Paige was waiting on the couch when her mom returned. Eve ranted and raved about her conversation with Maggie until Paige interrupted. "Can this please just wait? There's something I need to tell you," Paige said. Sensing that it was serious, Eve immediately sat next to her daughter and asked what it was. Before Paige could say a word, Eve got a work call and had to take it in the other room. Paige assured her mom that she was fine, but as soon as Eve had left the room, Paige muttered, "I'm fine. You're not going to be when you hear what I have to say."
J.J. was home alone when Maggie arrived. She explained that she was worried about how he was dealing with the lawsuit between his mom and Eve Larson. J.J. assured Maggie that he and Paige were all right, and they weren't going to let the suit ruin things between them. Maggie wondered why J.J. seemed so sad, then. J.J. admitted that he was confused.
On the phone later, Maggie said, "I'm not fine, actually. I'm mad as hell, and I need to talk to you about Eve Larson and the lawsuit."
At the Brady Pub, Sami was thrilled to hear that Kate had gotten Victor to buy two divisions of DiMera Enterprises. The women gleefully agreed that the DiMera men would be furious. Kate admitted that she'd gotten a great deal of pleasure from "twisting that knife" when she'd seen Abigail earlier. Sami and Kate compared notes about how happy it had made them to give away some of the DiMeras' prized possessions, including Stefano's island and E.J.'s first racecar.
Kate reminded Sami that Sami was supposed to tell Jordan that Rafe had slept with Kate. Sami was reluctant. Kate insisted that it was just a small favor, and she knew that Sami still cared enough about Rafe to want what was best for him. Sami pointed out, "You do realize, right, that you don't have some happily ever after, long-term relationship with Rafe in your future?" Kate maintained that she and Rafe merely had a good time together.
Unconvinced, Sami pointed out the lengths to which Kate had gone to get back at Stefano for what he'd done to Rafe. Kate countered that Sami wasn't averse to taking full advantage of Kate's feelings for Rafe. "Of course not. I'd go to bed with the devil himself to get back at E.J.... Luckily, I've only had to team up with one of the devil's ex-girlfriends to get what I want -- well, so far, at least," Sami acknowledged agreeably as she strolled out.
Rafe was a little startled when he walked in on Clyde and Jordan in the physical therapy room at the hospital. At Clyde's insistence, Jordan introduced Rafe to her stepfather. When Clyde referred to Jordan as "Tammy Sue," Rafe was taken aback. Clyde explained that it was Jordan's "God-given name." He added that he had merely stopped by to see where Jordan worked, but he was leaving so Jordan and Rafe could talk. Clyde affably shook hands with Rafe and said that it had been a pleasure to meet him. Clyde gave Jordan an unwelcome goodbye kiss on the cheek then headed out.
A shamefaced Jordan reassured Rafe that she'd intended to tell him about Clyde, but it had just never been the right time. Rafe acknowledged that she had been trying to talk to him for a while. Before Jordan could finally tell Rafe the whole story, he got a phone call from the police station and had to head in to work, so the two planned to meet at the pub in an hour.
Ben found Abigail writing her resignation letter on her tablet at Club TBD. Abigail expressed regret about what Kate had said to Ben earlier. "Oh, you mean the whole thing about me being a better fit for you than someone like E.J. DiMera, because he's powerful and successful and I'm pretty much a loser?" Ben said lightly. Abigail stressed that Ben was not a loser. Ben assured her that he knew that, no matter what Kate or anyone else said. Abigail guessed that Ben had been referring to his father, and Ben confirmed it. Abigail hoped that Ben's dad hadn't meant it when he'd called Ben a loser.
After Ben got up to check on a customer, Abigail finished the letter. She let him read it when he returned. Abigail explained to a dismayed Ben that she had to disclose her "inappropriate relations" with a board member and acknowledge that she couldn't ever work at the hospital again because Sami had required it. "She is a piece of work," Ben said. Abigail left so she could take the letter to the hospital to print it out. Clyde arrived and watched Abigail leave.
A leering Clyde approached Ben and remarked, "Too bad that sweet young thing had to leave so soon. Hope you didn't say anything to upset her... What'd you say her name was again?" Ben snapped, "I didn't." Clyde said that the apple hadn't fallen far from the tree, since Ben obviously had good taste in women. Ben retorted that he was nothing like Clyde. Clyde agreed that he and Ben weren't alike because Clyde had never run away from anything.
Clyde cautioned Ben, "I'm your father, and I'm in charge of this little family now. Your sister has finally seen the light. She's accepted things the way they are. If you're half as smart as you let on, you'll fall right into line behind her." Ben demanded to know what Clyde had meant. Clyde produced the cashier's check that Jordan had given to him and said that she was trying to make up for what she'd done to him. Ben worried that the money was every cent that Jordan had possessed -- but he knew that Clyde didn't care about bankrupting her.
"Eye for an eye, Ben. She's the one who stole from me. So, the way I see it, your sister still owes me -- just like you do," Clyde said. Ben vowed never to give Clyde a penny. Chuckling, Clyde remarked, "Still a wild bronco, aren't you, boy? Fierce and fearless. But I broke you before. Just 'cause you're my blood won't stop me from breaking you again."
Kate was just about to leave the pub later when Rafe arrived. When Rafe said that he was meeting Jordan there, Kate asked, "So, did you have that serious tête-à-tête?" Rafe replied somewhat glumly, "Actually, no. Just when I thought our lives couldn't get any more chaotic, her stepfather showed up out of the blue." Kate pointed out that it could be nice for Jordan to have family around, but Rafe said that Jordan had seemed very uncomfortable around her stepfather.
Kate suggested that if that were the case, it might not be the right time for Rafe to tell Jordan that he'd slept with Kate. Kate pointed out that soon, Jordan and Rafe would be secure in their love for one another, but his admission could derail their entire relationship while it was still in the early stages. "Not taking [that] risk is cowardly, and withholding the information is a lie. Now, if Jordan and I are going to level with each other, I need to tell her about you and me. The longer I wait, the worse it's going to be," Rafe asserted.
Abigail and Jordan, equally preoccupied, literally bumped into each other at the hospital, knocking each of their armloads of papers to the floor. As they bent over to pick everything up, Abigail asked if Jordan was so distracted because of her stepdad. Abigail explained that Ben had filled her in that he and Jordan were brother and sister and that Jordan's stepfather was in town. Jordan admitted that Rafe had just met her stepdad, and it had been awkward.
Abigail said that she'd gathered from what Ben had told her that Jordan's relationship with her stepfather wasn't a good one. Jordan confirmed that it wasn't, and she was worried that it would get in the way of her relationship with Rafe. Abigail was confident that Jordan and Rafe would get through it. When Jordan returned the rest of the papers to Abigail and found Abigail's resignation letter, she was stunned and wanted to know why. "I had an affair with a board member, so now I'm out of a job," Abigail explained.
A little later, a puzzled Jordan said that she didn't understand why Sami was involved. Abigail clarified that the board member she'd slept with was E.J. DiMera, Sami's former fiancé and current husband. Abigail admitted, "It was a huge mistake. I hate that I even let it happen." Jordan pointed out that E.J. was even more responsible for what had happened than Abigail because he'd been in a position of power. Trying to shake it off, Abigail maintained that she would eventually find another job -- and besides, it was a huge relief that Anne Milbauer hadn't found out about it.
Just then, Sami showed up. Jordan expressed her disapproval for what Sami was doing to Abigail, but Sami pointed out that Jordan was butting her nose into something that was none of her business. Jordan contended that Sami thrived on making people suffer for their transgressions, even though she had no right to judge anyone. Jordan added, "You don't even know me, and it's very clear that you don't like me with Rafe. You don't like that I have something so deep with him, because, God knows, you couldn't pull it off with him -- or anyone else."
Unfazed, Sami remarked that Jordan and Rafe's relationship wasn't even close to what Jordan was "touting" it to be. Fed up, Abigail ordered Sami to back off, because Rafe loved Jordan. "Oh, he does? Do you really think that Rafe loves her? 'Cause if he does, I don't understand why he's still having sex with Kate," Sami revealed.
