Due to the Labor Day holiday, Days of our Lives was not shown today. This programming change was planned for, and there will be no "lost" episodes as a result.
Regular programming resumes Tuesday, September 2, and will pick up where the Friday, August 29, episode concluded.
In their apartment, Sonny told Will he was wrong for helping Will get at job at True Vista. Sonny corrected Will's assessment that Sonny had handled his accomplishments on own. Sonny explained that he had received help in his life and that he'd wanted to do the same thing for Will by helping him get a job interview. Sonny informed Will that Sonny's parents had given him his loan for his business, that a friend had tricked him into rock climbing lessons, and that his mother had made an effort to help Sonny admit his homosexuality.
"If someone wants to give you help to get to the next level, does that mean that you're not good enough? If I made you feel that way, I am so sorry," Sonny said. Will nodded. Sonny opened the laptop and showed Will his earlier unpublished work. As Will nodded, Sonny noted that Will had not published his first stab at writing a blog because it was poor writing. Sonny reminded Will that his later work, the work he had published online, was what had secured Will's job at the magazine.
"You don't have to make it up to me because there is no reason you should. We've both made mistakes," Will said. Will admitted that he understood that Sonny had acted out of love for his husband. Will added that he had lashed out because he was insecure. Will told Sonny that he had been angry but that he had never stopped loving him. Forgiving one another, Sonny and Will kissed. Sonny and Will decided to celebrate getting past their first fight as a married couple by making love.
Nicole walked into Club TBD and bumped into Daniel. As Nicole turned away, she dropped a stack of folders and papers. Daniel reluctantly squatted down to help her pick up her papers, and he noticed one paper was a job offer from a news station in Santa Fe. With a raised eyebrow, Daniel asked Nicole when she was moving to New Mexico. Nicole explained that the job offer was a surprise and that she did not plan on taking the job because the pay was poor.
"Daniel, if I did leave, would you miss me?" Nicole asked. "No. I would not miss you if you left," Daniel countered. Daniel added that he did not care what Nicole wanted to do because they were no longer friends. As Nicole sarcastically thanked Daniel, he stopped her. Reconsidering, Daniel said that it might be a good thing for her to remain in Salem because Brady needed all the friends he could get.
"I don't abandon people I care about," Nicole growled then walked away. Nicole met with Sally from the TV station at a table in the corner. As Nicole stared at Daniel across the room, Sally asked if Nicole knew him. Nicole explained that she and Daniel were no longer friends. Upset, Nicole cut short her meeting with Sally and ran out of the club.
In her apartment, Theresa napped on the couch and dreamed that the police arrested her for the attempted murder of John Black. Anne was knocking on the front door, which awakened Theresa. When Theresa let Anne inside, Anne presented Theresa with champagne to celebrate Abigail's resignation. Anne asked Theresa why she had left work early. Theresa admitted that she did not want to be at the hospital when they removed John to the long-term care facility.
Suspicious, Anne asked Theresa to tell her the whole truth about John. Before Anne could say more, a courier knocked at the front door and dropped off an envelope. Curious, Theresa opened the envelope and found a decree of annulment.
"It's official. Brady and I are done," Theresa said as she sniffled. Anne gave Theresa the bottle of champagne. Wiping away tears, Theresa said that she had been on top of the world when she had married Brady. Theresa added that since Las Vegas, everything had gone wrong. Weeping, Theresa admitted that she had liked Brady, and she missed his laugh.
As Theresa looked at the papers, she was upset to find that Brady's copy of the annulment had been included in the envelope as well. Anne advised Theresa to calm down before talking to Brady, but a tearful Theresa said that she wanted to drop off the papers and move on with her life.
In John's hospital room, Marlena and Eric watched Kayla examined John. Kayla gently told Marlena that the long-term care facility was the best place for John. When Eric asked if Brady was aware that they were transferring John, Marlena muttered that Brady was aware. Concerned, Eric wondered aloud where to find Brady. Kayla said Brady was likely processing the news about John's condition.
Marlena offered to pay for John's continued care at the hospital, but Kayla assured Marlena that John's score on the GCS coma scale was steadily declining. While Kayla tested John's responses, Marlena and Eric stepped into the hallway to talk. Marlena asked Eric to stay in Salem. Eric explained that he needed to leave town and put some distance between him and his memories. As Marlena nodded through tears, Eric offered to stay in town if Marlena needed him.
Crying, Marlena said that she needed Eric to stay with her. Eric agreed. Eric said that he planned to clear his name and uncover all the nasty things that Kristen had done to Marlena and John. Marlena blamed Kristen for John's coma. Eric hugged his mother to comfort her. Marlena looked through the window into John's room and continued to blame Kristen. Marlena left for a walk. Eric turned around and ran into Nicole, knocking the papers she was holding to the ground. Eric scooped up the papers for Nicole and walked away without a word as Nicole said hello to the empty hallway.
Interested in bumping into Eric again, Nicole waited at the nurses' station for Eric to return. When Nicole heard Eric's voice, she turned and dropped her papers on the floor again. Eric picked up the papers and saw the job offer for the Santa Fe station. Nicole cheerily informed Eric about the job. Eric smiled and told Nicole that it was terrific news that she was leaving Salem. Upset, Nicole turned away. Eric explained that he had been thinking about leaving town and that it would be good for him and Nicole to distance themselves from one another.
When Nicole asked about Eric's plans, Eric said he had decided to stay in town to help support his family. Eric thanked Nicole for making an effort to put space between them. Annoyed, Nicole corrected Eric and said that she had not accepted the offer. With a furrowed brow, Eric accused Nicole of planning a run-in to manipulate him. Nicole denied the charge, but Eric pointed out that Nicole had dropped her papers twice, which showed that she had wanted Eric to see the job offer. Angry, Eric argued that Nicole was incapable of honesty. Eric told Nicole that he wanted her to take the job offer because no one wanted her to stay in town.
Daniel met with Anne in his office to discuss the hospital internship. Daniel handed Paige's application to Anne, and he asked Anne not to hold it against Paige that Daniel had recommended her. Commenting that she would never hold that against an applicant, Anne dropped her pencil, and bent over to pick it up with her butt in Daniel's face. Confused, Daniel shook his head.
Anne reviewed the application and was pleased to see that Paige was Theresa's niece. Suspicious, Anne accused Daniel of attempting to curry favor with Jennifer by helping J.J.'s girlfriend. Daniel warned Anne that he would talk to the board if Anne did not hire Paige. Anne growled that she would look into the application. As Anne left, Kayla walked into Daniel's office and urged him to take a look at some research that someone had sent to her. Daniel and Kayla agreed that if the recommended treatment worked, it could "change everything."
At the hotel, an angry Brady banged on the door to Kristen's room. Kristen answered the door, wearing a tiny robe and a smile. Brady ordered Kristen to get dressed. After Kristen threw on a slinky dress, Brady ordered Kristen to never visit John again. Kristen readily agreed. Brady added that if Kristen walked within 100 feet of John, her bail would be revoked. Smiling, Kristen offered Brady a drink of water. Seething, Brady told Kristen that she made his flesh crawl.
"I don't have a word to describe to you how much I hate you. You wrecked my life. Maybe worse than that you wrecked my relationship with my father. You just severed it deliberately, and I'm partially to blame for that, but do you understand that I'm never going to be able to make that right with him?" Brady asked. Kristen told Brady that he was not responsible for John's coma. Brady was not interested in talking about John.
Kristen mentioned Brady's rebound marriage to Theresa. Upset, Brady poured a glass of water while Kristen said that she had been worried about Brady's drinking and that was why she had contacted Daniel. Brady bristled, and Kristen assured Brady that Daniel's description of their encounter was overly dramatic. Kristen promised Brady that she could help him. Brady told Kristen that if she wanted to help him then she would plead guilty and go to prison.
"You don't make things better. You make them worse, and everything you touch dies. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. No, wait, wait, I couldn't have hurt your feelings because you don't have feelings, and I learned that a long time ago," Brady yelled. Kristen said she had an idea for how to help Brady. Upset, Brady started to leave. Kristen grabbed his arm and begged him to listen to her. As Brady stared at her, she gently placed her hands on his chest.
Marlena knocked at the door. The spell broken, Brady backed away and opened the door to admit Marlena. When Marlena asked Brady why he was in Kristen's room, Brady said that he had stopped by to warn Kristen that if she attempted to see John, she would go to jail. Marlena assured Brady that she was fine to be alone with Kristen, so Brady left.
In a sarcastic tone, Marlena apologized for interrupting Kristen's visit with John at the hospital. Smiling, Kristen told Marlena that her timing had been perfect. Marlena commented that she hoped that Brady had made it clear that he would never return to Kristen. Kristen chuckled and told Marlena that she was confused. Kristen argued that Marlena had embarrassed Brady at his wedding with the sex tape and that Marlena was the reason that Brady spiraled out of control.
"You know damn well that you are responsible for everything that happened to Brady, and thank God he is getting his life back in order," Marlena said. Marlena warned that she would make Kristen pay for what she had done. Kristen countered that Marlena should have to pay for her part in destroying Eric's life. Marlena called Kristen selfish and evil and said that was why Kristen had lost John and Brady.
Smiling, Kristen admitted that she had hurt Eric in order to hurt Marlena. Kristen said that it made her happy to see Marlena in pain. Narrowing her eyes, Marlena told Kristen that she was excited to watch Kristen go down in flames in court after all she had done to hurt Marlena's family and John.
"You know, it's funny you should mention John's name. I mean, really, he is the one that started this whole chain of events, isn't he? And guess what? He's gonna be the person that ends it," Kristen said. Marlena warned Kristen that if she went near John, Marlena would kill her. Smiling, Kristen said that she was not there to hurt John but to save him.
Brady returned home to the Kiriakis mansion and found Theresa in the foyer, writing a note for him. Stammering out an explanation, Theresa said that the lawyers had accidentally sent her Brady's copy of the annulment papers and that she had stopped by to drop off the envelope. As Theresa started to leave, she noticed that Brady was upset. Worried, Theresa placed her hands on Brady's chest, just like Kristen had done in her hotel room. Overwhelmed, Brady grabbed Theresa and kissed her. Brady and Theresa adjourned upstairs and had sex.
Paige went to the Horton house to hang out with J.J. on their last night of freedom before classes began. Paige was puzzled and curious when she spied a box with her name on it, addressed to her Stanford dorm. J.J. sheepishly explained that he'd already sent the box when Paige had decided to defer attending Stanford, but he was worried that she would find the contents "cheesy," since he'd packed it when he'd thought they wouldn't be seeing each other for a couple of months. Paige was eager to see what was inside, so J.J. cut the box open for her.
Inside the box, Paige found a Stanford baseball cap, a pair of flip-flops for her to wear in the communal showers, a framed photograph of the two of them, and a teddy bear wearing a yellow reflective vest. Touched, Paige kissed J.J. to express her appreciation. After the two of them bored of trying to toss popcorn into each other's mouths from opposite ends of the couch, J.J. proposed that they do something a little more fun -- but it would require the two of them to get "a lot more naked." Paige made an anxious face.
Soon, J.J. and Paige were enjoying a moonlight swim at the lake. As they relaxed on their towels, they agreed that it was the perfect way to end the summer. Paige asked about J.J.'s classes, and he admitted that he was thinking about dropping his music theory class in favor of something more useful. Paige urged him not to -- because she'd also enrolled in that class to surprise him. Although that pleased him, J.J. asked if Paige were sorry she was staying in Salem. Paige insisted that nothing at Stanford was so important that she needed to miss out on another year with her mom -- and J.J. When Paige and J.J. began making out, someone snapped photos of them from behind some bushes.
In bed at the Kiriakis mansion, Brady and Theresa were having sex. Brady's ardor caused Theresa to remark, "You are so intense." Brady asked if she wanted him to stop, but she assured him that she did not. Afterwards, Theresa put her head on Brady's chest and noted that he'd been telling her for weeks that they shouldn't spend time together anymore, plus they'd just gotten their annulment papers earlier that day -- so she wondered why they had just had sex.
Theresa added that Brady had seemed upset when he'd gotten home. Without admitting that he'd seen Kristen earlier, Brady told Theresa that their being together had been a mistake. He apologized profusely for sending her mixed signals. Theresa reassured him that she wasn't angry because she cared about him, and she understood if it had been just a "one-time thing." Brady was grateful.
After Brady and Theresa got dressed, they headed back downstairs. Brady apologized again, acknowledging that he'd crossed a line because he knew how Theresa had felt about him. Theresa reassured him, "No harm, no foul. And, you know, it's really nice to know that you care about me." Brady said that they could continue to be friends. Theresa pointed out that it had been they first time they'd ever had sex sober. "I think that made it that much sweeter," she said.
Brady got a text message from one of the nurses at the hospital, letting him know that they were finished running some tests and Brady could visit. Brady added that John was being moved to a long-term care facility because the doctors didn't think he would ever wake up. A sympathetic Theresa kissed Brady goodbye and left. Outside, she told herself giddily, "Brady might think that was a one-time thing, but me? Not so much."
At the Brady Pub, Sami was on the phone with Kate, attempting to reassure Kate that the judge could refuse to accept Stefano's deal, when Eric and Nicole walked in, clearly in the middle of a noisy, heated argument. Eric immediately turned around and went back out, and Nicole followed. Outside, Eric accused Nicole of trying to manipulate him. "When are you going to face reality? There's no future for you here! Just go. Stay away," Eric ordered. Nicole maintained that Eric had incorrectly assumed that she had accepted the job in Santa Fe.
Eric argued that Nicole had hoped he would assume just that and beg her to stay, but there was no way he could forgive her after what she'd done. Sami followed them outside and sided with her brother. While an irked Eric tried to mediate, the women argued: Sami accused Nicole of being a "baby-snatcher," and Nicole asserted that E.J. might not have cheated if Sami had focused on her own relationship instead of Eric's. They continued to hurl insults and accusations until, finally, Nicole warned Sami that her children would end up motherless when Stefano returned to town and sought revenge against Sami and Kate.
Realizing what a horrible thing she'd just said, an emotional Nicole apologized sincerely for losing her temper and saying something she hadn't meant. Eric grabbed a suddenly speechless Sami, and the two hurried away. Nicole went inside and ordered a martini, but before she could drink any of it, Caroline took it away and hinted that Nicole should go elsewhere. "I thought you said I was always welcome," Nicole protested. "That's before I knew what you did to my grandson. Without that, he might still be a priest," Caroline explained.
Nicole insisted that Kristen was truly to blame for Eric's defrocking, but Caroline asserted that Nicole was just as much at fault for destroying the evidence that would have cleared Eric. Nicole argued that she had helped Eric in every way possible, and the church had reinstated him, but he'd made the decision not to return to the priesthood. Caroline pointed out that Eric hadn't felt that he could because he still hated Nicole so much. "Well, you know what they say. It's a thin line between love and hate," Nicole maintained.
Caroline was incredulous that Nicole was interpreting Eric's hatred as love. Recalling Eric's passionate reaction when she'd tried to slap him, Nicole's eyes filled with tears as she addressed Caroline. "I have no idea how Eric feels about me. All I know is I love him more than I've loved anyone in my entire life -- and he loved me! And yes, I still love him. I will always love him. That feeling doesn't just die -- not for me, not for anybody!" Nicole declared vehemently before storming out.
In the park outside Horton Square later, Nicole found a copy of that day's Salem Spectator on the park bench. The headline read, "Kristen DiMera Faces Upcoming Trial." Nicole muttered, "Bitch. This is your fault." Wadding the paper up, she tossed it into a trashcan and declared, "There, Kristen. At least you're giving me something to look forward to."
In Horton Square, Sami admitted to Eric that she and Kate did have targets on their backs where Stefano was concerned. Although she downplayed the seriousness of the potential threat against her and Kate, Sami said that she'd heard that Stefano was trying to make a deal with the state and could soon return to Salem. Eric thought Sami should report it to their father if Stefano had threatened her, but Sami pointed out that Stefano might not get the deal. Eric urged his sister to stay on guard against Stefano, since the DiMeras usually got whatever they wanted, no matter whom it hurt.
Eric reminded Sami that Kristen had somehow managed to make bail, but Sami was certain that Kristen would pay for what she'd done to Eric -- even if E.J. and Stefano got off with just a fine. Sami started to admit that she was worried the case against Kristen would make Stefano go after Kate and Sami even harder. Even though Sami stopped herself mid-sentence, Eric knew what she was thinking. Eric asked Sami if he should drop the charges against Kristen to keep Sami out of danger, but Sami was adamant that Eric make Kristen pay.
"I can't wait to picture [Kristen], living her life in Statesville," Sami declared. Sami reassured Eric that Stefano would never harm the mother of his grandchildren. Eric didn't seem convinced -- but he admitted that some days, the idea of sending Kristen to prison was the only thing that kept him going. Sami expressed remorse that she had remained loyal to E.J. because everything might have been different if he had turned on Kristen earlier. Eric understood because she had been in love. He reassured his sister that he would always love her, and Sami declared that Eric was a great brother.
In Daniel's office at University Hospital, Kayla presented Daniel with some research that she'd received. Both doctors agreed that it could be "an amazing breakthrough" -- but they couldn't ignore its source.
In Kristen's hotel room, Marlena was beyond skeptical of Kristen's claim that she'd found a way to help John get better. Marlena asserted that they had consulted every specialist in the country, but John's coma was permanent, and he was deteriorating quickly. Just then, Daniel called Kristen and asked if he and Kayla could speak with Kristen in person about the formula and statistical studies that she'd sent them. Since Kristen couldn't go to the hospital because of the restraining order, Daniel suggested they meet at his apartment.
A bit later, in Daniel's living room, Kayla explained to Marlena that she and Daniel had received an email from a biochemist. Kristen chimed in that she had instructed the biochemist to contact Daniel and Kayla. Daniel continued that the email had contained some statistical studies -- as well as part of the formula for an experimental drug that could, theoretically, awaken John from his coma. Kristen explained that when her father, who knew some of the most brilliant physicians in the world, had heard about John's condition, Stefano had wanted to help find a cure.
Marlena was suspicious that it was all a hoax, or that the drug would kill John instead of curing him. Kayla reluctantly admitted that, based on her and Daniel's research, the drug indeed had the potential to save John or at least improve his condition. Daniel reiterated that they'd only received part of the formula, and Marlena immediately realized that they would have to meet Kristen's conditions if they wanted the rest of the formula.
Kristen admitted that was true; her first condition was that she didn't want Brady to know anything about the drug until they were sure it worked, so they didn't get his hopes up needlessly. Daniel promised that wouldn't be a problem. Kristen said that she needed to discuss her second condition with Marlena privately.
Kayla and Daniel stepped into the hallway and fretted about what Kristen's other demand might be. Meanwhile, Kristen was explaining that her father didn't want to see her go to prison -- and that meant that Eric couldn't testify against her. Kristen pointed out that her father was also the only one who could get the formula for the drug, and he would only do so if Marlena convinced Eric not to testify. Marlena was incredulous that after everything Kristen had done, she expected him to give up any chance at getting justice. Kristen countered that Marlena should be trying to find Eric instead of complaining. Without another word, Marlena strode out the door.
Daniel went back inside and correctly guessed what Kristen's other condition was. As Kristen reapplied lip gloss, she maintained that she had only been relaying her father's demands. She deliberately left the tube of gloss on Daniel's table. Daniel warned Kristen that if the drug didn't work, she would be in an even deeper hole than the one she was already in.
Kristen assured Daniel that she wasn't bluffing -- and even Eric would be pleased because the drug would give his mother back the love of her life. Daniel warned Kristen that regardless of the outcome, Brady would never change his mind about her. Unconcerned, Kristen left.
Theresa called Anne from Club TBD and announced excitedly, "You are not going to believe what happened... No, no, this isn't about Jen-Jen. This is about Brady, and it is so exciting!" Kristen appeared at Theresa's table and said, "Oh, really? Do tell."
Sami returned to the DiMera mansion and poured herself a drink. As she was taking a big swallow, she noticed that one of the terrace doors was open, so she walked over, looked around outside to make sure nothing was amiss, and shut the door. When she turned around, she spotted the portrait of Stefano, returned to its previous spot on the wall, looming over the room. A look of horror washed over her face as the glass slipped through her fingers and shattered on the floor.
Marlena went into John's hospital room and gazed thoughtfully at her unconscious ex. She wondered aloud how she could possibly make such a request of Eric after everything he'd been through. Acknowledging that John and Brady needed Eric's help, Marlena dialed her son and asked him to meet her right away because she needed to talk to him about something very important.
A little later, Brady sat at his father's bedside and vowed that, no matter what the tests or doctors said, it wasn't over. Kayla entered the room and informed Brady that John's transfer to the long-term care facility was on hold for a little while because of some red tape. Kayla was relieved when she got a text message that required her immediate attention, because that meant she didn't have to explain anything further to Brady.
Daniel found Kristen's lip gloss and remarked to himself that she was always playing games. Kayla called and informed Daniel that Brady was at the hospital, and she wanted to warn Daniel that Brady might call him soon for more of an explanation about John's transfer. She also advised Daniel that the lab was ready to go just as soon as they got the rest of the formula. Daniel confirmed Kayla's suspicion that Kristen wanted Marlena to persuade Eric not to testify.
When Marlena met Eric at the Brady Pub, he immediately observed that she had been crying and asked why. Marlena began miserably, "Oh, I hate myself for doing this... But I have to ask you to do something, and it's something really horrible."
Hope joined Jennifer at the Horton house so they could catch up over heaping bowls of ice cream. Hope was sorry she hadn't been able to talk to Sami yet about the situation with Abigail, but Jennifer told Hope not to worry about it, since it seemed like Abigail had things under control, and Jennifer didn't want to stir the hornets' nest.
Hope revealed that Ciara was excited about the start of a new school year, but she added that Bo's continued absence during milestones in Ciara's life made such occasions bittersweet for the girl. Hope said she planned to stay focused on other things to keep her mind off Bo's absence. Jennifer guessed that the church's next fundraiser would be one of Hope's distractions, but Hope quickly denied the suspicion.
At the Horton Town Square, Aiden downed a glass of whiskey as he thought about his earlier conversation with Hope, during which he had admitted to having feelings for her. A short time later, a waitress delivered a fresh glass of whiskey to Aiden, and as he started to sip it distractedly, Anne called out to him from her nearby table.
Aiden didn't immediately recognize Anne, so she carried her glass of wine over to his table and introduced herself, reminding him that they often ran into each other at the hospital. Aiden didn't object when Anne asked if she could join him, so she took a seat next to him and observed that it seemed like he was feeling no pain. Aiden admitted that, while he was only on his second glass of whiskey, he didn't drink very often, so the effects were already hitting him quite hard.
"You know what? That is exactly what happens to me. You know, I'll have one or two drinks, and then, I don't know, I'll do just about anything...with just about anyone, if you get my drift. Well, maybe not anyone or anything, but...pretty close," Anne flirtatiously revealed as she leaned forward and started to play with Aiden's tie. Aiden quickly stood to leave, conceding that Anne was right -- it wasn't wise for him to drink in public, especially not alone. "'Not alone'? Hey, what -- what -- what am I, chopped liver?" Anne protested as Aiden walked away, but he ignored her. With a sigh of irritation, Anne finished the glass of whiskey Aiden had left behind.
Later, Aiden stumbled upon Hope and Jennifer near the lake, and he eavesdropped as Jennifer admitted that her relationship with Daniel was likely over for good. Hope was sorry to hear that, but she casually suggested that it might be a good idea for Jennifer to give Aiden another chance. Hope explained that she had recently gotten to know Aiden a bit better, and she summarized that he was nice, considerate, and a lot kinder than he sometimes gave himself credit for.
Jennifer stressed that she and Aiden were just friends and that she wasn't ready for a new relationship, anyway. Meanwhile, Jennifer received a text message from someone at the hospital, and she abruptly excused herself so she could return home to email a file to them. Hope wanted to enjoy the lake view for a while longer, so she said farewell to Jennifer and apologized for overstepping earlier.
"What the hell were you thinking? [...] Are you trying to pawn me off on your cousin?" Aiden demanded to know after Jennifer left. Hope denied the suspicion, but Aiden wasn't sure if he could believe her. Aiden assured Hope that he understood that he had made her feel uncomfortable earlier when he had told her about his feelings for her. Aiden added that he knew Hope was a married woman and that he wasn't interested in getting involved with anyone at that time, anyway. Aiden asked Hope to stay out of his love life.
Hope curiously observed that it seemed like Aiden had been drinking, and he confirmed that he'd had one drink earlier. Hope recalled that Aiden had once mentioned that he didn't approve of that sort of thing. "Oh, my goodness, Hope, I had one drink. One drink, okay? [...] What does that make me? Does that make me a hypocrite? Go ahead, you can say -- you can say it. I know -- I know it -- you -- you -- you're just ready -- you're ready, because you really get off when you can act all superior, don't you?" Aiden countered.
Hope argued that Aiden was the one who was always judging everyone, and she added that she had only tried to set him up with Jennifer because he had seemed lonely. Aiden suggested that he might like being lonely, but Hope insisted that no one liked being lonely. Aiden countered that Hope didn't know him and that she didn't know what he liked or what he wanted.
"Fine. Be lonely to your heart's content, Mr. Jennings," Hope replied, and she started to walk away, but Aiden grabbed her arm and clarified that that wasn't what he wanted. Aiden kissed Hope, and when they pulled away from each other, he walked away without saying a word to her, leaving her stunned and speechless.
As Sami panicked about the mysterious and sudden return of Stefano's portrait to its rightful place in the DiMera mansion, someone approached her from behind and placed a hand on her shoulder. Sami screamed in horror as she turned to face the person, but it was only E.J., who had just returned from the garden. Sami took a few deep breaths to calm herself as E.J. apologized for startling her.
E.J. observed that Sami had seemed upset when he had entered the living room earlier. Confirming the suspicion, Sami turned on the lights and gestured toward the portrait, prompting E.J. to wonder who had placed it back on the wall. "Oh, like you didn't put it there. [...] Spare me, okay? I know you are working with Stefano and that you have been from day one. Admit it!" Sami snapped.
E.J. denied the accusation, but Sami couldn't think of anyone else who could have hung the portrait back on the wall, so she refused to believe him. Suspecting that he knew who was really responsible, E.J. questioned Harold, who admitted that Stefano had called earlier and had asked for the portrait to be returned to the wall in preparation for his return to Salem the following day.
E.J. admonished Harold, stressing that, at that time, Sami and Kate were the only two people who were able to issue orders to the staff. Harold sheepishly apologized to Sami and promised to return the other portrait to the wall right away. Sami pointed out that there was also a pile of broken glass that needed to be cleaned up. Harold nodded and quickly left the room.
Sami sighed and fretted that Stefano seemed confident that he would be able to return to Salem the following day. E.J. wanted to continue talking about the fact that Sami had accused him of hanging Stefano's portrait back on the wall, but she wondered if it was really that hard for him to believe that she found it hard to trust him after everything they had been through. Sami guessed that E.J. could no longer completely trust her after everything she had done to get back at him, either. Conceding the point, E.J. lamented that he and Sami seemed to be in some sort of perpetual stalemate, and she admitted that she didn't know how to make things different.
Changing the subject, E.J. promised Sami that they would handle Stefano together. Meanwhile, E.J. received a phone call from Shin. After ending the phone call, E.J. informed Sami that Stefano had alerted the board members that an emergency board meeting might be held in Salem the following day. E.J. promised Sami that he wouldn't let anything happen to her, but that didn't seem to comfort her.
At Club TBD, Theresa abruptly ended her phone conversation with Anne, irritably explaining that a crazy person had just taken a seat at her table. "I know who you are -- you're Brady's psycho ex-fiancée, not to mention the bitch who ruined my cousin Eric's life," Theresa summarized when Kristen tried to introduce herself. Theresa confidently predicted that Kristen would soon be sent to prison for hurting Eric. "Or not," Kristen coyly replied.
Theresa warned that it wasn't as easy to sway a jury as it was to bribe a judge to grant bail. "You must know so much about the legal system. Back in L.A., weren't you facing charges of fraud, possession of cocaine, possession of a controlled substance, intent to distribute, shoplifting -- have I left anything out?" Kristen countered. Stunned, Theresa demanded to know how Kristen had learned about those transgressions.
Ignoring the question, Kristen changed the subject and started making jokes about Theresa and Brady's incredibly brief marriage. Theresa insisted that she and Brady were still close -- and that they always would be. Deducing that Theresa still had a thing for Brady, Kristen pointed out that he had made it very clear that he didn't want Theresa, and she warned Theresa to stay away from him.
Theresa countered that Brady hated Kristen and couldn't even stand to be in the same room with her. "Oh, I don't know. He didn't seem to mind so bad when he stopped by my hotel earlier today. In fact, you know, he seemed, I don't know...kind of excited...to see me," Kristen gloated. "Earlier today? Oh. Now I get it," Theresa disappointedly muttered as she suddenly realized why Brady had slept with her earlier.
Confused and intrigued, Kristen urged Theresa to elaborate, so Theresa claimed that she had meant that she finally understood why everyone in Salem hated Kristen's guts. Theresa observed that Kristen was a nasty piece of work, just like the rest of the DiMeras. "Ooh, I'm so happy you know my last name. Then you must also know that the DiMeras always get what they want. And what this DiMera wants is for you to stay away from Brady," Kristen reiterated. Theresa sarcastically stated that she was extremely scared. "You will be," Kristen promised before exiting the club.
Later, Anne arrived, and Theresa told her about what had happened earlier. Anne thought Brady had used Theresa, but Theresa didn't feel that way. "Don't you see? Now that Kristen's in town, I'm back in the game. I mean, having her here, back in Salem -- it's literally, like, the best thing that could have ever happened to me," Theresa excitedly explained.
Anne thought it might be wise for Theresa to heed Kristen's warning, but Theresa insisted that she wasn't afraid of Kristen. Theresa mischievously added that Brady didn't have to know that, and she quickly concocted a scheme to send him into protective mode -- right after John got shipped off to the long-term healthcare facility. "You know, if I play this right, Brady's gonna want me to come home and stay home," Theresa happily mused.
Brady went to Daniel's apartment to find out why John's transfer to a long-term healthcare facility had been delayed. Adhering to Kristen's earlier conditions, Daniel vaguely assured Brady that the delay was just a formality. Brady apologized for bothering Daniel, explaining that it had just been one of those days. Brady proceeded to tell Daniel about his earlier encounter with Kristen and the "big mistake" he had made afterward. Brady assured Daniel that the sexual encounter with Theresa had been a one-time thing and that he wasn't planning to get back together with her.
After Brady left, Daniel received a visit from Kristen, who wanted to retrieve the tube of lipstick she had left behind earlier. Daniel guessed that Kristen had left the lipstick behind on purpose, and he informed her that her timing was off, since he had not yet heard anything from Marlena or Eric. Daniel hinted that Kristen could go ahead and leave, but she wanted him to tell her some information about Theresa first.
Daniel refused to answer Kristen's questions, but she quickly figured out that he hated Theresa. Daniel confirmed that he wasn't Theresa's biggest fan and that he couldn't think of a worse person for Brady to get involved with -- except for Kristen, of course. Kristen decided that meant Theresa was even worse than she had originally suspected, and she suggested that she and Daniel could team up to keep Theresa in a cage. Daniel said he would prefer to watch Kristen and Theresa destroy each other.
Daniel ushered Kristen out of his apartment, and she observed that, despite his nice-guy reputation, he was actually a cold person. Daniel insisted that Kristen didn't know anything about him, but she countered that she knew he had refused to forgive Jennifer -- who had the sweetest heart in the whole world -- for whatever Jennifer had done to him, which meant he wasn't just cold -- he was also stupid. Later, Daniel contacted Jennifer and suggested that they might be able to grab coffee together sometime soon, and she happily agreed.
At the Brady Pub, Eric assured Marlena that he would do anything for her, and he urged her to tell him what was wrong. "Well, it -- it -- it isn't fair -- it isn't fair that I have to ask you. I -- Eric...I have...to beg you...not to testify against Kristen," Marlena painfully began, and she proceeded to explain, with great difficulty, the terms of Stefano and Kristen's offer to help John.
Marlena acknowledged that she was asking a lot of Eric, but he clarified that she was asking too much, and he apologetically refused her request. Eric pointed out that there was no guarantee that the treatment would even work on John, and Marlena conceded the point, although she added that if it didn't work, Eric would once again be free to testify against Kristen.
"Mom, I don't even want to think about that woman going free. It goes a lot deeper than that woman just raping me and drugging me. I lost my purpose. I lost my vocation, my connection to God. [...] And the last thing -- and the only thing -- that I hold on to is sending that woman to jail. And I'm gonna make sure that happens," Eric vowed. Marlena understood and stressed that she wanted justice for Eric, too. Marlena promised Eric that she wouldn't hold his decision against him, adding that she had simply had to ask for John's sake.
"I realize that this is selfish, and I know that I should be thinking about John...and you...and all the people who love him, like Brady...Belle...but I can't. All I can hold on to is how she ruined my life -- how my life was ruined by that bitch! And now you want me to let her walk? I'm sorry, but I can't do that," Eric reiterated before abruptly exiting the pub.
Eric went to the church garden to pray, but Brady soon interrupted and wondered if everything was all right. Eric suspected that Marlena had sent Brady after him, but Brady clarified that he had gone to the church to light a candle for John. Eric apologized for jumping to the wrong conclusion, and he guessed that it had to be hard for Brady to see John in a coma.
"Yeah, especially since I'm the reason. There's so -- there's so much that I wish I could take back, Eric, you know? My dad's gonna die...never knowing how much I loved him," Brady regretfully replied. Brady sadly mused that he had wallowed in bitterness and hatred for a long time. Eric pointed out that hatred was sometimes the only thing a person could hold on to, but Brady insisted that it was a waste of time and only resulted in nightmares.
"I'm so sorry for the way I treated you. I really -- I know that what happened with Kristen was not your fault. All those phony accusations -- I knew the truth. I knew it. You were a victim. I was just hurting, you know? It was easier for me to blame you than deal with what I was feeling. But you have been a good brother to me. I know we're not blood, but it doesn't matter to me. You -- you have been there, you have been supportive. I've missed you...and I'm -- and I'm sorry. All I can -- all I can ask is that you forgive me," Brady told Eric, who nodded and hugged Brady.
Marlena went to the hospital to visit John. "I know what you'd say to me. You'd say, 'See ya, Doc. I'll catch you on the other side. Let Eric have his justice. Let him have peace.' Maybe I shouldn't have asked him. But I love you -- I love you so much. I can't bear the thought of living without you," Marlena tearfully explained as she caressed John's hand. Meanwhile, at the church, Eric contacted Kristen and told her they needed to talk right away.
Clyde met with Carlo in the park. "You come highly recommended...by Kate Roberts. I'd say that's about as high as praise can get in this town," Clyde said. After Clyde had outlined his plan, he asked Carlo if it were "doable." Carlo said that someone else was ahead of Clyde. Clyde said he wanted to meet that person, but Carlo laughed and said that he didn't think that was possible. "Even if it's worth your while to make it happen?" Clyde asked, adding, "You'll learn this about me, Carlo: I don't give up easy." A little later, Clyde hung up from a phone call and said that he'd done what he could -- and Clyde might get a call soon.
Asleep in bed at her apartment, Jordan was having a dream in which she recalled a time, five years after her mother's death, when Clyde had found her looking at a photograph of her mother. Clyde had reassured her that they would lean on each other. He'd reached out a hand to touch Jordan. She had recoiled and tried to run away, but Clyde had grabbed her arm and yanked her back. "We'll always have each other," he had emphasized. Jordan awakened with a start, breathless from the panic of the memory.
Rafe met E.J. in the park outside Horton Square at E.J.'s behest. When E.J. said that he had something that could be helpful to Rafe, Rafe replied that he wasn't interested. E.J. predicted that Rafe would change his mind once he saw what E.J. had to offer, although Rafe could not tell anyone that they had met. Rafe impatiently urged E.J. to get to the point. "I called you here because I trust you," E.J. explained, and Rafe found that comical. E.J. maintained that he would get nothing out of giving the information to Rafe.
As E.J. removed some papers from his breast pocket, he explained that he was aware that there was a court date later that day, regarding his father's tax-evasion charges. "This little document will make sure that you and the people you care about get the decision you want," E.J. added, handing the papers to Rafe. Rafe leafed through them and remarked that there was nothing on the documents but numbers. E.J. explained that the numbers would stop the judge from ruling in Stefano's favor.
Emphasizing that he was not the source of the numbers, E.J. suggested that Rafe and his cohorts at the Salem Police Department might even find a couple of shadow companies when they researched the information. Rafe questioned whether the numbers were proof that Stefano was hiding money. E.J. explained, "They show how my father diverted funds to avoid paying taxes -- without implicating anybody else." Rafe guessed, "You're doing this for Sami." E.J. stressed that Sami had no idea what he was doing -- and it was imperative that it stay that way.
Abigail was sitting alone at the Brady Pub, looking at a bright, floral dress she'd just bought for Arianna, when Marlena arrived. Marlena wanted to talk to Abigail, who was hesitant but agreed to let Marlena sit down. Recounting all the things that Abigail had been through in the previous couple of years, including what had happened with E.J., Marlena admitted that she was concerned about Abigail. Abigail maintained that she was handling everything just fine, but as she recalled the incident with Ben in the storage room, she confessed that perhaps she wasn't.
Marlena noted that she could recommend someone for Abigail to talk to -- but instead, Abigail confided in Marlena about what had happened with Ben. Marlena suspected that Abigail pushing Ben away had not had anything to do with how she felt about him. Abigail said that she really liked Ben, but she'd hurt him and didn't know how to fix it. Marlena suggested that the only thing Abigail could do was sort out what had happened then talk to Ben. Abigail was hopeful that Ben would listen because he was such a great guy.
Just then, E.J. walked in, and Abigail broke off mid-sentence. She grabbed her shopping bag and stammered that she wanted to take the dress to Arianna. After thanking Marlena for listening, Abigail hurried out. E.J. asked Marlena if Abigail were all right, but Marlena refused to discuss Abigail -- or anything -- with him. E.J. maintained that he cared about Samantha and the rest of Marlena's family. Marlena snapped, "Don't you dare bring up Samantha to me!" E.J. said that he merely wanted to inquire about John. Ignoring E.J. coldly, Marlena turned and left.
On the phone later, E.J. promised someone that they would be compensated for any proprietary information. After asking what time Stefano's hearing was, E.J. hung up, but he got another phone call almost immediately. "Yes? Who? Never heard of him. Have him checked out," E.J. instructed. He told the caller, "You'd better hope this pays off."
At Will and Sonny's, Will joked to Arianna that he'd obviously "hit the big-time" because his next assignment for the magazine was to cover Salem's traffic patterns. When Ben arrived to pick up some paperwork for the club, Will acknowledged that Ben had to be upset with him. Will added that he hoped the article wasn't causing problems for Ben and Abigail. Ben said that he and Abigail hadn't discussed Will, but Ben didn't understand how Will could have written that article.
Will admitted that although he had never intended to hurt Abigail, things had gotten out of hand. "I screwed up. Haven't you ever screwed up?" Will asked. He quickly apologized if it had seemed like he was trying to minimize what he'd done or how much it had hurt Abigail. Ben got a text message from Jordan just then, asking to see him right away, so he left without discussing anything further with Will.
When Ben met Jordan at Club TBD, an anxious Jordan declared tearfully that Clyde had ruined her life. She reminded Ben that for the first time since they'd left Poplar Bluff, they had finally been able to stop running and to learn what it felt like to have a home and friends. Ben tried to promise his sister that Clyde wouldn't be able to ruin any of those things for them.
Jordan pointed out that they both knew what Clyde was like -- and they knew that nothing would ever be the same again. Ben promised to protect Jordan if Clyde ever got near her, but he wondered what had happened to upset her so much. Ben urged Jordan not to let Clyde win, and instead, the two of them should keep trying to make their lives better.
In the park outside the square later, Jordan looked at the tattered photo of her mom and tried to convince herself that Ben was right. "We cannot let [Clyde] win," she declared determinedly.
Wen Abigail arrived at the club, Ben was curt with her and went outside in an attempt to avoid her. Abigail followed him so they could talk about what had happened -- but Ben said that he didn't want to discuss it. He clarified that he knew Abigail had pushed him away because she'd been thinking about E.J.
Will was surprised when Abigail arrived at the apartment with the dress for Arianna. Will promised that as soon as Arianna woke up, he would take a picture of her wearing it and send it to Gabi. Abigail explained that the only reason she was there was that she was Arianna's godmother, and she had promised to be part of Arianna's life, no matter what. Abigail asked why Will hadn't told her that Sami had been the one who had given Abigail's name to the editor. Will explained that it had been his byline, and besides, people would have been able to figure out that she was the nameless woman in the article.
Abigail admitted that even though she had been very upset when she'd first learned about the article, it wasn't quite as horrible as she'd feared. Will said that Ben had stopped by to pick up some papers earlier, and Will had tried to talk to him about Abigail, but Ben had been "vague." He asked if everything were all right with Ben and Abigail. Abigail didn't want to discuss Ben with Will. As Abigail rose to leave, Will thanked her for the sweet gesture with the dress. He assured her that she could see her goddaughter whenever she wanted. "Yeah, I know. I'll work it out with Sonny," Abigail said somewhat coldly before heading out.
When Eric arrived at Kristen's hotel room, he expressed consternation and disbelief that she would withhold the medicine to save John's life in order to secure her freedom. "Yeah. You finally understand," Kristen said impassively. Eric wondered about Daniel's testimony, but Kristen pointed out that it would just be her word against Daniel's. Eric declared that he knew, based on Kristen's history, that the whole thing could just be an elaborate scheme to torture his family, so he was tempted to go ahead and testify against her in court -- but Kristen knew that he would agree to her plan.
Eric warned Kristen that he would not sign anything, and he would not promise to testify against her until they were certain that the drug had worked and John had awakened from his coma. Eric headed for the door, but Kristen stopped him and commented about how much he had changed since the last time she'd seen him. Eric snapped that Kristen didn't know him and had not known him before.
Kristen reminded Eric that she and Brady had gone through pre-Cana classes with Eric, plus she and Eric had worked together on St. Luke's scholarship fund. She continued that Eric had always been a "strong and caring man of God," and she couldn't possibly have changed that -- but he had changed a great deal, and she suspected that Nicole was the reason. Eric bristled, but Kristen quietly maintained that Nicole had made Eric bitter, and it was tragic and heartbreaking -- but that was Nicole's fault. Without another word, a disgusted Eric left, and Kristen did a little happy dance.
Marlena sat at John's bedside and held his hand as she told him that she'd asked Eric not to testify against Kristen in order to get the drug that John needed. Eric entered the room and informed Marlena that he'd told Kristen he would go along with her plan. "I'm sorry that I doubted even for a minute that it was the right thing to do," Eric added. Marlena embraced her son gratefully. They both hoped that the drug actually worked.
Eric was concerned about Marlena getting her hopes up, but she reassured him that she wasn't counting on the drug. Since they could not know if Kristen were bluffing, Eric noted that all they could do was pray.
When Stefano called Kristen, she urged him to get the drug to Daniel and Kayla as soon as possible. Stefano reminded his daughter that the drug was untested, so she had to be realistic. "I know. It could go either way," Kristen acknowledged. After she hung up, she prayed that the drug would work because everything was riding on it.
Over breakfast at the DiMera mansion, Kate advised Sami that she was expecting a call from her attorney, who Kate hoped had thought of some way to keep the judge from ruling in Stefano's favor. Kate saw the portrait of Stefano leaning against the wall and exclaimed with horror, "What the hell is that doing there?" Just then, Kate's phone rang, but instead of her lawyer, she heard Stefano's voice purring, "Buon giorno! It's so good to hear your voice, Catarina." Kate pointed at the portrait to let Sami know that Stefano was on the phone, and Sami urged Kate to hang up.
When Kate demanded to know what Stefano wanted, he told her, "I only wanted you and Samantha to know that the games are over. Ciao." When Kate hung up, she guessed that Stefano was trying to scare them, and she relayed what Stefano had said. Sami filled Kate in about how Stefano had been trying to set up an emergency board meeting in Salem. Sami thought they should remind the board how much money they had made for the company and prove to them that Sami and Kate were the best thing for DiMera Enterprises.
Kate pointed out that anything the board decided would be the least of their problems if Stefano returned to Salem. Although Kate was convinced that Stefano would be "hell-bent" on revenge, Sami tried to remain optimistic that wasn't the case. "I have an idea; maybe we should stop whistling past the graveyard," Kate suggested, pointing out that Stefano was well known for his passion for revenge. "[We should] prepare, because whatever he has planned for us -- believe me, we will not see it coming," Kate warned Sami.
Sami was certain that Stefano would not try to kill them -- and besides, if he'd intended to, he would have sent a henchman to do it already. Kate urged Sami to stop living in denial, because whatever Stefano had planned for them would be more horrific than anything they could possibly imagine.
E.J. was on the phone at the police station when Sami and Kate arrived. He asked the person on the other end to verify some numbers before the DiMera hearing. Kate and Sami were relieved to learn that they still had some time before the hearing. Sami implored Rafe to stop Stefano, but Rafe reminded her that Stefano had a huge team of lawyers who were helping him dodge all the charges. "What if he threatened my life?" Kate mused. She wondered if it would make a difference in the outcome of Stefano's hearing.
Kate explained that Stefano suspected that she was the one who had handed over the evidence, and that was why he had threatened to kill her. Rafe pointed out that it would be Kate's word against Stefano's. Kate claimed that Sami had heard Stefano threaten to kill Kate. Sami's eyes widened as she stared at Kate.
Clyde was waiting in the park when E.J. arrived. "Mister DiMera, it's a real honor, sir," Clyde said, extending his hand. Pointedly not accepting the handshake, E.J. glared silently at Clyde.
