Eric entered his apartment while in the midst of a phone conversation with his twin sister. "It seems that we're both a lot happier on our mutual birthday than we were a few years ago," he told her before ending the call.
Nicole soon emerged from a bedroom, wearing a robe, and greeted Eric. "Where's Holly?" Eric asked after returning the greeting. "She wanted to see Maggie, so I [took her over there]," Nicole replied. "And then you came home to...go back to bed?" Eric curiously observed. "Actually...I made a little stop on my way here and picked up a birthday surprise for you..." Nicole clarified, opening the robe to reveal some lingerie. "And then I was hoping to get back in bed," Nicole continued, letting the robe fall to the floor. Eric grinned then started kissing Nicole passionately -- just as Marlena knocked on the apartment door and called out a greeting.
"She'll leave," Nicole quietly predicted, and Eric optimistically agreed -- but instead of leaving, Marlena started messing with the doorknob. "She knows where I hide the key," Eric realized in a panic, prompting Nicole to quickly reach for the discarded robe -- just as Marlena opened the door. "Hi," Eric and Nicole awkwardly said to Marlena in unison. "What a surprise," Nicole added with a nervous laugh while hiding behind the robe in embarrassment. "Yeah..." Marlena agreed. "I'm so sorry... [I mean], I didn't think that anybody was home... [Anyway], next time, I'll call first," Marlena continued while handing Eric the key and a birthday cake.
Marlena started to rush off, but Nicole insisted that wasn't necessary. "Please, just stay and have some -- some cake with us... But -- but first, I -- I think I'll slip into something a little...less...comfortable," Nicole added before retreating to a bedroom to change clothes. Once the coast was clear, Marlena awkwardly acknowledged that Eric and Nicole seemed to be quite happy together. "You know, a while back, when [Sarah] was still with Rex, you [told me that you] weren't sure if you could get over your feelings for her, so I'm wondering if you have been able to do that," Marlena continued -- just as Nicole emerged from the bedroom.
"I do [still] think about Sarah -- especially since I got the mistaken idea she was pregnant -- [but]..." Eric began, but Nicole interrupted before anything else could be said. "I'll leave you two to celebrate. I'm -- I'm -- I'm gonna meet John," Marlena announced before rushing off, clearly still feeling a bit uncomfortable because of what had happened earlier. Once the coast was clear, Nicole admitted to having overheard part of Eric's conversation with Marlena. "Seems we have some things to get out in the open," Nicole observed. "My mom has been a cheerleader for Sarah, but she knows that you are the love of my life," Eric stressed.
"Maybe I'm just feeling insecure, but when I thought Sarah was pregnant, it hit me...that she can give you a child, and I can't," Nicole admitted. "Holly may not be my biological child, but I could not love her any more than I already do, [and] I made peace with not having children when I became a priest," Eric insisted. "I still can't help but wonder...if Sarah really had been pregnant, would you have left me and gone back to her?" Nicole fretted. "Sarah isn't pregnant, so --" Eric began to argue. "Answer my question," Nicole demanded. "I don't regret, for one second, being with you [instead of Sarah, and] nothing is ever going to change that," Eric assured Nicole.
Hope was sitting in one of the hospital's waiting areas, staring blankly at a rosary, when John approached and called out a greeting. She locked eyes with him and dropped the rosary in shock.
"I don't know what's wrong with me -- I keep dropping this thing..." Hope admitted as John picked up and returned the rosary. "I think, under the circumstances, it's allowable," John stressed. "It's not just that... When I was in the chapel, praying, I thought I heard a voice...but when I looked up, there was no one there...[and], you know, you kind of get a little nervous when you start hearing voices in your head," Hope, who had been recalling bits of the encounter with Rolf, confessed. "Maybe it was God's voice," John suggested with a shrug. "Yeah -- of course..." Hope agreed with a chuckle before seizing a hug from John.
After pulling away from Hope, John commented on the beauty of the rosary. "Julie got it at the Vatican when she and my dad were on one of their cruises," Hope explained. "I don't know why I keep dropping it -- I dropped it in the chapel, too... Actually, I wouldn't even have it if Rolf hadn't found it," Hope continued. "What the hell would he be doing in a hospital chapel?" John wondered. "I don't know..." Hope admitted. "He's been hanging around the hospital a lot -- ever since Jennifer convinced Kayla to give him lab space here..." Hope continued. "I wonder what he's up to..." John suspiciously mused.
"Rolf's been doing a lot more good than harm lately," Hope argued. "Are you defending the guy? That's the man that downloaded my memory onto a CD, for God's... No, no, no -- let's forget about that; let's talk about you, and what he did to you --" John countered -- just as Marlena arrived. "This a bad time?" Marlena asked. "This is actually a great time, because you are just interrupting a very bad trip down memory lane," John replied. "You look pale. Are you all right?" Marlena said to Hope, who claimed to simply be exhausted. Marlena and John insisted on treating Hope to a quick meal before Julie's heart transplant began.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Xander explained what was in the envelope that was intended for Eric -- and why it was so important for Rolf to be the person who delivered it. "Aren't you afraid this is going to blow up in your face?" Rolf asked. "Eric's so besotted by Nicole, nothing can make him see anything but her," Xander replied. "Not even impending fatherhood?" Rolf skeptically summarized. "Nothing," Xander confidently maintained. "If you say so... [Well], if I deliver this, what's it worth to you? My services don't come cheap, you know..." Rolf continued. "You want to know what this is worth to me? Name your price," Xander coolly countered.
"You could [just] hire any messenger --" Rolf began to point out, confused. "A messenger could be traced back to me," Xander dismissively explained. "It's not exactly rocket science, doc -- [just] get in your car, drive across town, give this envelope to Eric, [and] just say that you were in this house, visiting your old friend Kristen -- which is the truth -- and that you just happened to see this envelope laying about...and, being the nosy so-and-so that you are, you couldn't help but open it up and read it, and you figured out that Eric was the baby daddy, and you thought he had a right to know. [And] keep me out of it," Xander instructed Rolf.
Xander started offering various sums of cash, but Rolf wasn't interested in the traditional type of payment for services rendered. "There is something else -- something which could convince me to run your little errand for you..." Rolf admitted before telling Xander about what Kayla had done earlier. "So, I presume that you want me to find you a new lab..." Xander began. "You presume correctly," Rolf confirmed. "[But] if I do that, and you get back up to your usual...mischief...I could end up behind bars again," Xander pointed out. "I'm working on a top-secret project -- one that's very important to me personally," Rolf vaguely explained.
"What are you gonna do? Blow up Salem? Freeze the planet?" Xander wondered. "Certainly not! I only work for the betterment of society as a whole!" Rolf insisted. "That is all I can tell you, and if it's a deal-breaker, then...so be it," Rolf continued, shrugging. "I'll get you a lab at Titan," Xander agreed after some thought. "I'll give you a list of all the equipment I require," Rolf warned. "I'll get it all tricked out -- whatever you need," Xander promised.
At the hospital, Kate received a visit from Roman, who was armed with a bouquet of flowers and a balloon. "For me?" Kate coyly wondered. "Who else?" Roman warmly confirmed.
"Wonderful, because those are starting to creep me out a little bit," Kate admitted with a cringe while gesturing to another bouquet of flowers. "What's he sending you flowers for?" Roman asked after reading the card that was attached to Rolf's bouquet. "Beats me," Kate replied, shrugging. "Do you think that, uh, Rolf had something to do with your miraculous recovery?" Roman wondered. "Hmm... Well, he does have a certain knack, doesn't he?" Kate acknowledged. "Yes, he does -- he did it for me back in the day," Roman pointed out. "Yeah, I know -- and Will," Kate agreed, clearly grateful to Rolf for those acts.
Kate complained that Rolf really needed to learn when not to intervene. "Vivian?" Roman guessed. "Exactly! That is the reason that he creeps me out," Kate confirmed, cringing again.
Roman picked up Rolf's bouquet, which was already starting to wilt, and tossed it in a trash can. "If the guy is such a genius, why can't he make a bunch of flowers last forever?" Roman wondered, amusing Kate.
Changing the subject, Roman informed Kate that, according to Kayla, Gabi was finally on board with the idea of donating Stefan's heart to Julie. "Better him than me," Kate dryly declared. "I wonder how Julie's gonna feel when she wakes up and discovers that that psychopath's heart is beating inside her..." Roman mused, prompting Kate to sarcastically agree that, unlike Stefan, Julie had always had the most sparkling personality beforehand. Roman decided, after giving the matter some thought, that not even the purest or the blackest heart could ever change Julie one way or another, but Kate wasn't willing to offer similar praise.
"If [Julie's] such a go-getter, why was she just lying in her bed, waiting for a miracle? Why wasn't she proactive, like I was?" Kate argued, unimpressed. "Wait a minute -- are you blaming her for not willing herself out of a failing heart?" Roman asked incredulously. "I'm tired of lying here!" Kate randomly replied, perhaps as an excuse for the earlier comments. "Easy, okay, Lady Lazarus? It's been one day!" Roman stressed, but Kate didn't seem to care about that. "I want to get back to the business of living!" Kate complained. "Which means that you are afraid you're gonna get replaced at DiMera Enterprises," Roman concluded.
"I wouldn't worry -- [Kristen's] got her sights set on Brady at the moment," Roman revealed. "Really? Oh, my God -- Victor must be apoplectic! He's going to end up firing Brady! Who knows -- I might end up running both companies!" Kate excitedly mused, already fantasizing about what it would be like to have that much power. "You have made my day!" Kate told Roman, who groaned in response.
At the Salem Inn, Tony and Anna linked arms, raised glasses to each other's lips, and sipped Champagne together. "It's been so wonderful to be alone with you here...and I finally can believe that you've really come back to me," Anna raved. "I'm so sorry that our reunion was interrupted by my incarceration...but that's behind us now," Tony stressed. "I guess it's time for us to start thinking about rejoining the land of the living..." Anna grudgingly acknowledged. "If we must, we must," Tony agreed. "But I have something for you first," Anna continued, handing over a jewelry box.
"You're giving me the engagement ring that Roman gave you?" Tony asked with obvious confusion after opening the jewelry box and finding a diamond ring inside. "Actually, I...I bought it for myself -- to make you jealous -- [and] I was hoping that you would put it on my finger this time and...you know, pop the question," Anna replied, extending a hand expectantly. "I'm sorry, darling, but I can't do that," Tony insisted, closing the jewelry box and handing it back to Anna. "I'm not gonna propose to the love of my life with a used ring -- [especially] one that was used to get me upset," Tony explained.
"[But] don't worry, [because] I'll get myself a job [so I can buy you a new ring]," Tony promised. "Who's worried? [I mean], I have more than enough [money] to take care of both of us," Anna stressed. "I can't accept that. [I mean], call me antediluvian, but I need to be the breadwinner," Tony insisted. "Well, I do call you...anti-de-whatever-you-said...but I love you anyway," Anna assured Tony before offering a kiss.
Anna soon parted ways with Tony, eager to run a few unspecified errands. Shortly after Anna left, Tony received a phone call from someone.
Anna contacted Roman and arranged a meeting, vaguely insisting that they needed to talk about something important. "What do you want now?" Roman dryly asked after joining Anna in the Horton Town Square. "Nothing, smarty," Anna replied with a scoff before handing over a jewelry box. "I'm taking back my proposal. Roman Brady, please do me the honor of not marrying me," Anna began to explain. "That is the ring I bought for you to give to me. [And] I don't have any more use for it, [so] I figured you could maybe sell it [and] keep the money [as] a payment for services rendered. It does seem like the least I can do," Anna continued.
"I am just very glad that you and Tony worked things out," Roman stressed. "Me, too! You know, when he first came back, he was acting like a DiMera, and I won't have that...[but], thank goodness, he wants nothing to do with his family -- or their dirty, dirty business -- [anymore]!" Anna bragged. "When's the wedding?" Roman asked. "I'm not sure. We're thinking about doing it in France or Italy so Carrie and Noah can be there. [But], to be honest, uh...we've been too taken with the honeymoon to think about wedding plans. And all that matters, really, is that [we] both want the same things for our future together," Anna replied.
Tony went to the hospital to see Kate, who was quick to offer condolences. "I arrived too late to say my goodbyes," Tony revealed with a sigh.
"I wish I had gotten to know him better, [but] Stefan and I -- the only interaction we had was adversarial, when he and Kristen were fighting over who was going to be the next CEO of DiMera Enterprises," Tony admitted. "You were part of that? Oh, that's right -- [Kristen] was passing herself off as Nicole, [so] she had to marry you to qualify," Kate recalled. "Which is why I thought it was a surprise that Mr. Shin called me today...[and] asked me to take over for you as CEO," Tony revealed. "Over my dead body!" Kate snapped, stunned and furious.
"Shin must know that I'm out of the woods now! Why would he make a ridiculous offer like that to you behind my back? I have a contract!" Kate complained. "Don't shoot the messenger, love. I didn't contact Mr. Shin; he's the one who called me. And anybody who's ever talked to me knows that I have no interest in running DiMera," Tony stressed. "Good -- then you'll have no problem calling him and telling him that," Kate challenged Tony, offering a cell phone. "Well?" Kate asked impatiently when Tony didn't immediately accept the challenge.
"Anna has expensive tastes... A job would be helpful..." Tony admitted. "Anna is independently wealthy!" Kate countered. "I told her I'm not gonna live off her fortune," Tony explained. "She thinks I'm old-fashioned!" Tony bragged. "She thinks you're sexist," Kate guessed. "You'd say anything to keep me from taking your job," Tony dismissively argued.
"You're not qualified! [I mean], 90% of your résumé was compiled by Andre when he was pretending to be you!" Kate pointed out. "What you're saying is that I need to prove myself," Tony summarized. "Exactly! Why don't you apply for the executive training program?" Kate suggested. "I'll take that under advisement," Tony promised before walking away.
While John, Marlena, and Hope were in the town square, getting ready to order food, Rolf passed by. Rolf tried to ignore the trio, but Hope called out a greeting and seized the opportunity to express appreciation for the safe return of Julie's rosary. "Is that...all...you wanted to say?" Rolf asked curiously. "What else would I have to say?" Hope replied, confused. "Nothing -- nothing at all!" Rolf conceded with a nervous chuckle before rushing off. Hope immediately decided not to take John and Marlena up on the offer of a quick meal, claiming to be exhausted and have no appetite. John and Marlena watched with concern as Hope rushed off.
Kate contacted Shin and made it clear that the hospital stay wouldn't last much longer. "I beg your pardon?" Kate snapped at Shin after a brief phone conversation. Meanwhile, Tony rejoined Anna at the Salem Inn and announced that a job had just been secured. "Already? Well, what are you going to be doing?" Anna asked. "I accepted an offer from Mr. Shin to take over as CEO of DiMera Enterprises! Isn't that wonderful?" Tony replied.
Xander desperately tried to contact Rolf to stop the delivery of the pregnancy test to Eric, having decided that there was too much of a risk that the plan could backfire. Meanwhile, Rolf knocked on Eric's apartment door -- but Nicole opened it instead of Eric.
Kate called Mr. Shin from the hospital to assure him that she was ready to go back to work. When Shin placed Kate on hold, a furious Kate threw her phone at the floor by the doorway as Victor walked in with flowers. "It seems someone is feeling better," Victor joked. Kate huffed. When Victor mentioned Vivian, Kate said Tony was worse because he had stabbed her in the back. Kate told Victor about her call with Shin.
"I'm going to be out of here and back at the helm in no time," Kate complained. "I have a proposition for you," Victor countered. After a few choice words of flattery, Victor asked Kate to return to Titan. Kate reminded Victor that he had told her that he had been pleased with Brady's performance, and she asked why Victor would want to fire Brady.
"Because he moved that psychopath Kristen DiMera into my house," Victor grumbled. When Kate asked why, Victor told Kate about the baby. "So she says," Kate commented. With a scowl, Victor said the news was true. "It seems he is choosing Kristen over his career," Victor muttered.
"No, Victor. He is choosing his child," Kate corrected. Victor said the reason did not matter, because he could no longer trust Brady. "Brady is useless now that [Kristen] has gotten her claws into him," Victor said. Kate was tempted by the offer to be CEO at Titan, but she noted that her place was at DiMera Enterprises. Victor argued that Tony would not relinquish power, but Kate said she could handle Tony, Kristen, and Gabi.
"I survived a bullet to the gut. I'm not afraid to fight!" Kate yelled. Victor asked Kate if she preferred to fight battles rather than step into a job that was already available. "No questions asked. No drama. At DiMera, you'd be in the middle of a power struggle, and an ugly one at that," Victor reasoned aloud. Kate shook her head and noted that she needed to do what was best for her future. Kate asked for a few days to decide. Victor told Kate that she had one day to decide because he intended to remove Brady soon.
At the Salem Inn, Tony broke the news to Anna that he had accepted the position of CEO at DiMera Enterprises. Anna was angry. "They needed a DiMera to take over. I was the natural choice," Tony pleaded. Anna asked Tony if he had thought about their life together before he had made his decision. Tony suggested that they put their travel plans on hold, but Anna did not want to waste any more time.
"I didn't really know my brother, Stefan, and sadly, I never will. But a DiMera needs to take his place," Tony said. Anna suggested Kate. Tony agreed that Kate could resume the job when she was doing better. "So, you settle all this with Shin without even talking to me about it," Anna said. Tony explained that he had visited Kate at the hospital, and he had been upset that Kate had been insulted that Shin had chosen him as CEO.
"So, you took this job to prove a point to Kate?" Anna asked with frustration. Tony said he wanted to be his own man. "A man that you would be proud to marry," Tony said. Anna assured Tony that she was already proud of him. Tony said he did not want Anna to take care of him, because he wanted to be able to take care of her. Anna smiled.
"I adore your courtly manners. Most of the time," Anna said. "It's part of me. Just like the DiMera legacy is part of me," Tony countered. Anna reminded Tony that he did not owe his brother or father any favors. Tony agreed, and he promised to relinquish control once Kate was well enough to take the job back. Anna said she was worried that Tony would change his mind.
"With you by my side, I promise you, everything is going to be different this time. You're everything to me and what I do, and everything is for you," Tony said.
In the square, John asked Marlena if Hope had seemed off when they had spoken with her at the hospital. "She did. Especially after that run-in with Rolf," Marlena agreed. John changed the subject to Eric's birthday cake, and Marlena said that she had not visited for long because Eric had been celebrating with Nicole. Marlena mentioned Eric's misunderstanding about Sarah's pregnancy.
"Eric would never turn his back on Sarah if she were carrying his child," Marlena said. "No more than Brady would turn his back on Kristen. Unfortunately," John added. "Kristen is having my baby. I would think you would want me to support her for the sake of my child," Brady interrupted as he approached the table. John said he and Marlena understood that Brady wanted to do the right thing for his child.
"We just don't want to see Kristen take advantage of you," Marlena added. Brady reminded Marlena that he knew Kristen well, and he promised that Kristen would move out after the baby was born. "Move out?" Marlena asked with alarm. Brady explained that Kristen had moved into the mansion because of the high-risk pregnancy. Brady added that he wanted to keep Rolf far away from his child.
"I think that is exactly what she was planning on," Marlena said. Brady sighed. John asked Brady if he believed that Kristen would be satisfied with a platonic relationship. Brady said he had set boundaries with Kristen. "I will resist her. It's not a problem," Brady said. Marlena asked about Victor. With a rueful chuckle, Brady said that Victor had threatened to fire him. Brady said he would pick his child over his job.
"If this situation goes bad, we're here," John told Brady. Brady said his only concern was a healthy child and that he needed to go pick up prenatal vitamins. After Brady walked away, John and Marlena agreed that it was dangerous to have Kristen hang around Brady.
At Eric's apartment, Nicole answered the door and found Rolf in the hallway. Rolf announced that he had important information for Eric. Nicole asked for details, but Rolf noted that Eric would be happy to hear his news. With a sigh, Nicole argued that Eric did not need a life-saving serum.
"As you well know, that isn't all I can do," Rolf said. Rolf pushed Nicole to let him talk to Eric, and she admitted that Eric was not at home. Rolf walked past Nicole into the apartment, and he announced that he would wait. Nicole asked Rolf to tell her the information. With a shrug, Rolf said, "Well, why not. You're going to find out eventually," Rolf said. Rolf told Nicole about Kristen's pregnancy and his visit to the Kiriakis mansion. With a nod, Nicole opened the door and thanked Rolf for the news.
"This is not the news I came to share with Eric," Rolf said. Rolf told Nicole that while he had been at the mansion, he had discovered something that affected Eric. Rolf pulled the envelope out of his pocket and teased, "Perhaps I should show you." As Nicole reached for the envelope, Rolf pulled it away. Rolf noted that the envelope was for Eric's eyes only.
"[Eric] will be most grateful when he learns what is inside [the envelope]," Rolf confirmed. Nicole asked Rolf to leave the envelope with her, and she promised she would not open it. With a grunt, Rolf handed the envelope to Nicole and walked out. Nicole stared at the envelope and hesitated as she placed it on the dining room table. Nicole poured a glass of orange juice, and she repeatedly looked over her shoulder at the envelope.
When Nicole sat on the couch, she continued to glance over at the envelope there. Unable to resist, Nicole walked over to the table and picked up the envelope. Nicole held the paper up to the light.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Xander reconsidered his plan to tip off Eric about Sarah's pregnancy. Desperate to reach Rolf, Xander muttered his name repeatedly as he looked for the contact information in his phone. Kristen walked in, and Xander demanded Rolf's number. Suspicious, Kristen asked Xander why he needed to speak to Rolf so urgently.
"I asked him to do something, and I'm afraid it's going to blow up in my face," Xander confided. Kristen asked for details, and reluctantly, Xander told Kristen that he needed to stop Rolf from telling Eric about Sarah's baby. Xander explained why he had asked Rolf to deliver the news to Eric. Confused, Kristen asked Xander why he had reconsidered his plan.
"It's a terrible idea, and now I might lose Sarah for good," Xander said. Xander explained that he had thought through the possible scenarios, and he had worried that Eric might decide to choose Sarah. When Kristen shrugged, Xander grabbed Kristen by the arm and growled, "Give me Rolf's number!" Kristen calmly warned Xander to let go of her. Xander's temper melted away.
"Are you going to help me or not?" Xander asked. Kristen warned Xander that he would owe her a favor, and he agreed. As Xander grinned, Kristen gave him her phone so that Rolf would be sure to answer the call. Xander eagerly called Rolf. "Did you give Eric the envelope?" Xander asked. Rolf confirmed that he had not given Eric the envelope, but he had left the envelope with Nicole. Panicked, Xander ran out of the mansion.
When Xander arrived at Eric's apartment, he banged on the door and begged Nicole to let him in. Nicole did. Xander asked for the envelope that Rolf had dropped off. "It's too late. I already opened it," Nicole said as she pulled the crumpled envelope out of her pocket.
In the Kiriakis living room, Kristen flipped through a book of baby names as Brady returned home with her vitamins. Brady said he had been delayed because he had stopped to chat with John and Marlena. Brady handed Kristen the vitamins and a bottle of calming lotion to keep Kristen relaxed.
"That was really sweet of you," Kristen said as she leaned in to kiss Brady. Brady jerked backward and away. Changing the subject, Kristen asked about the other bag. Brady gave Kristen a shawl, and he explained that the house was drafty. Brady placed the shawl on Kristen's shoulders, and he announced that he needed to find a new job. Kristen apologized for Brady's work situation and her part in it.
At the hospital, Sarah ran into Eric by the nurses' station. "Are you visiting Julie?" Sarah asked. Eric explained that he was there to visit Julie and a client from the Horton Center. Sarah started to excuse herself, and Eric asked her if she was okay. Eric noted that Sarah was pale and shaking.
"I'm worried about you," Eric said. "If I seem different to you, there's a reason," Sarah started. Sarah explained that she had been part of the transplant team. Eric offered to take Sarah home, but she declined. "I have something to talk to Kayla about," Sarah said. When Eric urged Sarah to put off her talk with Kayla, Sarah said she could not. Before Sarah could explain why, she fainted into Eric's arms.
When Sarah regained consciousness, Eric sat her in a chair and gave her a glass of water. Eric asked when Sarah had last eaten. When Sarah took a moment to think, Eric offered to get food for her. Eric returned with a yogurt parfait, and Sarah said she had not fainted because of food but because of the emotional toll of ending Stefan's life in the OR.
"I really admire your humanity. Your passion. Not just for patients but for everyone around you," Eric said. "You're giving me too much credit," Sarah said. Sarah told Eric that she was grateful for the time that she had spent with Holly and that she was happy that Holly and Eric had Nicole back in their lives.
"I'm never gonna forget how much we meant to each other during our time together. I'm sorry it couldn't have turned out differently," Eric said. "Timing is funny. If only," Sarah said as she absentmindedly touched her belly. Eric playfully ordered Sarah to eat her food, and she finished the parfait.
"You have successfully gotten me to eat, you are successfully released from your babysitting duties," Sarah joked. Eric said he did not need to be released. With a shrug, Sarah said that Eric should spend his birthday with Nicole. "You remembered?" Eric asked. With a laugh, Sarah said she had planned out Eric's birthday months before. Sarah assured Eric she had already sold the theater tickets she had purchased. Eric said he hoped that he and Sarah could have a normal friendship someday.
"I don't think you have to worry about that, Eric. I'm leaving Salem," Sarah explained. Upset, Eric asked why. Sarah said she wanted a fresh start. "But you have a great job here. Your family is here," Eric pointed out. Eric asked Sarah if she was leaving town because of him.
Gabi, alone in the hospital's chapel, knelt in front of the altar and started praying.
"From the minute that I heard Stefan was shot, 'til that awful moment that I had to sign those papers to donate his heart, I prayed -- [asking you] to make him whole again, to bring him back to me -- and throughout all of that hell, I never questioned you... And now...now, you took away the one person that loves me for all of me, so I have a question for you, God -- why do you hate me so much?" Gabi tearfully demanded to know.
"When I was a little girl, I went to church every Sunday, you know. I never missed a Mass. And I would wear my best dress -- my only dress. It was the first one I ever made. We were poor, so it was simple, but I made it for you, [and] I made it with love, and I thought it was the most beautiful dress in the world. I have hundreds of dresses now, and I could have hundreds more. I have so much. But I have lost what that little girl had -- I've lost love. [Because] I've lost Stefan. And I've lost you," Gabi continued.
Just then, Will and Sonny entered the chapel. "Come to tell me that Stefan is gone?" Gabi numbly guessed. "Yeah... We're -- we're really sorry..." Sonny replied. "And his heart -- it's beating in Julie's chest?" Gabi bitterly continued. "Um...well, she's still in surgery, [and] even if [she] survives [that, it's still] gonna be a long road -- [I mean], it'll be days before we [even] know whether her body will accept or reject Stefan's heart," Will clarified. "The nurses wanted us to give this to you... It's, uh, Stefan's personal effects..." Sonny revealed, holding out a manila envelope that was bulging slightly. "What's left of the man that I loved," Gabi summarized.
Will and Sonny took Gabi back to the DiMera mansion. Sonny stayed with Gabi while Will went to the kitchen to prepare a cup of tea. "I'm gonna go ahead and leave this over here for you, in case you change your mind," Sonny told Gabi, who had refused Stefan's personal effects back at the hospital. As Sonny placed the manila envelope on a dresser in the bedroom that Gabi had once shared with Stefan, Will arrived with the cup of tea and announced that Arianna was scheduled to be with a babysitter for a while longer. "[So], you know, we can hang out [and] talk, or watch a movie, or --" Will continued. "I'd rather be alone," Gabi insisted, staring at the bed.
Gabi hugged Will and Sonny and asked the couple to keep Arianna at the Kiriakis mansion for at least one more night. After Will and Sonny left, Gabi threw a few things in anger then collapsed onto the bed and broke down.
After recovering, Gabi, who had been wearing the double-heart pendant necklace since receiving it from Stefan a short time before the shooting had occurred, took it off and stared at it. "Why did you give me your heart, Stefan, if you weren't gonna be around to love me with it?" Gabi bitterly grumbled before walking over to the dresser and opening the manila envelope, which contained, among other things, Stefan's wedding band. While clutching both the ring and the necklace, Gabi climbed onto Stefan's side of the bed and broke down again.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Victor finished reading a summary of a deal that Ciara had secured for Titan. "Your work on this deal is very impressive...but, considering what's going on with Julie, it could have waited -- no need for you to run it over here after business hours -- [so]...why are you really here?" Victor asked curiously. "With everything [that's] going on with Grandma Julie, it just made me think about how we're here one minute and gone the next, and I guess I just wanted to see you before --" Ciara started to explain. "I croaked?" Victor concluded for Ciara with a chuckle. "I'm not going anywhere anytime soon," Victor assured Ciara.
"And if I were a betting man, I would bet that Julie's not ready to punch her ticket, either," Victor predicted before changing the subject, wanting to talk to Ciara about what had recently happened in the parking lot near the Brady Pub. "Ben thinks his crazy sister's responsible," Victor noted. "I don't know -- it all just happened so fast... I was ready to forget about it -- write it off as an accident -- but that was before I had [this] scary run-in with Jordan in the elevator [at the hospital]... Given our history, I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't afraid of what she might do," Ciara admitted with a shudder.
As soon as Ciara exited the mansion, Victor reached for a cell phone and dialed someone's number. "I want Jordan Ridgeway dead. I want it done tonight," Victor told the person who answered the call.
Jordan took David for a walk in the park and ran into Rafe in the nearby town square. "I thought you were gonna be with your sister at the hospital," Jordan began in lieu of a greeting. "Yeah, I was... She, uh...she wanted to be alone," Rafe explained. "Let me know if there's anything I can do. I want to be as supportive to you and your family as you've been with mine," Jordan stressed.
Just then, Ben stormed over and started lashing out at Jordan. "Is this about what happened to Ciara in the parking lot? [Because] there is no proof whatsoever that Jordan was the one driving --" Rafe began to point out. "I'm confident that your investigation will prove that [she was]," Ben argued. "But that's not even what I'm [upset about right now]. Ciara told me that [Jordan] followed her to the hospital [and] cornered her inside of an elevator," Ben clarified. "I went to the hospital to apply for my old job, [and] Ciara and I were stuck in the elevator together. No big deal," Jordan insisted, shrugging.
"Then why was Ciara so shaken up?" Ben skeptically countered before asking if Rafe was really going to take Jordan's word over Ciara's. Rafe started to respond but received a phone call from someone at the police station just then. "They got a positive ID on the driver who almost ran down Ciara," Rafe announced after a brief conversation with the caller. "CSU matched the tire treads that were found in the pub parking lot to a car that was impounded at a sobriety checkpoint. The driver was well over the legal limit. [And] he remembers leaving the parking lot and almost hitting a young woman," Rafe continued.
"There's your proof -- proof that I didn't do it," Jordan gloated. "No, no, no -- there's gotta be some kind of a mistake here," Ben insisted. "Listen, I understand that you're upset about not being able to see David, but from here on out, I think it's best if you kept your distance," Rafe advised Ben before walking away with Jordan and David.
Ben returned to the DiMera guesthouse and contacted Victor. "But your sister is still a threat?" Victor asked after Ben summarized what Rafe had just revealed. "Honestly? I'm not sure... [I mean], maybe I was being paranoid, [and] she deserves to have a second chance to prove herself..." Ben replied. "Look, I know I told you to get rid of [her, but]... Call it off. We're still even, but...whatever the hell you were gonna do, just...don't do it," Ben requested before ending the call -- and realizing that Ciara was standing at the front door.
"Who was that?" Ciara asked curiously. "Oh, it was...it was George, from the security staff," Ben hesitantly replied. "What was he gonna do?" Ciara wondered. "There's just a lot of anger throughout the entire company towards the Salem P.D. right now, after Stefan's shooting, [so] I just wanted to make sure nobody did anything that they might regret," Ben explained.
"I called my mom at the hospital [earlier]... They took his heart," Ciara gently reported. "[Then] he's really gone," Ben sadly summarized. "If there is anything that I can do for you --" Ciara began to offer. "You're already doing it," Ben insisted. "You are my whole world, [and] I only want to make you happy [and] keep you safe," Ben told Ciara before changing the subject, revealing what Rafe had found out earlier. "I'm starting to feel a little bad that I accused [Jordan]," Ben admitted, sighing. "With the way that she was acting, it makes perfect sense that you would," Ciara insisted. "I guess so," Ben conceded.
Meanwhile, a man approached the Hernandez house, carrying a pizza box, and knocked on the front door while Jordan was alone in the kitchen. "I didn't order a pizza," Jordan told the man, who received a text message from Victor just then, canceling the delivery. "My mistake. Here -- why don't you keep it," the man replied, handing the pizza box to Jordan, who was pleasantly surprised. "Guess it's my lucky day," Jordan bragged when Rafe returned to the kitchen a short time later, having just finished putting David down for a nap.
While walking away from the Hernandez house, the man sent Victor a text message, confirming that the delivery had been canceled. "For now..." Victor muttered after reading the text message.
Nicole and Xander, alone together in Eric's apartment, discussed the document that Rolf had delivered earlier that day. "Did you read it?" Xander asked. "Yeah, I read it -- I know that Sarah's pregnant...and I can only assume that Eric is the father," Nicole replied. "You knew?" Nicole continued. "Sarah confided in me that she was with child," Xander confirmed. "That doesn't necessarily mean that Eric is the father," Xander pointed out, but Nicole wasn't convinced that there could be more than one candidate. "Why else would that freak [Rolf] want Eric to know that [an] ex is pregnant, and why else would you run over here in a panic?" Nicole reasoned.
Xander grudgingly admitted that Nicole was right. "You can't tell [Eric] anything about this! [Sarah] doesn't want [him] to know!" Xander stressed. "And she's decided to leave town anyway, so..." Xander continued, sighing. "I didn't want [that] to happen, [so] I sent Rolf over here with the test results [in the hope that] if Eric found out about the baby, then he'd make Sarah stay...[but then I realized that] was a mistake. If Sarah finds out I'm the reason the information about her pregnancy leaked, then...well, she would never, ever speak to me again!" Xander concluded. "[Then] I'd be doing her a favor," Nicole decided, glaring at Xander.
"I was married to you. I wouldn't wish you on my worst enemy," Nicole continued. "Maybe Sarah is your worst enemy. [I mean], let's be honest, Nicole -- you have a really nice setup here with Eric, [and] Sarah is the one person who could take it all away from you," Xander argued. "Eric and I are solid," Nicole insisted. "For now...but you and I both know the kind of stand-up guy Eric is, so the thought that he would just let a pregnant Sarah just wander out of his life is...is unimaginable, isn't it? [And then] they'll be bonded forever, [and] the question is...where does that leave you?" Xander countered.
"Eric chose me, and that is not gonna change," Nicole maintained. "People change their minds and their hearts all the time," Xander pointed out. "We waited a lifetime to be together," Nicole stressed. "Maybe you waited too long," Xander suggested. "I don't mean to be cruel, but Sarah can give [Eric] the family you never could. [If this gets out], it's only a matter of time before he goes back to her -- and their child," Xander warned, but Nicole again insisted that Sarah wasn't a threat. "You're smarter than that, Nicole. You've always known she's a threat. [And now] it's not just about her [but also] about the baby she's carrying," Xander argued.
"It would be so easy -- all you have to do is just forget you ever saw that envelope. Sarah's already leaving town, [and] you finally have everything you've ever wanted -- the man you love, a beautiful child... Why even take the chance of blowing all that? [Look], you have even more to lose than I do, [so] don't be stupid -- [just] keep your mouth shut and let her go. It's what's best for all of us," Xander advised before leaving.
Meanwhile, at the hospital, Eric struggled to understand why Sarah had suddenly decided to leave Salem. "Because of me?" Eric assumed. "Because it's what's best for me," Sarah clarified. "I'm so glad that you and Nicole have found each other, and that you're happy together, but...it's just that...every time that I see you with her, planning your future together, I get hurt all over again, so I just -- that's why I think it's best for me just to leave," Sarah elaborated. "You gonna be okay?" Eric asked. "I promise. Wherever we end up, we'll be fine," Sarah replied. "We?" Eric curiously repeated. "I just meant, like...all of us," Sarah nervously clarified.
"You have to stay in touch," Eric insisted. "Facebook friends," Sarah promised. "I think I deserve a little bit more than that, 'cause Facebook is [basically just a place for posting about things like] family vacations, new baby pictures..." Eric argued, making Sarah squirm a bit. "Our relationship went much deeper than that, right?" Eric continued. "It does go much deeper than that. It'll be a part of me for the rest of my life," Sarah conceded.
After saying goodbye to Eric, Sarah returned to the Kiriakis mansion -- and found Xander in the living room, muttering about how everything would work out as long as "Little Missy" kept quiet. Xander claimed, when asked, that "Little Missy" was a Titan employee -- someone who could blow an important deal. "At least you won't leave town hating me...assuming Nicole is smart enough to stay silent," Xander mused after Sarah went upstairs.
Meanwhile, Eric returned home and greeted Nicole, who had just finished hiding the results of Sarah's pregnancy test in a desk drawer. "What is it?" Eric asked, sensing that something was bothering Nicole. "There's something I need to tell you --" Nicole began to explain. "Listen, I ran into Sarah at the hospital, [and] she said she's moving away. We said our goodbyes," Eric revealed, stopping Nicole.
"You said there was something you needed to tell me?" Eric continued. "It'll keep," Nicole replied, waving a hand dismissively.
Will went to the hospital, armed with a bouquet of flowers, and ran into Lucas near the nurses' station.
"Those for Julie?" Lucas assumed. "No, they're for Grandma, actually. I figured she could use 'em to brighten up her room a little bit," Will clarified. "Eh, you might be a little late on that -- she gets released later today," Lucas revealed. "Really? Oh, that's great news!" Will raved. "Yeah -- for everybody, including the hospital staff," Lucas dryly agreed.
"It's a joke, all right? Come on!" Lucas defensively protested after getting a look of disapproval from Will, who eventually managed a laugh -- just as the door to Kate's room swung open. "Uh...excuse me, Mother -- what do you think you're doing?" Lucas called out as Kate, fully dressed in street clothes, tried to sneak by without being seen.
"Hey, Lucas... Will, are those flowers for me?" Kate innocently began, ignoring Lucas' question. "Actually, uh, yes," Will confirmed before trying to hand the bouquet to Kate. "What do you think you're doing? Stop with that!" Lucas snapped at Will while intercepting the gift, clearly not wanting Kate's seemingly bad behavior to be rewarded in any way.
"And what the hell do you think you're doing, young lady?" Lucas asked Kate again. "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm going home!" Kate replied with a shrug. "Trust me, I understand the impulse to want to hightail it out of the hospital...[but] you should wait 'til Kayla signs off on your release," Will advised, and Lucas agreed. "Like I would pay any attention to that quack's opinion! She tried to kill me!" Kate countered. "How long you gonna milk this for?" Lucas tiredly wondered. "Oh, I'm not done yet -- not by a long shot," Kate shamelessly insisted.
As Lucas tried to drag Kate back to the room that had just been vacated, Eli and Lani walked by, en route to Julie's room. "Wait, wait, wait -- I have to find out about Julie!" Kate protested, pulling away from Lucas.
"How's your grandma?" Kate asked Eli warmly. "Well, she just got out of surgery late last night, [and the doctors] said everything went smoothly, so...looks like she'll be just fine," Eli happily replied. "Oh, that's great news!" Kate raved while slowly backing away from Lucas, who didn't notice. "Tell her [Will and I are] next in line [for a visit]. Just gotta get [my mom] back to her room [first] --" Lucas said to Eli. "Yeah... I think your mom has other plans..." Lani observed as Kate boarded a nearby elevator. "Honey, I'm fine -- I already called a car, okay? Give my best to Julie!" Kate called out to Lucas as the elevator doors closed.
Meanwhile, Doug fretted to Kayla that, hours after the heart transplant, Julie still wasn't awake. "I know the waiting is nerve-racking, but I promise you, the transplant went so smoothly...[and] Julie's vital signs are strong, [so] things are looking really good," Kayla stressed. "I'm not gonna believe it until I hear it straight from the horse's mouth," Doug insisted. "This is the old gray mare speaking," Julie gruffly interjected.
"How do you feel?" Doug asked. "Like I've been asleep a hundred years," Julie replied. "You almost died," Doug casually revealed, suddenly able to laugh about the matter. "Almost?" Julie curiously repeated.
"You're saying I owe my life to Gabi Hernandez?" Julie incredulously summarized after Doug explained everything. "But she hates me -- she hates me with a vengeance! How could she possibly have agreed to...to give me her husband's heart?" Julie continued as Eli and Lani entered the room. "She managed to be kind, compassionate..." Eli raved about Gabi, drawing a forced smile from Lani, who didn't say anything.
Julie was horrified when Eli and Lani revealed plans to postpone their wedding. "You can't! [You already] canceled the engagement party, [and the wedding's] just two weeks away!" Julie protested.
Jack gently roused Jennifer, who had fallen asleep in one of the break rooms the previous night, and offered her a cup of coffee. "Is Julie okay?" Jennifer asked. "[The doctors] said she came through with flying colors," Jack replied. "Hope [must be] so relieved... [She's] in with Julie now, right?" Jennifer assumed. "Uh...I don't know -- I haven't seen Hope anywhere," Jack admitted. "Strange... Where could she have gone?" Jennifer mused.
While passing through Horton Town Square, Abe spotted Hope, who was standing in front of a Gabi Chic store's windowed entrance, staring at a faceless mannequin that was on display. "Morning, Hope," Abe warmly called out, but Hope didn't pay any attention to the greeting -- as if it had been meant for someone else. "Hope?" Abe repeated, speaking even louder than before. "It [seemed] like you were a million miles away," Abe noted with a hint of concern after Hope finally reacted. "I don't know why, but I...am feeling a little off [lately]... Probably just, um, the stress, right? [It's] starting to take a toll, I think," Hope gravely admitted to Abe.
"Care to join me for breakfast?" Abe offered -- just as Hope received a text message from Jennifer. "Julie's awake," Hope stiffly summarized after reading the text message. "That's wonderful!" Abe raved. "Yes. It is," Hope agreed, still speaking without even a hint of emotion. "Let's take a rain check on -- on breakfast... I'm sure you want to get to the hospital --" Abe began to acknowledge. "What for?" Hope wondered. "Well, don't you want to see Julie?" Abe reasoned. "Yes?" Hope replied. "Yes!" Hope repeated, suddenly producing tears of joy. Abe watched with obvious confusion as Hope excitedly rushed out of the town square.
While en route to the hospital, Hope suddenly felt a sharp pain at the back of her head. "I must have slept the wrong way last night..." she mused, shrugging.
At the hospital, Jennifer thanked Jack for all the recent support. "I'm just sorry that you went so long without it," Jack admitted with a sigh, but Jennifer insisted that was all in the past. "[Still], I've got some serious atoning to do [with others, so]...is it okay if I leave you here for a little bit?" Jack continued, and Jennifer nodded in response. "I've gotta correct a terrible, terrible injustice," Jack vaguely explained before rushing off.
After leaving the break room, Jennifer ran into Lucas and Will near the nurses' station. "Did you hear the good news about Julie?" Jennifer wondered. "Eli and Lani [told us before they] went to go see her," Lucas confirmed. "We didn't want to, uh, overwhelm her, so we're -- we're just, uh...we're waiting our turn," Will elaborated. "Are you telling me I have to stand in line?" Jennifer asked incredulously. "Uh...well, yeah -- normally, I'd give cuts to you, 'cause you're my sister and all, [but] I have a plane to catch, so..." Lucas apologetically replied. "You're leaving?" Jennifer summarized, stunned.
"I haven't even seen you! We haven't been able to catch up!" Jennifer sadly protested. "Yeah, I know... It's all right, though -- we'll have time...later...sometime...you know?" Lucas vaguely promised. "Mom's feeling better, [and] Julie's feeling better, [so] I gotta get back to Allie," Lucas explained. "Are you sure you don't want to stick around and keep track of Grandma while she recovers?" Will teasingly asked Lucas. "That's your job [now], buddy," Lucas cheerfully countered, drawing a groan from Will. "[Besides], clearly, your grandma can take care of herself," Lucas pointed out, and Will agreed.
"Sounds like Kate is back to her old self," Jennifer mused after Will explained what had happened earlier. "Yeah...for better or for worse," Lucas confirmed with a shudder.
Shortly after Lucas and Will went to see Julie, Kayla approached Jennifer and apologized for having recommended Dr. Henry Shah as a potential love interest. "No one knew how disturbed he really was," Jennifer assured Kayla, dismissing the concern. "[Besides], there was a silver lining -- Jack got his memory back [during that whole ordeal], and we didn't even have to use Rolf's serum," Jennifer pointed out.
"Speaking of Dr. Rolf...I, um -- I kicked him out of the lab," Kayla revealed. "[And] I would be so happy if I never had to see him again, but...unfortunately, he left behind a flash drive," Kayla continued. "Let me give it to him. [After all], he never would have had that lab if it weren't for me, [so] I will deal with that creep," Jennifer offered. "I can't even imagine what kind of experiments are on this thing..." Jennifer mused after Kayla handed over the flash drive. Kayla nodded and shuddered then walked away. A short time later, Hope arrived and joined Jennifer.
Jennifer and Hope headed into Julie's room together after Lucas and Will's visit ended. "I spoke to Shawn and Belle -- and Scotty," Hope assured Julie. "If I had known I was gonna get so much attention, I would have had a heart attack a long time ago," Julie joked. "I can see you have your terrible sense of humor back, which is a really good sign, [but] don't ever joke [like that] again," Hope protested before changing the subject, producing Julie's rosary. "Hope?" Julie asked curiously when Hope started staring at the item blankly instead of handing it over. "Sorry... Here," Hope eventually said before placing the item in Julie's right hand.
Abe was at the Brady Pub, eating breakfast, when Jack entered the building. "Coffee -- black, two sugars," Jack guessed. "How'd you know that?" Abe asked. "Well, we only had breakfast together for months on that godforsaken island. Sometimes, I still have cravings for that 'Melaswen Special,'" Jack replied. "Eggs and coconut," Abe recalled, chuckling. "That was a long time ago. I'd almost forgotten," Abe continued. "Well, I haven't. I actually have a pretty good memory...if you don't count the whole 'amnesia' thing," Jack explained with a shrug while claiming the extra chair at Abe's table. "I heard you got your memory back," Abe reported.
"Congratulations. I'm happy for you -- and Jennifer," Abe continued. "Thanks...but, uh, before I start putting my life back together, there's something I need to take care of first," Jack replied.
"I owe you a huge apology," Jack stressed. "You don't need to apologize. We all know that you weren't yourself," Abe argued. "That doesn't excuse the damage that I did to you -- and to Salem," Jack insisted.
"I'm gonna make things right. See, that's why I tracked you down today. [Look], I'm asking you -- no, I'm begging you... Please, take my job," Jack continued, surprising Abe. "I'm flattered, truly...but you know it doesn't work that way. I mean, even if you did step down, I wouldn't automatically become mayor," Abe pointed out. "We've both read Salem's charter. In the event that the mayor cannot serve and resigns his post, it is the responsibility of the city council to appoint an interim mayor. I can make a pretty good case that that should be you," Jack countered. "I would...very much appreciate that," Abe agreed after some thought.
Jennifer entered the pub just then and curiously wondered what was going on. "You're looking at the once and future mayor of Salem...and a very dear friend of mine -- at least, uh...I hope he still is," Jack declared. "Welcome home, old friend," Abe replied. Jennifer smiled as Jack and Abe shook hands then embraced each other.
Kate went to the DiMera mansion to see Gabi, who was still in bed. "Gabi, I am so sorry --" Kate began to stress. "I don't want your fake sympathy, okay? I know you hated his guts! You probably wanted him dead!" Gabi countered. "I did have issues with Stefan, [but] I never wanted to see him dead," Kate tried to clarify. "It should be you [and] Vivian in that morgue!" Gabi spat before breaking down in Kate's arms.
"I'm sorry. I know that it's not your fault," Gabi assured Kate after recovering. "You don't have to apologize to me. I totally understand. When you -- when you lose the person that you love...you tend to want to blame someone, [because] feeling that anger is better than feeling the grief," Kate gently acknowledged. "I feel both right now," Gabi admitted. "I can't believe that [Vivian's] gonna get away with what she did!" Gabi complained. "I don't sympathize with that woman at all...but she lost her son. [One way or another], right now, I guarantee you, she is paying for her actions," Kate predicted.
"Unlike Lani Price," Gabi grumbled. "I thought [she] was cleared of all wrongdoing," Kate admitted, confused. "It is her job to arrest menaces like Vivian without putting the public at risk, but she's incompetent, [and] she's reckless, and because of her, my husband is dead, [and] I wish I could make [her] suffer like I'm suffering right now!" Gabi spat. "Actually, I hated her before this all happened!" Gabi continued. "Look, I get the need for revenge -- you know I do -- but I think [that], right now, you should focus on dealing with your grief," Kate advised.
"[Or] on you and your miraculous recovery," Gabi suggested, surprised that Kate had already been released from the hospital. "I snuck out," Kate admitted before telling Gabi about what had prompted the sudden escape. "When I called Shin on my way [here], he insisted that I needed to take more time [away from the job]. And, ordinarily, I would say, 'Okay, I could do that...' But I know the game, [so] I know how this plays out -- Tony gets comfortable with the power, [and] Shin sees that and thinks, 'Oh, perhaps there should be a real DiMera in charge...' And, before too long, my ass is thrown out," Kate grumbled.
"This is just between the two of us, but Victor offered me a job at Titan as CEO, [so] I'm considering jumping ship," Kate revealed, horrifying Gabi, who didn't want to be left alone at DiMera Enterprises. "I haven't made any decisions about it yet, [but] I do have to weigh my choices here," Kate reasoned. "[Besides], you shouldn't be sitting back and just letting [Tony] take over. [He's] way too buddy-buddy with Kristen. [Plus], if I'm not in charge, the only other person who should be in charge is you -- Mrs. Stefan DiMera. [After all], who better to support Stefan's legacy than his wife?" Kate continued.
"True -- [and I do] know Stefan had a bunch of projects in the works..." Gabi admitted. "Good -- then you need to study up on those projects and pitch them to Shin," Kate reasoned. "I owe it to Stefan to keep his dreams alive," Gabi agreed after giving Kate's advice some thought. Gabi excitedly thanked Kate for the idea, grateful to have a new project to work on as a distraction.
After Kate left, Gabi started reviewing Stefan's old projects -- including Visionary Bionics.
Kate went to the town square to see Lucas, who was still with Will. "Okay, I got your message...but if this is just a little trick to get me back to the hospital, it's not gonna work," Kate warned Lucas. "It's not a trick. I just [wanted] to say goodbye," Lucas clarified. "'Goodbye'? What, are you leaving?" Kate asked incredulously. "Yes. My flight leaves in a couple hours," Lucas apologetically replied. "You just got here! What...what, am I that difficult to get along with?" Kate protested. "You really want me to answer that?" Lucas countered.
"Okay, okay, okay -- we all know where this is going, so let's just...let's cut to the chase," Will helpfully interjected. "Yes, this is very dysfunctional, but our family doesn't really have any other way to be, [so]...say you love each other [and] need each other, [and] just hug it out [and] get it over with," Will continued, and Lucas and Kate hesitantly took the advice. "I'm gonna miss you. I always miss you. Thank you for being here," Kate said to Lucas after their hug ended. "Even though you did try to give away my heart..." Kate added, drawing a groan from Lucas, who had hoped for a longer reprieve from the family dysfunction Will had mentioned.
While passing through the park, Hope again felt a sharp pain at the back of her head. "What is wrong with me?" she mused after collapsing onto a nearby bench.
Kate passed through the park a short time later. "Hope? Are you all right?" Kate called out, but Hope didn't respond. "Hope?" Kate repeated, placing a hand on Hope's left shoulder.
"Don't put your hands on me!" Hope snapped, recoiling from Kate with a scowl. "No need to bite my head off -- I was just checking on you," Kate countered. "Sorry -- you just startled me," Hope explained. "The stress of, um, everything that's going on with Julie -- it's finally gotten to me, I suppose," Hope added before rushing off. "What the hell is going on with her?" Kate curiously mused.
At the hospital, Julie wrapped up a phone conversation with Gabi. Kayla tried to talk Julie out of meeting with Gabi, fearing that an argument might occur. "I won't be able to rest until I thank her -- in person," Julie insisted.
Meanwhile, at the nurses' station, Eli and Lani discussed their wedding, which they were no longer planning to postpone. "I can't believe this is all happening -- Julie has a new heart, we're getting married... Everything is just about perfect!" Lani raved -- just as Gabi approached. "'Perfect'? Hmm. Maybe for some people...but while you're planning a wedding, I'm planning a funeral," Gabi snapped. "Sorry -- we didn't see you there. [And] we definitely didn't mean to be insensitive," Eli stressed, and Lani agreed.
"Julie asked me to come and talk to her," Gabi explained to Eli and Lani -- just as Kayla approached. "I've ordered more tests [for Julie]. I'm afraid that there's...a problem," Kayla began to inform the trio.
After Nicole dropped Holly off at school, she returned to Eric's apartment. Eric informed Nicole that he had left a message for Doug, and he asked Nicole to find out how Julie was doing if Doug called back. As Nicole agreed, Eric grinned. "Seeing you, standing here, it makes me very happy," Eric said. Nicole suggested that they move to the bedroom, but Eric wanted to talk first.
Eric asked Nicole what she had meant earlier when she had said that she had something to tell Eric. Nicole thought about her conversation with Xander about Sarah's baby. Nicole shook off the memory, and she told Eric that Rolf had visited her.
"I really don't know how to tell you this," Nicole said. Eric urged Nicole to tell him everything because they could face anything together. "You deserve to know the truth," Nicole whispered. Worried, Eric urged Nicole to express her concerns. Nicole thought about Xander's suggestion that Eric would leave Nicole to be with the mother of his child. With a sigh, Nicole told Eric that Kristen was pregnant with Brady's baby, and that Kristen was living at the Kiriakis mansion.
"That's it?" Eric asked with confusion. Nicole explained that talking about Kristen upset her, and she felt like the situation with Brady was her fault. When Nicole complained that Brady was tied to Kristen forever, Eric said he was not so sure.
"Brady would never turn his back on their baby," Nicole said. "He's been done with her for a long while," Eric countered. Nicole turned away and noted, "Brady is just like you. You know he is the kind of guy that if a woman gets pregnant by him, he won't turn his back on her. No matter how much he might want to." Eric pleaded with Nicole not to continue to punish herself when Nicole had only helped Kristen in order to protect Holly.
"Who I am proud of is Brady, taking responsibility for his own child," Eric said. Nicole agreed that Brady was the only chance the baby had for a normal life. Eric said he wanted to tell Brady that he supported him. With a quick kiss, Eric left. Nicole sighed in frustration.
In the Kiriakis living room, Sarah spotted Maggie and Xander talking quietly in the corner. Sarah noticed the sad look on her mother's face, and she asked if something had gone wrong with Julie, since she had last contacted the hospital. Maggie asked Sarah how she could keep "something so important" from her. Uncomfortable, Sarah asked Maggie if Xander had told her the news. Maggie said yes, and she added that she had a right to know. Xander warned Sarah not to speak, but she lost her temper.
"After you stuck your nose into my business, I asked you to keep it to yourself, and you promised you would!" Sarah growled as she marched over to Xander to get into his face. "It should have been you who told me," Maggie interrupted. Xander asked to say something first, but Sarah yelped, "Shut your big mouth!"
"Did you honestly think that I wouldn't notice that you had left town?" Maggie asked. A look of relief crossed Sarah's face as she realized that Xander had not told Maggie about the pregnancy. Sarah turned toward Xander, and he gave her a conspiratorial smirk.
"You told her that I was going to leave town?" Sarah asked. "And that's all I told her," Xander confirmed. Sarah assured Maggie that she had not told her about the move because she had not decided whether to go. Maggie asked Sarah not to be angry with Xander. "One of his few good points is that he seems to genuinely care about you," Maggie said. Maggie asked Sarah what plans she had made. Sarah noted that she had not been able to resign at the hospital yet.
"I thought you were happy here?" Maggie asked. "I was," Sarah confirmed. Maggie asked Sarah if she was leaving because of Eric. Sarah admitted that Eric was part of the reason. Sarah added that there were more growth opportunities for her career in a bigger city. With a nod, Sarah said she intended to resign at the hospital that day. Maggie asked Sarah if she owed it to Kayla to give her time to find a replacement.
"She makes a good point! You are an amazing doctor," Xander chimed in. "Oh, my God! Zip it! You've already said enough," Sarah chastised Xander. "Maggie is my friend, too. I just want you both to be happy," Xander whispered. Upset, Sarah sarcastically noted that Xander had always cared about the happiness of other people.
Maggie asked Sarah if she intended to stay for Eli and Lani's wedding. Reluctantly, Sarah agreed, but she stressed that she would leave town the day after the wedding. "I still have two weeks to change your mind!" Maggie said cheerily. After Maggie walked out, Sarah closed the door to the living room so that she could yell at Xander in private. Xander asked Sarah if she had planned to wait until the moving truck appeared before she told her mother.
"That is between me and my mother, but you have no business telling her anything I do!" Sarah objected. "I was hoping that she would convince you to stay. You know how I feel about you," Xander whispered. Unnerved, Sarah took a step backward. Xander stepped closer. "Sorry, love. I'll do whatever it takes to keep you here," Xander said quietly. "I am going!" a flustered Sarah exclaimed. "Like Maggie said, a lot can happen in two weeks," Xander said with a smile.
While Sarah and Maggie fixed breakfast in the kitchen, Xander left. Eric rushed into the living room as Maggie poured coffee and Sarah carried in a tray of food from the kitchen. "I know about the baby," Eric announced. Sarah dropped the tray of food. Eric rushed to Sarah's side and asked if she was okay.
"So, you know?" Sarah stammered. Sarah asked Eric how he had found out about the baby. "Nicole. She told me," Eric said. Confused, Sarah asked how Nicole had known. "[Nicole] had a visit from doctor Rolf last night, and he said that Kristen was definitely pregnant," Eric said. Sarah sighed in relief, and she awkwardly started to clean up the dropped food. Eric apologized for upsetting Sarah, and Maggie carried the tray back to the kitchen. As Eric started to leave, Sarah stopped him to inform him that she would be in Salem for a couple more weeks.
"Not crazy about sharing a house with Kristen," Sarah admitted. Eric asked about Brady. Sarah offered to tell Brady that Eric had stopped by. Eric thanked Sarah and left. Distracted, Sarah accidentally sat on one of Arianna's dolls. Sarah looked at the doll. When Maggie returned to the room, Sarah quickly wiped away a tear while Maggie cheerfully thanked Sarah for finding Arianna's lost toy. Sarah excused herself to leave for the hospital, but Maggie stopped her. "I know there is something you're not telling me," Maggie said.
Xander rushed over to Eric's apartment to talk to Nicole. Xander informed Nicole that Maggie had convinced Sarah to stay in town until Eli's wedding. When Xander suggested that he and Nicole work together to keep the pregnancy from Eric, Nicole admitted that she had not told Eric about the baby.
"I plan on telling him as soon as he gets home," Nicole said firmly. Xander argued that Nicole would lose Eric, and he would lose Sarah if Nicole told the truth. "Are you really ready for that? Because I'm not," Xander said. Nicole argued that she could not keep Eric's child from him. As Nicole turned to leave, Eric returned home. "What the hell is he doing here?" Eric asked as he glared at Xander.
At the Hernandez house, Ben delivered to Jordan a toy car that he had found on the sidewalk in front of the house. Annoyed, Jordan took the toy and started to close the door in Ben's face. Ben asked Jordan for a moment of her time.
"I'm not here because I want to try and see David. I'm here to talk to you," Ben said. With a groan, Jordan stepped outside onto the porch. "I'm here because I want to apologize," Ben said. Ben said he had jumped to conclusions about the driver of the car, and he was sorry that he had blamed Jordan.
"This is why I worry about you, Ben. Because of the things you get in your head," Jordan said. Ben told Jordan that when he had first returned to Salem, no one had believed in him but Ciara. With a nod, Jordan said she understood why Ben would have suspected her as the driver of the car.
"But I am better now, and I worked like hell to get out of that dark, awful place that Clyde put me in, because I knew I had to be here for my beautiful son," Jordan stressed. Jordan said she would not do anything to jeopardize her role as a mother to David.
"Clyde put me in that same hellhole, and I fought back the same way you did. What kept me sane is that I love Ciara, and I want to be with her, the same way you love David," Ben said. Ben asked Jordan why she still believed he was a threat. "I just admitted that I was wrong about you. Can't you admit that you were wrong about me?" Ben asked.
"I'm not ready to let my guard down about you," Jordan explained. Jordan said that although Clyde was no longer a part of her, Clyde was a part of Ben. Jordan noted that she had seen Clyde in Ben's eyes when he had accused her of being the driver of the car, and it had scared her. Ben swore that Clyde was no longer in his head, but he admitted that he was overprotective of Ciara.
"I know I'm gonna be on meds, and I'm gonna see doctors for the rest of my life. I'm gonna do it because I know if I don't, I'm going to lose the people I love if I can't keep my sickness under control," Ben said. Ben added that he would never forget that Jordan had taken care of him and helped him escape from Clyde. "I will always be grateful to you for that," Ben said. Ben added that he hoped that he and Jordan could be close again. As Ben started to leave, Jordan stopped him.
"Tomorrow is David's first birthday. Why don't you and Ciara come over, and we'll have a little birthday party," Jordan suggested. "You serious?" Ben asked with surprise. "Yes. I miss those days, too. When you were my baby brother," Jordan said. Jordan added that life was short, and each of them was the only family that the another one had. "Maybe tomorrow can be a new start for us," Jordan said.
Hope visited Ciara at the DiMera guesthouse. Ciara was relieved to know that Julie was on the mend. "I should have known that she was going to beat this," Ciara said. "With the new heart, she is probably going to outlive us all," Hope said with a laugh. When Ciara went to the kitchen to get honey for her mother's tea, Hope clutched the back of her head and murmured, "Ow." Worried, Ciara asked Hope if she was okay.
"To be honest, I'm not really sure," Hope said. Ciara grabbed a bottle of aspirin and handed it to Hope. "Have you had pain like this before?" Ciara asked. Hope admitted that she had felt the pain a few times. Ciara wanted to call Kayla, but Hope did not want to be examined. Hope asked Ciara if she was okay. Ciara admitted that the police had arrested a drunk driver for the incident in the Brady Pub parking lot.
"I am really glad that it turned out not to be Jordan," Ciara said. With a sigh, Ciara admitted that her worst fear was that Ben would kill Jordan. "When your family, your loved ones are being threatened, it can make you lose your mind," Hope said. Hope confided that she was glad that Ben had stopped himself before he had done anything else he would regret. Hope pointed out that she had been fortunate that Stefano had survived when she had shot him so that she did not have his death on her conscience.
"There is not a day that goes by that I don't regret what I did," Hope said about the shooting. After tea, Hope grabbed her head again and winced as she was walking out. Ciara insisted on contacting Kayla, but Hope assured Ciara that she was fine. Concerned, Ciara offered to drive Hope home. Hope said she needed to run an errand and would be fine.
When Ben returned home to the guesthouse, Ciara listened as Ben left a voicemail for Gabi. Ben offered to stay on as head of security for as long as Gabi needed him. When Ben ended his call, he watched Ciara stare at a bottle of aspirin. Ciara explained that the aspirin had been for her mother. Ben told Ciara about his conversation with Jordan.
At the Hernandez house, Jordan cut out paper figures and held them up. Jordan talked to David, and she said that she was pleased that Ben had accepted her invitation. "I'm going to do everything I can to make sure that it is a party to remember," Jordan said.
In the DiMera mansion, Hope walked into the darkened living room and stared at the painting of Stefano. As Hope removed the painting from the wall, Kayla called Hope on her cell phone and asked her to meet at the hospital. "I'll be there soon. I have to take care of something first," Hope said. Hope smiled at the painting, picked it up, and carried it into the tunnels.
At the hospital, Kayla broke the news to Lani, Eli, and Gabi that she was concerned about Julie's test results. "Don't tell me that Julie is rejecting Stefan's heart!" Gabi said with a scowl. Kayla stressed that there were no rejection issues with the transplant. "Then what's the problem?" Eli asked. Kayla said that Julie's heart rate was too low.
"So, you're saying that grandma went through this for nothing?" Eli asked. Kayla urged Eli not to panic because it was a common condition. When Eli asked about treatment, Lani suggested that they talk to Kayla somewhere more private. Insulted, Gabi asked, "By private, do you mean where I'm not?" Lani said she had been thinking of Gabi's feelings.
"I think I'm going to feel like crap, no matter what. I gave Julie my husband's heart. I think I deserve the right to know what you're going to do to it to make sure it keeps beating," Gabi demanded. Eli said he did not object to Gabi taking part in the discussion. With a nod, Kayla informed Eli, Lani, and Gabi that the condition could be treated with a pacemaker. Concerned, Eli asked Kayla if Julie was strong enough to undergo a second surgery.
Kayla suggested a less invasive surgery that involved placing a small pacemaker in the heart with a catheter via the leg. Gabi said she had read about the procedure. Kayla noted that the procedure was the best option because it was less invasive. Kayla added that she needed to contact the manufacturer for a device and that she hoped to perform the procedure the following day.
As Eli and Kayla walked down the hallway, Gabi grabbed Lani's arm and held her back to talk. Gabi guessed that Lani had not told Eli about their conversation. "I didn't think that Eli needed to know that you made me get down on my knees and beg you to give Stefan's heart to Julie. He is grateful to you, and I don't see any reason to interfere with that," Lani said with barely concealed anger. Gabi reminded Lani that she had shot and killed Gabi's husband.
"For the 10,000th time, I was aiming at Vivian because she had a gun," Lani grumbled. Eli rounded the corner, and Gabi called out to him to ask about Julie. Eli said that Julie had asked why they could not perform the procedure sooner. "Hard to blame her. I'm guessing she wants to feel better sooner," Gabi said. Gabi asked Eli to keep her posted. As Gabi started to walk away, Eli thanked her. "You've already done so much," Eli said. With a nod, Gabi left.
As Lani and Eli sat down in the waiting area, Eli commented that it had been nice that Gabi had offered help. "It seems like she really wants Stefan's heart to work for my grandma," Eli said. "She's been...really lovely," Lani said carefully. Eli said he understood how difficult it had to have been for Gabi to have given up all hope for Stefan's recovery. "I'm just glad she's not bitter like she was before," Eli said.
In her bedroom at the DiMera mansion, Gabi picked up a photo of her with Stefan. "Don't worry, baby. I'm gonna make them pay for what they did to you, but until I can do that, I'm going to run DiMera Enterprises exactly how you would," Gabi said. Gabi added, "Your legacy? It's going to live on even if you're not here." Gabi thought about Kayla's comments about the pacemaker. Gabi looked on the desk and saw a folder labeled "Visionary Bionics." Gabi called a number listed on a card in the file, and she asked to speak to someone urgently.
