Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of August 26, 2013 on DAYS

Jennifer was heartbroken when Daniel broke up with her. E.J. convinced Sami to reject Melinda's deal. Will put Nick in his place. Sonny smoothed things out with Gabi. Cameron pushed Abigail into Chad's arms. Brady proposed to Kristen, and she accepted. Eric's dreams of making love to a mystery woman continued to haunt him.

Monday, August 26, 2013

by Mike

At the Brady Pub, Adrienne spotted Roman and sheepishly approached him to apologize for what had happened to Sami. Roman wondered if Adrienne was sorry that Sami was in prison or sorry that she had helped the police put Sami there.

Adrienne guessed that if Roman had been in her shoes, he would have done the same thing to protect one of his children. "You know what, Adrienne? I'm not gonna stand here and give a lecture on what's right or wrong. You did what you did. Nothing we say or do here is gonna change that. But I wish to God you hadn't done that," Roman said before abruptly walking away, ignoring Adrienne's attempt to respond.

In a holding cell at the police station, E.J. remained concerned about Sami's earlier hint that she might not be able to go through with the trial, but she claimed that she had simply meant that she wasn't sure that she would be able to survive, let alone win, the trial. Before E.J. could question Sami further, Kristen arrived and optimistically reminded them that things were always darkest just before the dawn.

E.J. started to ask Kristen to leave so that he and Sami could continue their conversation, but Sami interrupted and said that she was glad to see Kristen. Explaining that E.J. was unable to tell the difference between cream-and nude-colored shoes, Sami asked Kristen to help him retrieve a specific pair of shoes from Sami's collection so that she could wear them to court later that day.

E.J. continued to insist that he and Sami needed to finish their earlier conversation, so she decided to take a more direct approach. Sami said that she wanted E.J. to leave so that she could talk to Justin privately about what was going to happen during the jury selection process later that day, reasoning that E.J. and Justin argued about the law too much when they were around each other. E.J. reluctantly agreed to grant Sami's request.

After E.J. left, Sami wondered if Justin believed that they could convince Melinda to offer a better deal -- such as time served -- in exchange for Sami's cooperation. Justin seemed doubtful, but he reminded Sami that in order for her to receive any sort of deal, she would have to be willing to betray E.J. so that Melinda could ultimately take down Stefano. Justin wondered if Sami had thought about how E.J. would react to her betrayal.

"Well, he'll be angry, obviously, but he loves me, and he would do anything to save me -- he told me that -- and he's really smart, and I really think he could get out of this -- I mean, he's gotten out of worse things than this, right? -- so if -- if the prosecutor reduces my sentence, right, to something doable -- something short -- then if I hand over E.J., he could work some deal, right, where he doesn't have to serve any time at all if he hands them Stefano, and then Stefano's the one who goes to prison, and everybody else wins," Sami reasoned.

Justin observed that Sami's extremely long sentence had contained a lot of ifs, and he wondered if she had thought about what would happen if E.J. failed to help Melinda prosecute Stefano. "You and E.J. would both be in prison," Justin summarized. A short time later, Justin received a text message from Sonny, and he excused himself so that he could meet Sonny at the club. Meanwhile, Sami received a visit from Roman.

At the DiMera mansion, Kristen suspiciously observed that, while Sami and Justin both seemed pessimistic about the trial, E.J. seemed optimistic about it. E.J. shrugged and claimed that he had what some people liked to describe as a good feeling or a gut instinct. "I think they call it bribery, blackmail, and intimidation," Kristen knowingly clarified, but E.J. claimed that he didn't know what she was talking about.

Still skeptical, Kristen reminded E.J. that the DiMeras liked to stack the deck to ensure that they would always win. Kristen was concerned that E.J. might do something stupid that would either cause him to get charged with criminal conspiracy or leave an opening for Stefano to strike back, but E.J. insisted that she had nothing to worry about because he was in complete control of the situation.

Changing the subject, E.J. asked about Kristen's relationship with Brady. Kristen reported that she and Brady had happily reunited and that everything was perfect, but E.J. wasn't convinced. Kristen assured E.J. that everything was under control, vaguely adding that she knew what she wanted and how to make it happen.

In Daniel's apartment, J.J. stared in disbelief at Jennifer, pointedly noting that when he had talked to her earlier, she had claimed that she had stepped out of the office for a while to take care of a work-related matter. "I -- honest to God, I don't even know who you are anymore, but you're sure as hell not my mother," J.J. disgustedly stated.

Jennifer insisted that J.J. had misinterpreted the situation, but he wasn't convinced. "The lies just keep pouring out of your mouth, don't they? For weeks, all I heard is that you were through with this guy, and then I walk in, and you have your tongue halfway down his throat like some damn slut that can't keep --" J.J. started to say, but Daniel interrupted, angrily grabbing J.J.'s shirt collar and warning him to refrain from insulting Jennifer in the future.

J.J. pushed Daniel away as Jennifer tried to defuse the situation. Insisting that he didn't want to listen to any more of Jennifer's lies, J.J. stormed out of the apartment, angrily slamming the door behind him with enough force to break it. Jennifer lashed out at Daniel, who refused to apologize for defending her. Jennifer insisted that she didn't need Daniel's help, since she was J.J.'s mother and could handle him on her own. Daniel countered that Jennifer hadn't been acting like J.J.'s mother lately.

Jennifer refused to argue with Daniel about J.J. Jennifer insisted that Daniel had just wrecked everything that she had been trying to build with J.J., who had been doing much better lately. Shocked that Jennifer was actually blaming him for what had just happened, Daniel observed that, while she was usually a very smart woman, she was deaf, dumb, and blind to who J.J. really was and what J.J. was really doing.

Jennifer urged Daniel to finally admit that he believed that J.J. was a criminal, challenging him to also offer her some sort of proof to support the accusation. Daniel vaguely confirmed that he had heard some things and that he had also seen J.J. talking to some shady characters. Daniel added that he had kept his mouth shut because he had known that Jennifer would not have wanted to hear about his concerns anyway.

Jennifer summarized that J.J. had been right all along -- Daniel did hate him. Daniel stressed that he loved and wanted to help Jennifer, but she countered that he was doing just the opposite. Jennifer abruptly exited the apartment, ignoring Daniel's attempts to stop her. Daniel groaned with frustration and angrily smashed a nearby potted plant.

Daniel tried to contact Jennifer, but the call went to voicemail. Meanwhile, someone knocked on Daniel's apartment door, which swung open automatically due to the damage that J.J. had caused earlier. After helpfully advising Daniel to get the door fixed, a messenger handed Daniel an envelope. Daniel impatiently signed for the package and angrily slammed the door after the messenger left. As the door once again swung open, Daniel ripped open the envelope and started to angrily mock the messenger's advice. The contents of the envelope -- Parker's updated birth certificate -- immediately silenced Daniel's angry remarks.

At the Horton house, J.J. received a phone call from Rory, who wanted to make sure that J.J. was ready for the final examinations that were being administered at the school later that day. J.J. confirmed that he was ready, but Rory could tell that something was bothering J.J. Rory was concerned, since J.J. had previously promised to let Rory copy his answers, but J.J. insisted that he could pass the finals with his eyes closed.

As he stuffed a large bag of marijuana into his backpack, J.J. vaguely added that he was planning to take care of some business before the finals started. Rory knowingly guessed that J.J.'s business would be conducted in the park, and J.J. confirmed the suspicion, reasoning that people were going to want to party after the finals ended. J.J. was also interested in partying after the finals ended, and he wondered if Rory wanted to join him.

Rory agreed, but he was still concerned about J.J. J.J. reiterated that he was fine before ending the call. Meanwhile, Jennifer entered the house and announced that she wanted to talk to J.J. J.J. wasn't interested, but Jennifer insisted that he wasn't going to leave the house until they talked about what had happened earlier. J.J. apologized for calling Jennifer a slut, but he added that he wasn't sorry about the other things that he had said.

J.J. reiterated that Jennifer had lied to him, reminding her that she had repeatedly assured him that she had ended her relationship with Daniel. Jennifer clarified that she had only said that she and Daniel were taking a break. "Oh, come off of it, please. You played word games and made me believe that it was over," J.J. summarized. J.J. started to leave, but Jennifer stopped him, insisting that they were going to settle everything immediately.

J.J. reminded Jennifer that his finals were being administered that day, so she reluctantly agreed to let him leave, stressing that he needed to return home immediately after his finals ended so that they could finish their conversation. "You know what? Thank you for today. Let's hope I can focus so I don't fail," J.J. angrily stated before walking away. After J.J. left, Jennifer received a phone call from Daniel.

Daniel referred to what had happened in his apartment earlier as a terrible situation that had simply gotten out of hand. Daniel vowed to do everything that he could possibly do to help Jennifer, but she asserted that he had only made everything worse. Jennifer added that she needed to focus on J.J.'s needs, prompting Daniel to guess that she wanted to take another break from her relationship with Daniel.

Frustrated, Daniel insisted that Jennifer couldn't change the fact that J.J. had seen them kissing earlier. Daniel added that it had been completely ridiculous for Jennifer to ask him to keep their relationship a secret in the first place, and he refused to go along with that plan. "Why are you making this all about you?" Jennifer wondered. Daniel denied the accusation, assuring Jennifer that he understood that the situation was about him, her, and J.J., but he added that he was no longer willing to keep the secret that she had asked him to keep.

As Daniel abruptly ended the call, Kristen arrived and, thanks to the apartment door that was still completely ajar, overheard his comment about being unwilling to keep a secret. Kristen nervously demanded to know what Jennifer had told Daniel about Kristen and Brady. Daniel's reaction quickly convinced Kristen that she had misinterpreted the situation, so she evasively tried to excuse herself.

"Okay, you know what, Kristen? No. No. Because I am -- I am so sick of secrets and lies, and you are not going anywhere until you tell me what secret you thought I was talking about," Daniel replied as he blocked Kristen's path. Meanwhile, at the Horton house, Jennifer sobbed as she stared at a photograph of J.J.

At the park, J.J. was discreetly selling marijuana to someone when Rory arrived. J.J. wished that he didn't have to wait until later that night to get high. Rory conceded that he and J.J. could get high right away, since they still had two more hours to kill before their finals started, but he wondered if J.J. really wanted to be half-baked during the finals. J.J. shrugged and admitted that he wasn't opposed to the idea.

Concerned, Rory once again wondered what was wrong with J.J. After J.J. recapped everything that had happened earlier, Rory conceded that J.J. had a right to be upset about the fact that Jennifer had been lying all along. "Of course, you've been lying, too, and your lies are way bigger," Rory helpfully added. J.J. sarcastically thanked Rory for the help.

In Will and Sonny's apartment, Sonny received a phone call from Will. Concerned about the subpoenas that they had each received, Sonny and Will decided to arrange a meeting with Justin at the club so that they could get some legal advice about the matter. After ending the call, Sonny apologetically informed Gabi that he wasn't going to be able to watch Arianna because he and Will had an urgent matter that they needed to handle right away.

Unwilling to miss the college class that she had been planning to attend that day, Gabi dismissively stated that it was Sonny's responsibility to either watch Arianna or find someone else who was willing to do so. Gabi started to leave, but Sonny blocked her path and elaborated on the importance of the matter.

Sonny was confident that Gabi would be able to get a classmate to share their notes so that she wouldn't get behind in her class, and he optimistically added that she could also use the last-minute scheduling conflict as an excuse to get some sleep while Arianna was taking a nap. After apologizing for the poor timing, Sonny exited the apartment, promising to return as soon as his meeting ended.

At Club TBD, Nick cheerfully greeted Will and congratulated him on the impressive renovation of the coffeehouse. Trying to be polite, Will acknowledged the letter that Nick was holding and guessed that Nick had been subpoenaed to testify at Sami's trial. Nick shook his head and proudly clarified that he had been officially declared a free man at his parole hearing earlier that day.

Nick bragged that his efforts during the previous year to keep his nose clean and be a good boy had finally paid off. "Oh, like you -- you've never done one thing wrong since you got out?" Will pointedly asked. Before Nick could respond, Will turned his attention to Sonny, who had just arrived. Sonny greeted Nick, but it was clear that, like Will, he was merely tolerating Nick's presence and wasn't interested in having a friendly conversation with Nick.

Oblivious, Nick listened as Sonny informed Will that Gabi had been forced to stay with Arianna at the apartment. Will sighed, frustrated that the situation had caused Gabi to miss her class. Nick interrupted and abruptly excused himself, grinning widely as he exited the club. Later, Adrienne arrived and praised Will and Sonny for their accomplishments with the renovation project.

After thanking Adrienne, Sonny informed her that it wasn't really a good time for her to visit him and Will. Meanwhile, Justin entered the club, and Adrienne tried to get him to help her explain that she simply wanted to check out the new club and wish Sonny and Will well. Justin reported that he actually needed to talk to Will and Sonny privately, so Adrienne took the hint and sadly exited the club.

As Sami's attorney, Justin wasn't allowed to also represent Sonny and Will, so he referred them to two other attorneys that they could hire. After Justin left, Will excused himself so that he could get back to the apartment to help Gabi. Meanwhile, Adrienne reentered the club, and Sonny realized that she had been waiting outside the entire time that he and Will had been in their meeting with Justin.

Adrienne explained that she had been unable to leave because she had been worried about Sonny, who was obviously upset about something. Sonny told Adrienne about the subpoenas that he and Will had received earlier. Sonny revealed that Will was thinking about refusing to answer the prosecutor's questions, which could land Will in prison. Sonny added that Will feared that the alternative -- answering the questions truthfully -- could make Sami's case worse. "Thank God you're protected," Adrienne blurted out with a sigh of relief. Annoyed, Sonny shook his head and silently walked away.

In a holding cell at the police station, Justin returned as Roman was encouraging Sami to remain positive. After Roman left, Sami wondered if Melinda had gotten impatient and decided to offer a better deal yet. Justin shook his head and advised Sami to stop expecting that to happen. Justin added that Melinda might revoke the offer if she managed to get a jury that seemed likely to convict Sami.

A short time later, E.J. returned with Sami's requested pair of shoes, some photographs of the kids, and some tape so that she could hang the pictures on a wall in her cell. Sami appreciated the gesture, but she admitted that she would prefer to just say goodbye to the cell walls for good. E.J. assured Sami that she would eventually be freed, insisting that he wasn't going to let anything happen to her. Meanwhile, a guard arrived, and Justin announced that it was time to head over to the courthouse.

In Will and Sonny's apartment, Gabi received a visit from Nick, who offered to watch Arianna so that Gabi could attend her class. Gabi declined the offer, so Nick decided to help her with her calculus homework instead. When Gabi asked Nick about his earlier parole hearing, he happily reported that he was a free man. Gabi was thrilled to hear the news.

Later, Arianna woke up and started to cry, and Nick quickly offered to check on her so that Gabi could concentrate on a challenging calculus problem. After staring at the problem for a few more seconds, Gabi triumphantly announced that she had figured out the answer. Meanwhile, Nick carried Arianna into the living room. Nick handed Arianna to Gabi and proceeded to check Gabi's answer, eventually confirming that it was correct.

Nick smiled as Gabi introduced Arianna to Nick, the genius who was helping Gabi learn calculus. Later, Will entered the apartment and was shocked to find Nick holding Arianna. Gabi quickly acknowledged that it would probably be best for her to put Arianna down for another nap, but Will volunteered to handle the task himself. Will maintained his composure as he took Arianna from Nick and carried her into one of the bedrooms.

Gabi thanked Nick for his help, and he encouraged her to call him if she ever needed anything. "What the hell was that?" Will demanded to know after Nick left the apartment. Gabi explained that she had invited Nick into the apartment. "Gabi, why did you think I would be okay with this? Nick Fallon is the last person in the world that I want in this house. It does not matter to me who invites him in," Will insisted.

Gabi incredulously summarized that, in addition to choosing when he would take care of Arianna, Will was suddenly trying to choose who Gabi could be friends with, as well. Will wondered if Gabi wanted him to remind her of all of the things that Nick had done. Gabi countered that Nick was a free man. "Okay, you know what? He paid for the crimes that he did back then, right? But he has not paid for what he's done to me, okay? When he blackmailed me and basically tried to steal my daughter!" Will reminded Gabi.

Gabi pointed out that Nick had apologized for what he had done. "Okay, great. He said he was sorry? That just makes it all better, then, right? And I'll be fine with him coming in here and holding my daughter," Will sarcastically agreed. As Sonny entered the apartment, Gabi angrily reminded Will that Arianna was also her daughter.

"And you and your boyfriend need to start remembering that," Gabi warned.

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

by Spalding

In his living room, Daniel demanded to know what secret Kristen was hiding. When Kristen remained quiet, Daniel nodded and then started to call Brady. Cornered, Kristen grabbed Daniel's phone and told him that she did not want Daniel to tell Brady something that was not true. Overwhelmed by the events of the day, Daniel said that he wanted something good to happen. Daniel explained that Brady was his best friend and that he would do whatever it would take to protect Kristen from lying to Brady again.

Daniel gave Kristen an ultimatum to either tell the truth or he would call Brady. Kristen agreed. Kristen explained that she had been terrified to lose Brady a second time and that she had contemplated breaking off the reconciliation with Brady. As Daniel stared at Kristen, she added that Jennifer had convinced her to fight for her relationship with Brady. Kristen said that she had sworn Jennifer to secrecy because she did not want anyone to know that she had contemplated ending things with Brady.

Daniel looked at Kristen with suspicion. With a chipper tone in her voice, Kristen said that Daniel did not need to believe her because he could call Jennifer and have her confirm Kristen's story. When Kristen held the phone out to Daniel, he furrowed his brow. Daniel said that his only concern was that Kristen did not hurt Brady. Daniel apologized for grilling Kristen.

Kristen said that she had stopped by to see if Jennifer wanted to join her for lunch. As Daniel shrugged, Kristen added that she had hoped that if Jennifer and Daniel had worked together on the photo shoot that they might rekindle their romance. When Kristen rose to her feet, she spotted the revised birth certificate for Parker that officially declared him to be Daniel's son. Kristen congratulated Daniel on his good fortune.

When Kristen asked how Jennifer had reacted, Daniel admitted that he had not shown it to Jennifer yet. Smiling, Kristen told Daniel that she was pulling for Daniel and Jennifer to reconcile.

In their apartment, Gabi and Will argued about Nick. Will was angry that Gabi had let Nick into the apartment and allowed Nick to hold baby Arianna. When Gabi noted that Nick had apologized for what he had done to Will, Will shook his head. Gabi reminded Will that Arianna was Gabi's daughter too. As Sonny arrived home, Gabi shouted that Will and Sonny needed to remember that she was Arianna's mother.

When Sonny urged Gabi to lower her voice so that Arianna could not hear the argument, Gabi scowled. "Oh great! Fantastic! Amazing! First you lecture me, then now he tells me how to raise my daughter!" Gabi barked before marching into the bedroom. When Gabi returned to the living room, she reminded Sonny and Will of their agreement to raise Arianna together.

Will explained to Sonny that he had walked in on Nick holding Arianna. Joking, Gabi said that Nick probably would have eaten the baby if Will had not returned home. Frustrated, Will said that he had previously said that he did not want Nick in the apartment. Gabi remarked that she did not want to ask Will's permission for her ex-husband to visit her. Gabi argued that Nick had changed.

Furious, Will yelled that Nick had not changed because he had blackmailed Will, attempted to keep Will from Arianna because Will was gay, and hurled slurs at Sonny. Gabi defended Nick and said that Nick was ashamed of what he had said and done to Sonny and Will. When Gabi argued that Nick had acted out because of his experiences in prison, Sonny and Will countered that Nick's prison problems were not an excuse for his actions once he had been released.

"Give him a break! He's been through a lot," Gabi pleaded. "And we haven't?" Will asked. Frustrated, Gabi remarked that she was the odd man out because Sonny and Will would always back one another up. When Sonny and Will protested, Gabi argued that she had expected to have a relationship with Nick like Will had with Sonny. Gabi asked Sonny and Will to imagine how it felt for her to have had her life fall apart. Angry, Gabi stormed out.

Will lamented that he had not said anything to Nick but had instead attacked Gabi after Nick left. Will said he would never trust Nick. Sonny suggested that they bend a little bit for Gabi. "She did make some good points," Sonny said. Surprised, Will asked Sonny how he could be so understanding. Sonny noted that he was happy to play his part in Will and Arianna's life.

Will worried aloud that he was asking too much of Sonny. Sonny countered that he had offered to help Will raise Arianna. As Will nodded, Sonny reminded Will that the situation had been difficult for Gabi. Will hoped that Gabi would open her eyes to the truth about Nick.

In the town square, Maggie told Nick that she was disappointed that he had decided to move out of the Kiriakis mansion. Nick explained that he wanted to be out on his own. Maggie extended an invitation to return to the mansion whenever he wanted. Nick thanked Maggie for all her help. Noting the faraway look in Nick's eyes, Maggie asked him what was wrong.

Nick explained that he had been thinking of Vargas. Nick was shaken that he had been close to suffering the same fate as Vargas, but Nick explained that he planned to get his life back together. As Nick grinned, Maggie smiled and advised Nick not to move too quickly.

After talking to Nick, Maggie picked up Parker and dropped him off at Daniel's apartment. Maggie started to ask about Jennifer, but Daniel shook his head. Daniel excitedly showed the revised birth certificate to Parker and Maggie. Smiling, Daniel suggested that they Skype Melanie and tell her the news. Daniel sent Parker into his room to inspect Parker's train set, so that he could talk to Maggie.

"Even though I don't expect Chloe to give me a hard time, I now know that Parker can never be taken away from me," Daniel said. Wiping away tears, Maggie noted that she had expected that Daniel and Jennifer would raise Parker together. As Daniel raised an eyebrow, Maggie said that she was happy for Daniel and hugged him.

Gabi sat at a table in the town square cafe with her schoolwork. Nick cautiously approached her and said hello. When Gabi explained that she was working on extra credit for her calculus class, Nick offered to help. Nick reviewed her work and gave her some guidance on how to proceed. Frustrated, Gabi wondered why she was so stupid.

Nick disagreed and said it was because Gabi was upset. Shaking her head, Gabi said she was tired from a lack of sleep. "Are you sure it's not me?" Nick asked. Nick explained that he was worried that Gabi regretted sleeping with him. Gabi noted that she should not have slept with Nick but that she did not regret it. Smiling, Nick said that he had felt connected to Gabi when they had slept together. Without a trace of a smile on her face, Gabi announced that she needed to go to class, and she left.

In the Horton living room, Jennifer stared at her cell phone and fretted that she could not talk to Daniel or J.J. As Jennifer sighed, there was a knock at the door. Jennifer eagerly opened the front door and found Brady on her porch. Seeing the look on Jennifer's face, Brady pulled Jennifer into a hug. Jennifer informed Brady what had happened with J.J. and Daniel. Jennifer explained that J.J. had been doing better and that she had ruined J.J.'s progress when she gave in to temptation and kissed Daniel.

Jennifer worried aloud that she had lost both Daniel and J.J. Brady assured Jennifer that everything would be fine. Brady urged Jennifer to reconcile with Daniel. When Brady mentioned that he was rebuilding his relationship with Kristen on a foundation of trust and honesty, Jennifer's face blanched. Suspicious, Brady asked Jennifer what was wrong.

Jennifer said that because of her troubles with Daniel she was hoping that Brady and Kristen could make their relationship work. Brady said that things were going well with Kristen, and he believed that he and Kristen were closer than ever before. Relieved, Jennifer commented that it was wonderful news, since Brady had recently believed that Kristen was hiding something from him.

Confused, Brady asked Jennifer why she had mentioned his previous doubts. Jennifer explained that she fervently wanted Brady and Kristen to be together and happy. Brady's phone rang, and he excused himself to take a call from China in the kitchen. In the living room, Jennifer heard a knock at the door. When Jennifer opened the door, Kristen saw the conflicted look on Jennifer's face and asked her if she was all right.

When Kristen mentioned that she had stopped by Daniel's to see if Jennifer and Daniel were back together, Jennifer tensed. Jennifer explained what had happened between J.J. and Daniel. Kristen said that Daniel was a heartbroken mess. Kristen argued that J.J. needed to man up and accept that his mother was in love with Daniel.

Jennifer shook her head. As Brady returned to the living room, he overheard Kristen encouraging Jennifer to talk to Daniel. Brady stayed out of sight around the corner and listened as Kristen told Jennifer that Daniel had some amazing news for her. Jennifer refused.

"Your life is in your hands. Don't blow this chance. Don't be a stupid idiot like I was, Jen. Brady is the best thing that has ever happened to me in my entire life, and I sincerely want you and Daniel to be as happy as I know Brady and I are gonna be," Kristen pleaded. When Jennifer said that she would call Daniel, Kristen grabbed Jennifer's phone and handed it to her.

Nervous, Jennifer took her phone and went upstairs to call Daniel. As Kristen started to leave, Brady grabbed Kristen's arm, spun her around, and kissed her passionately.

Eric prayed at the hospital bedside of a woman named Lizbeth. When Nicole arrived, she asked how Lizbeth was doing. Eric admitted that Lizbeth's surgery had not gone well. Lizbeth called out, and Eric swept her hand up in his. Lizbeth whispered that she was scared. Nicole started to leave, but Lizbeth asked Nicole to stay because Nicole looked like Lizbeth's sister Stacey.

Smiling, Eric informed Lizbeth that Stacey was on her way to the hospital. Worried she would not be able to hold out until her sister arrived, Lizbeth reached her hand out for Nicole. Eric whispered that he and Nicole would stay with Lizbeth as long as she needed them. Tears brimming in her eyes, Nicole gently took Lizbeth's hand and held it. Nicole sat on Lizbeth's bed and talked about her sister.

"Do you think my sister does love me?" Lizeth asked. "Absolutely," Nicole whispered. Eric administered the last rites to Lizbeth. As Lizbeth struggled to breathe, Eric and Nicole comforted her. Eric quietly urged Lizbeth to be at peace. Nicole removed the heartbeat monitor from Lizbeth's finger as Lizbeth passed away.

When Stacey arrived, Eric gently informed her that her sister understood that Stacey loved and forgave her. "She died in peace," Eric said. Fighting her emotions, Stacey asked for some time alone with her sister. Eric gave Stacey a card with a phone number in case she needed help with anything while she was in town.

Nicole and Eric walked into the hallway of the hospital to talk. Nicole was upset that Lizbeth had died so young. "Death isn't horrible. Not when you're with God. Lizbeth was," Eric counseled. Nicole and Eric walked to the pub. Eric thanked Nicole for comforting Lizbeth. Noting that Eric worked tirelessly to help everyone, Nicole asked Eric if he believed he deserved some happiness in his life.

Eric stressed that he was happy following the path of God's will. Eric reached out and grasped Nicole's hand. Eric confided that his decision to become a priest had been difficult and that he still had feelings and doubts. As Nicole looked down at Eric's hand, Eric noted that he was committed to his vows as a priest. Eric thanked Nicole for helping him come to terms with the horrors he had witnessed in the Congo and for helping him realize that the priesthood was part of God's plan for him.

"I'm glad that we're good friends. And I'm really glad that you stayed on and worked with the church even when you had your doubts. But I know that was a part of God's plan for you too," Eric said. "I'm sorry that I ever doubted that you made the right choice, Father" Nicole countered.

When Nicole and Eric returned to the rectory, she encouraged Eric to get some sleep. Eric was worried about Sami, and Nicole promised to wake him if she called. Nicole sat down at the computer to work, and Daniel stopped by. When Nicole asked Daniel how he was feeling, Daniel asked to speak to Eric. Nicole explained that Eric had been up all night and was sleeping.

Down the hall, Eric had a cryptic dream about the night that Kristen had drugged and seduced him. Eric awoke, startled.

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

by ChickenGrrl

In his bedroom at St. Luke's, Eric bolted awake from a vague dream filled with snippets of memory from the night Kristen had drugged and seduced him. Eric tried without much success to recall what he'd been dreaming about. He lay back down and closed his eyes, only to have the disturbing images awaken him again. "God, what are you trying to tell me?" Eric whispered. He knelt beside the bed and prayed for guidance.

Daniel arrived at the rectory to talk to Father Eric, but Nicole informed Daniel that Eric was sleeping after staying up all night with a patient. Nicole asked if Daniel had found out something new about when Eric had been sick. Daniel reminded her that he couldn't discuss it with her because of the doctor-patient confidentiality laws. Nicole asked if Daniel were there seeking counsel from Father Eric because Daniel had learned that Jennifer really was pregnant.

Daniel informed Nicole that Jennifer was not pregnant; the pregnancy test had been for a friend. Nicole worried that Daniel was very disappointed about it, but he asserted that he didn't want to discuss it. Nicole reminded Daniel that she had been a good friend by doing everything she could to help him and Jennifer get together. He agreed that even when Nicole had been overzealous, her intentions had been good.

Daniel wondered aloud about the positive changes he'd seen in Nicole since she'd started working at the church. He guessed that Nicole's motivations had something to do with a man. Nicole insisted that she had evolved and no longer needed a guy to obsess over in order to keep her adrenaline flowing. Daniel wasn't convinced. Nicole countered, "You've had a woman on the string since the day I met you." Daniel admitted that he didn't like to be alone -- but he knew that Nicole didn't, either.

Just as Daniel was asking Nicole who the guy was, Eric walked in. After making sure Eric was all right, Nicole hastily exited so that the men could talk. Daniel immediately sensed that something was going on and asked if Eric had remembered something else about the night he'd gotten sick. Eric said that he still didn't remember anything; he was just tired from being at the hospital all night with a young parishioner who had died early that morning.

Daniel confided that he was unable to see the situation with Jennifer clearly, so he hoped that Father Eric could help. After he had related the story to Eric, Daniel acknowledged that J.J. was acting on his anger against Jennifer by trying to make her miserable -- but things would never change if Jennifer refused to see that. "It feels like no matter what I do, J.J. wins," Daniel asserted.

Eric suggested that Daniel was too close to the situation, adding that asking God for perspective had often helped him see things that he might have missed. Daniel produced the amended birth certificate showing that he was Parker's father. Eric congratulated Daniel, who admitted that he had wanted to call Jennifer as soon as he'd gotten the birth certificate, but she still didn't know about it. "So do you think maybe this is one of those signs that I've been ignoring because I've been so mad at J.J.?" Daniel asked. "It could be," Eric replied.

Daniel said that he was going to talk to Jennifer to see if they could work something out. On his way out, Daniel noted, "I hate to say this...but you look like hell." He wondered if Eric were ignoring signs, as well, and suggested that perhaps the priest should take his own advice.

In the park, J.J. chuckled about how Rory had bombed the final they'd just taken -- and Rory retorted that he had cheated off of J.J.'s test. Jennifer called J.J. just then, but he ignored the call. A little later, Bev and Rory watched while J.J. sold some drugs to a guy. Bev teased J.J. about the doughnut mix-up. When Bev and J.J. started making out, Rory wandered off to get a soda.

Bev's ex-boyfriend, Cole, showed up and demanded to know what J.J. was doing. Bev reminded Cole that they weren't together anymore then led J.J. away. Rory returned, urged Cole to "chill," and offered Cole something on the house to help with that. Cole slapped Rory's hand away. After Rory left, Cole muttered, "Stoner, huh? You're gonna pay for that one."

When Nicole showed up in the park later, J.J. told Rory to beat it. Once Rory had gone, Nicole asserted that she had been wrong to keep Jennifer and Daniel apart -- and so was J.J. "Your mother believes that you've changed -- and I know you haven't," Nicole declared accusingly. J.J. maintained that he didn't care what Nicole thought.

"Daniel and Jennifer love each other, and that is never going to change. And it's only a matter of time before your mother realizes what I already know: you are a selfish little brat who's not worth sacrificing the happiness that she's found in the man she loves. You got it?" Nicole spat before leaving again.

Upstairs at the Horton house, Jennifer left a message imploring J.J. to call her back -- or return home -- because they needed to talk. After hanging up, she started to dial Daniel but decided against it.

After Brady and Kristen kissed in the foyer of the Horton house, a pleasantly surprise Kristen asked what it had been for. Brady replied, "For giving me a chance to see the real you." He explained that he'd overheard Kristen talking to Jennifer. "When you were telling Jennifer to not walk away from Daniel, I couldn't help but think that you'd given yourself the same speech about you and me," Brady said.

As they walked into the living room and sat on the couch, Brady acknowledged that Kristen had hurt him, but he understood why she'd done it -- and he believed that "the power of love" had kept her from going through with her plan. He continued that he had realized while listening to her that he could trust her. "This time, I just know it's real," Brady declared.

Just as Kristen was asking Brady what that meant, Jennifer returned from upstairs and was surprised that Brady was still there. Jennifer offered to make lunch for Brady and Kristen, but Brady declined. After he had gone, Jennifer apologized to Kristen if Brady had overheard them talking. Kristen insisted the apology wasn't necessary because Jennifer was the best friend Kristen had ever had.

When Kristen had filled Jennifer in on what had happened with Brady, Jennifer suggested that Kristen could safely tell Brady about her affair. Kristen asserted that she should have told Brady long before then. When Jennifer mentioned how much she'd lied to J.J. about Daniel, Kristen asked if Jennifer really thought it was good for J.J. to get away with keeping Daniel and Jennifer apart.

At the Brady Pub later, Brady produced an itinerary and declared that he was taking Kristen to Kauai. He explained that they needed time alone, away from people who questioned whether they belonged together, to get to know each other again. Kristen reluctantly said that she couldn't go because she still had to interview a lot of kids for the scholarships she was funding.

Kristen informed Brady that Daniel had gotten the new birth certificate stating that he was Parker's father. When Brady noted that maybe someday the two of them would know how it felt to raise children, Kristen reminded him that they were supposed to be taking things slowly. "We are, but can't I surprise you at all?" Brady countered.

When Brady ran into Nicole in the square later, he asked if she were out of the office because Kristen was at St. Luke's. Nicole hadn't known that Kristen was supposed to be meeting with Eric. "He's had a lot on his mind all day," Nicole noted, explaining that Eric simply hadn't been himself.

On the phone at the rectory, Eric told another priest that he'd been having a recurrent, recurring dream that was interfering with his duties. "No, it's not clear. I just don't know how to interpret it... I feel God is trying to speak to me. It's just that I don't know what he's trying to say," Eric explained. He looked up and spied Kristen waving at him from the doorway.

J.J. returned to the Horton house and found Jennifer waiting in the foyer to talk to him. Jennifer declared that she loved Daniel and wanted things to work out between them, but at that moment, she didn't know if they would. J.J. wondered if he were supposed to say he was sorry. Jennifer countered that J.J. hadn't even given Daniel a chance -- but it was J.J.'s loss. She continued that she wasn't going to pretend anything anymore, so J.J. would have to accept whatever happened between her and Daniel.

J.J. declared that Jennifer had to acknowledge that he had learned how to lie from her, but she countered that she hadn't made a practice of lying to him. J.J. reminded her that she'd said Jack was the love of her life and the only man she would ever love. "Those were not lies," Jennifer said firmly. J.J. suggested that they stop pretending that they were close -- or that they were a family.

Jennifer responded incredulously, "You have no right to speak to me that way! We are going to deal with this right now. Do you understand me?" Just then, Daniel knocked on the door. "Do you want to talk to him or me?" J.J. demanded.

At the hospital, Abe thanked Cameron for taking Theo to a baseball game at Wrigley Field, especially since he knew Cameron was busy at work and with Abigail. "I like Abigail, but that's all," Cameron asserted, but Abe sensed that something was wrong. Cameron confided that he missed being able to talk to Lexie, explaining, "Certain cases, they make it extremely difficult to maintain your objectivity." Abe assured him that Lexie had often struggled with the same thing.

Abigail stopped by Club TBD to look for a necklace that she'd lost at the opening the night before. Chad said that he had discovered the necklace in the lost and found. As he fastened the necklace around Abigail's neck, he explained that the clasp had been broken so he'd fixed it. An emotional Abigail revealed that the necklace was the last gift that her dad had given her.

Chad apologized for not being a very attentive date the previous night, but Abigail understood that Chad had needed to focus on his club opening. After pointing out that he hadn't even gotten to kiss Abigail goodnight, Chad leaned in to rectify that. Cameron entered just then, but he slunk back out when he saw Chad and Abigail kissing. Abigail spotted Cameron leaving, so she made an excuse and hurried after him, leaving a puzzled Chad wondering, "What just happened?"

Abigail chased after Cameron through Horton Square, but when she finally caught up to him, he insisted that he was late for an appointment. Abigail continued following Cameron until she caught up with him again in the park outside the square. Chad showed up just then, but stopped on the other side of the gate to listen in.

Abigail demanded to know why Cameron was avoiding her -- and why he'd told Chad to spend more time with her. Cameron stammered that wasn't exactly the way he'd put it. Abigail asserted, "It feels like you are just giving me to Chad!"

At the jail, Sami admitted that she wished jury selection had taken longer, because it had been nice to be out of her cell for a little while. E.J. stated that he thought Justin had used his challenges wisely. Justin reluctantly informed Sami that their jury expert had predicted that Sami had an eighty-percent chance of being convicted. Sami was discouraged, but E.J. urged her not to give up hope. Sami requested some time alone to think, so Justin and E.J. left.

As E.J. and Justin arrived at the DiMera mansion a bit later, E.J. asserted that Justin shouldn't be so negative in front of Sami, lest she stop fighting to save herself. Justin countered that all Sami had to do was tell the truth and leave the fighting to him. "She's going to beat this, Justin. I know it," E.J. affirmed confidently.

Justin wondered why E.J. sounded so certain -- and why E.J. had been so sure that the police would find something incriminating in Bernardi's house. E.J. replied merely that Bernardi had been a corrupt cop, but Justin believed that E.J. had planted something for the police to find. Justin continued that E.J. still seemed to think that something would surface to prove that Bernardi had been dirty.

"I'm starting to wonder if maybe what you really want is to make sure that she's found guilty," Justin posited. "Why the hell would you say that?" E.J. demanded. Justin pointed out that the normally shrewd E.J. was allowing his feelings to cloud his good judgment, and Justin feared that Sami would pay the price. E.J. argued that he would never do anything to jeopardize Sami's chances of being acquitted.

Justin warned E.J., "If evidence against Bernardi somehow miraculously appears, and Melinda Trask finds out that anyone -- anyone -- falsified that evidence in order to clear a cop killer, she is going to make sure the judge and the jury think that Sami was in on it, and they are going to send her away for the rest of her life. Do you get the picture now?" E.J. declared that he would do whatever it took to free Sami because if his life were on the line, she would do exactly the same for him.

Abe arrived at the jail and cautioned Sami that Melinda Trask seemed to be feeling very confident about the jury. Sami wryly informed Abe that her jury expert had agreed. When Abe said that he'd been subpoenaed to testify for the prosecution, Sami wasn't surprised. She admitted that she didn't see the point in Justin bothering to call character witnesses because no one seemed willing to believe that she had shot Bernardi to protect Rafe. "I believe it," Abe assured her.

Sami was grateful and very touched. Abe advised her, "If there's anything -- anything -- that you and E.J. are keeping quiet about, if it could help, now is not the time to hold back." After Abe had gone, Sami did pushups on the floor of her cell while contemplating her next move. She looked at the pictures of her kids taped to the wall and remembered how Melinda Trask had said that the children could be without their mother for ten years if Sami took the deal -- or for their entire lives if she didn't.

Sami called the guard and announced that she wanted to talk to the special prosecutor. Melinda arrived a little later with her assistant, Edward Klein, in tow. Melinda explained that he was there to serve as a witness because any conversation between Sami and Melinda had to be a matter of public record.

Edward handed Melinda a small digital voice recorder into which she logged the date and the people present. Melinda instructed Sami, "Please state your name and reiterate that you've asked to see me without counsel present." After doing so, Sami declared, "I want to make a deal."

Thursday, August 29, 2013

by Mike

In Jennifer's office at the hospital, Theresa purchased something online, happily choosing the expedited delivery option when it was offered to her. Realizing that she would quickly blow through all of the money that she had stolen from Vargas unless she started spending it more frugally, Theresa promised herself that she wouldn't make another online purchase -- that day.

A short time later, Roman entered the office and informed Theresa that he had heard that she had been with Vargas shortly before Vargas had been arrested at the club the previous night. Theresa claimed that she had been completely unaware of Vargas' drug use and bad temper at the time, but she could tell that Roman was skeptical. Roman warned that Theresa was skating on very thin ice and that making even a minor mistake could be enough to get her sent back to California.

Theresa claimed that she had been walking the line lately, prompting Roman to laugh and summarize that hanging out with a convicted felon who had been in possession of drugs was apparently her idea of walking the line. "You're not here to have fun, so I would advise you to concentrate less on that and more on keeping this job that you have. Grow up, Theresa. Grow up. Think," Roman urged Theresa before exiting the office.

At the Horton house, Jennifer promised that she and J.J. would finish their conversation after she talked to Daniel. "Cool. Good to know where I stand with you," J.J. replied. Jennifer stressed that, while she loved J.J., it was up to her to decide when the timing was right for them to talk to each other. Jennifer told J.J. to go to the library so that he could finish an assignment that was due later that week.

After J.J. left, Daniel showed Jennifer the copy of Parker's birth certificate that he had received earlier. Jennifer gasped dramatically and hugged Daniel, who admitted that seeing the birth certificate had made him realize that he had been treating her unfairly. Daniel conceded that there wasn't a right or wrong way to handle the situation with J.J. and that Jennifer, as a single parent, simply had to do what she felt was right for her son. Daniel promised that he would no longer question Jennifer's parenting decisions.

Jennifer nodded and wondered what Daniel was really trying to tell her. Daniel summarized that he loved Jennifer enough to step away, just like she had done when Chloe had blackmailed her into stepping away from Daniel a few months earlier for Parker's sake. Daniel knew that J.J. didn't want Daniel in Jennifer's life and that she would never really be able to tell J.J. that she didn't care about his feelings.

Jennifer tearfully summarized that J.J. just needed more time to get accustomed to the idea of seeing his mother with another man. Daniel said that he understood and that maybe, if that ever happened, he and Jennifer could talk about getting back together. Daniel added that he and Jennifer needed to focus on their respective sons for a while. After declaring that he loved Jennifer, Daniel exited the house as she continued to sob.

In a secluded section of Horton Town Square, as Chad continued to eavesdrop, Cameron claimed that his medical career prevented him from having the time to make a serious commitment to Abigail. Unconvinced, Abigail pointed out that Cameron had managed to find the time to maintain a second job as a stripper a few months earlier. Abigail wondered when Cameron had decided to end their relationship.

"Oh, God, is there anything worse than a guy playing dumb? My brother gets that same look on his face with me at least four times a day," Abigail observed as she studied Cameron's confused reaction to her question. Abigail revealed that she had talked to Kayla earlier, and Kayla had hinted that a solution to Abigail's dilemma about being torn between two guys would eventually reveal itself. Abigail assumed that Kayla had known at that time that Cameron had already reached a decision on his own, but he assured her that he had never confided in Kayla about their relationship.

Conceding that Kayla could have simply been voicing an intuition, Abigail added that it didn't matter either way. Abigail revealed that she had gone on a date with Chad the previous night, and she admitted that it wasn't fair for her to continue to lead Cameron on. Cameron realized that Abigail was trying to say that she had decided that she wanted to be with Chad, and she confirmed the suspicion as she turned away from Cameron.

"[Chad's], um...funny, and...smart, and, uh...you know, we really do have a lot in common," Abigail stated as she struggled to maintain her composure. Cameron claimed that he was happy for Abigail, acknowledging that Chad was a good guy. Cameron advised Abigail to take things slowly. Taken aback, Abigail assured Cameron that she wasn't planning to rush things with Chad. Abigail said that she was glad that everything had worked out for her, Cameron, and Chad, and that no one had gotten hurt. Cameron nodded, said farewell to Abigail, and walked away. Abigail sighed as she watched Cameron leave, still unaware that Chad was nearby.

Elsewhere, Brady received a phone call from John. A short time later, after ending the call, Brady informed Nicole that he had finally told John that he had reunited with Kristen. Brady doubted that John would ever be willing to accept the relationship, but he reported that John had grudgingly agreed to stop fighting with Brady about the matter. Brady guessed that John was hoping that Brady would eventually regain his senses on his own.

Nicole clarified that everyone who cared about Brady was hoping that he would one day regain his senses. Brady glared at Nicole, who reluctantly promised to refrain from saying mean things about Kristen in the future. Nicole was unable to resist the urge to add that she was going to continue to pray that Brady would eventually see the light, which he interpreted as a condescending comment.

Nicole refused to apologize for wanting what was best for Brady, but he insisted that what was best for him was Kristen. Brady told Nicole to drop the subject, and she agreed to do so after stressing that she still loved him. Brady returned the sentiment and hugged Nicole before walking away. After Brady left, Nicole groaned with frustration and muttered that there had to be some way to prove that Kristen was a snake.

Later, Nicole met with Roman at the Brady Pub and informed him that she needed a favor. "I need you to prove once and for all, emphatically and unequivocally, that Kristen DiMera is a conniving, evil, diabolical skank," Nicole bluntly elaborated. When Roman realized that Brady had reunited with Kristen, he guessed that Marlena was probably beside herself. Nicole dryly clarified that she, John, and the rest of the free-speaking world shared Marlena's sentiment.

Nicole suggested that Roman might be able to dig through Kristen's records and find something that would finally prove to Brady that Kristen was dirtier than mud. Roman reminded Nicole that he had been suspended and no longer had the necessary access to conduct that sort of investigation. Roman admitted that he would be reluctant to help Nicole even if he did have access to Kristen's records, since he believed that Brady needed to figure out the truth about Kristen on his own. Nicole admitted that John had said the same thing, and she wondered when the truth was finally going to surface.

Elsewhere, Theresa called out to J.J. as he barreled through the town square. Theresa could tell that J.J. was upset about something, so she teasingly asked if his mommy had grounded him again. Unamused, J.J. started to walk away, but Theresa stopped him and apologized, admitting that she had also been having a bad day. Theresa offered J.J. some of her fries as an olive branch.

J.J. took a seat next to Theresa and guessed that he already knew why she was having a bad day, since Will had told him about Vargas' arrest earlier. "Oh, my God! Is there, like, some blog that my family posts to every thirty minutes so my parents can check in and see what an awful daughter they got stuck with?" Theresa wondered. J.J. observed that it seemed like Theresa didn't get along with her parents at all.

Theresa sarcastically assured J.J. that she had a perfectly loving and nurturing relationship with her parents, aside from the fact that they seemed to believe that she was a constant source of disgrace and shame for the family. J.J. admitted that he had experienced similar problems with his mother, who was starting to seem like a stranger to him. Theresa observed that it sounded like J.J. needed an escape just as much as she did.

Intrigued, J.J. wondered what kind of escape Theresa was talking about. "Oh, I was thinking maybe we could take a trip somewhere...over the rainbow," Theresa replied. "Way up high?" J.J. concluded with a smirk, and Theresa confirmed his suspicion. Theresa handed J.J. some cash and arranged to party with him the following day -- which happened to be the last day of summer school for J.J., giving him a good reason to celebrate.

J.J. wondered why Theresa wasn't worried that he might take her money and leave her hanging. Theresa kissed J.J.'s cheek and informed him that she trusted him. J.J. grinned as Theresa walked away. Theresa returned to Jennifer's office at the hospital. "Hmm. That's very interesting. Well, maybe this isn't such a terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad day after all," Theresa said with a smile, leaning back in her chair as she stared at something on her computer screen.

Meanwhile, J.J. returned to the Horton house to retrieve some notes that he had inadvertently left behind earlier. J.J. wondered where Daniel was, and Jennifer, who had been napping on the couch when J.J. had arrived, sadly stated that Daniel was gone and wouldn't be returning. J.J. started to say something, but Jennifer stopped him and quietly told him to return to the library to finish his assignment.

At St. Luke's, Kristen entered Eric's office as he ended his phone conversation with Father Matt. Observing that Eric seemed upset about something, Kristen wondered if everything was all right. Eric told Kristen about the parishioner who had died earlier that day. Kristen offered to handle the scholarship program interviews on her own so that Eric could get some rest, but he reported that his earlier attempts to do so had been unsuccessful.

Changing the subject, Eric handed Kristen a list of candidates for the scholarship program. Kristen admitted that she wished that she could give each kid a scholarship. Eric observed that talking about the kids always seemed to reenergize Kristen. "Yeah. I guess it's 'cause kids think anything is possible, you know? No matter how ambitious and farfetched their dreams are, they still think they can come true. Just kind of reminds you -- well, it reminds me, anyway -- of what that was like...when it was so lovely and...hopeful, before life kind of...did what it can do to people," Kristen replied.

Later, Kristen excused herself, greeting Father Matt on her way out of the office. Father Matt happily observed that Eric and Kristen seemed to be working well together. After confirming that Kristen had been doing a great job with the kids, Eric admitted that he sometimes felt uncomfortable around her for reasons that he couldn't explain. Eric conceded that his uneasiness probably had more to do with Kristen's past transgressions against his family than with anything that she had recently done wrong.

Changing the subject, Father Matt asked Eric about the dream that he had mentioned during their earlier phone conversation. Eric reluctantly admitted that the dream had been sexual in nature, although he added that the content of the dream wasn't the part that had disturbed him, since it certainly wasn't the first sexual dream that he had ever had. Eric explained that what had made his most recent dream different was the fact that he felt like God had been trying to tell him something in the dream.

Father Matt pointed out that sex was life-affirming, and he theorized that Eric had simply had a sexual dream because Eric had watched a parishioner die earlier that day. Observing that Eric looked exhausted, Father Matt advised him to stop worrying and get some sleep. Later, while Eric tossed and turned as his earlier dream plagued him once again, Nicole knocked on his bedroom door.

At the park, Brady surprised Kristen with a private version of Hawaii in Salem. Brady, who was wearing a Hawaiian shirt, handed Kristen a tropical drink, and they lounged on beach chairs as he gave her a back massage. Later, Brady casually asked Kristen to hand him a bottle of sunscreen that was laying under their towels. Kristen lifted the towels and found a large, empty glass bottle laying under them. Kristen questioned Brady about the bottle, which contained a scroll, and he feigned ignorance and urged her to open it.

Kristen curiously removed the cork, tipped the bottle over, shook the scroll out of the opening, and unrolled it. "Will you marry me, Kristen?" the scroll read. As Kristen stared at the scroll in disbelief, Brady presented her with an engagement ring. "So...will you?" Brady asked.

At the DiMera mansion, E.J. sought confirmation from Stoller that no one -- not even the FBI's team of forensic accountants -- would ever be able to trace the funds that had been deposited in Timmy Bernardi's account back to E.J. Stoller grew nervous and admitted that, while he was confident that it would be impossible for anyone to link the funds to E.J., the FBI's resources -- which were obviously superior to those of the Salem Police Department -- could allow the FBI to figure out when the funds had been deposited in the account. "Well, then they'd know that it was a setup!" E.J. snapped.

Later, at Club TBD, Chad served E.J. a double-shot espresso, observing that it looked like E.J. really needed it. Chad was sorry to hear that the jury selection process hadn't gone very well. Chad admitted that he still felt guilty about the fact that he had filmed Sami's argument with Bernardi, but E.J. urged him to stop worrying about it, since Chad wasn't the only person who had made an error in judgment that could have jeopardized Sami's case. When Chad asked E.J. to elaborate, E.J. revealed that, in his efforts to help Sami, he might have made the situation worse. E.J. added that he would never forgive himself if his actions ended up hurting Sami.

Later, after E.J. left, Cameron arrived at the club to check on Chad, whom he was still concerned about because of the blow to the head that Chad had received the previous night. Chad warned Cameron to back off, reiterating that he didn't want anyone to know about the brain tumor. Cameron pointed out that people were going to learn the truth as soon as Chad's treatment started. "Not according to my doctor. I'm getting cutting-edge treatment that you probably don't even know about. I could beat this thing before anyone even knows I have a problem. Now, stick to your promise and keep your mouth shut," Chad replied.

Later, Chad placed a phone call to Abigail and asked if she wanted to go on another date with him that night. Hiding the fact that she had recently been crying, Abigail smiled and said that she would love to go on another date with Chad. Chad cryptically told Abigail to leave the details to him. "Chad is a great guy. And everything worked out as it was supposed to," Abigail quietly told herself after ending the call.

In a holding cell at the police station, Sami demanded a better deal from Melinda, pointing out that betraying the DiMera family would be difficult and dangerous. Melinda was reluctant to grant the request, since she couldn't be certain that E.J. would ultimately give her the information that she would need to take down her real target, Stefano. Sami wondered if Melinda would be willing to cut E.J. out of the equation entirely.

Sami suggested that she could give Melinda the information that would be needed to take down Stefano, but Melinda could tell that Sami was bluffing. Sami admitted that Melinda was right, but she added that she could still give Melinda evidence that could be used against E.J. Melinda urged Sami to elaborate, but Sami reiterated that she wanted a better deal first.

Melinda still seemed reluctant to negotiate with Sami, who shrugged and admitted that she had apparently overestimated Melinda's ambitions. Melinda claimed that she was only concerned about ensuring that justice was served and that the bad guys were put away for good. Melinda vowed to accomplish those goals with or without Sami's help, but Sami wasn't convinced. Sami pointedly wondered when Melinda was going to get another opportunity that was as good and as close as the one that Sami was dangling in front of her.

"If you give me evidence against E.J. and it sticks, and he in turn gives me his father and that sticks, I'll knock your ten years down to possible parole after five. For a cop killer, that's basically a merit badge. So...what do you have for me?" Melinda asked. Sami laughed and wondered if Melinda really believed that she was stupid enough to give Melinda information before getting the deal in writing.

Melinda shrugged and promised that she would draft the necessary legal documents right away. "Excellent. And while you're at it, I want you to add immunity for my son, William Horton," Sami said, vaguely explaining that she wanted to ensure that Will would be protected from any and all fallout. Melinda agreed and sarcastically wondered if Sami wanted anything else, like a new car.

"Thank you for reminding me. Yes, there is something else -- if I can get you Stefano DiMera directly, on my own -- if I can get you Stefano on my own, without any involvement or any culpability directed at his son, then I want a maximum of five years, with a possibility of parole sooner," Sami replied. Melinda agreed and asked if Sami wanted a public defender to be present when Sami signed the documents. Sami shook her head and reported that her lawyer would soon arrive.

After Melinda and her assistant left, Sami sobbed as she stared at the photographs of her kids, quietly apologizing to E.J. for her actions and wondering if she had really had any other options available. Later, E.J. arrived, and Sami told him about her earlier meeting with Melinda, who had offered her a deal for a maximum of five years in prison. "For what? Our firstborn?" E.J. dryly asked. Sami revealed that she had to help Melinda take down Stefano.

E.J. reminded Sami that she didn't have any incriminating evidence that she could give to Melinda. Sami agreed and summarized that E.J., who did have evidence that could be used against Stefano, would have to give her something that would satisfy Melinda. E.J. wondered what would happen if he refused to do so.

"Well, then I would have to give them something on you," Sami quietly revealed.

Friday, August 30, 2013

by ChickenGrrl

At Sonny and Will's apartment, Sonny informed Will that jury selection in Sami's case had gone about as badly as Justin had feared. Will fretted that he'd been too hard on Gabi earlier, but Sonny asserted that Will had gone too easy on Gabi, who should have known better than to let Nick anywhere near Arianna. Sonny asked if Will could really forget everything Nick had done to them -- which included calling Sonny a faggot.

Will noted thoughtfully that if a bigot wanted to change but other people kept treating him like dirt, then the bigot would lose his motivation to change. "Well, you're a better man than me," Sonny asserted. He agreed to try to keep the peace with Gabi for Arianna's sake.

Gabi sat at a table in Horton Square with Nick, who was helping her study for her calculus class and was pleased with her understanding of the subject. Gabi said that she had to get back to the baby, so Nick offered to accompany her. When Gabi declined, something in her tone made Nick guess that Will hadn't liked seeing Nick with Arianna. Gabi denied it, but Nick deduced that Will had been treating Gabi differently after Nick had shown up again.

Gabi maintained that Will was aware things weren't the same as before with Nick; it had just been a rough week. "Look, I am a single mom, I'm a student, and I'm living with two gay guys. My life is never going to be normal," Gabi noted with a chuckle. She added that she was going to continue attending school and raising her daughter while taking each day one step at a time. After Gabi had gone, Nick spotted Will across the square, so he followed after Will.

Nick reached the Brady Pub moments after Will did. When Nick asked to speak to Will, Will said that he was going to talk to his great-grandma. The bartender overheard and informed Will that Caroline was upstairs, taking a nap. Will stated that while he wished Nick well and truly hoped that Nick got the help he needed, Will had hated seeing Nick holding Arianna. Will admitted that he wished he could take his own advice and give Nick a chance to redeem himself.

Will continued that he understood what had happened to Nick in prison had affected him greatly and that Nick was still trying to heal, but Will was ashamed that he had let Nick control him. Will explained that because he hadn't been able to see what Nick had been running from, they had almost died -- and so had Sonny, Gabi, and Arianna. "And that's because of you. You understand? I'm not saying you would ever do that again, but I'm never going to take that chance. So yeah, I do have a problem with you holding my daughter," Will stated.

When Gabi returned to the apartment, Sonny apologized for being so hard on her about Nick and asked if they could figure out how to ease the tension between them. Sonny noted how special it was that they got to share in raising Arianna. Gabi commended Sonny on what a good job he'd done delivering the baby. "It's gonna work out, Sonny. It is," Gabi declared confidently.

As Gabi and Sonny laughed about a mishap in the dorm, involving ramen noodles, they observed that Arianna was sound asleep in her bassinette. Sonny realized that Arianna's favorite stuffed bunny was nowhere to be seen, so while Gabi put the baby in the bedroom, he began looking in the living room and under couch cushions for the toy. Gabi returned to the living room just as Sonny found a condom wrapper under the couch.

In a secluded area of the park, which Brady had modified to resemble a Hawaiian paradise, Kristen was at a loss for words when Brady presented her with an enormous diamond ring and asked her, by way of a message in a bottle, to marry him. Dumbfounded, all Kristen could do was remind Brady that they were supposed to be taking things slowly. Brady reassured her that they could have the slowest engagement in history -- assuming that Kristen intended to answer "yes."

Kristen practically leapt across the space between their beach chairs to kiss Brady, but then she asked what had happened to change his mind about going slowly. Brady explained that Kristen had been so supportive and loving with Jennifer that he hadn't been able to stop thinking about it. Kristen reminded him that hardly anyone shared his opinion of her, but Brady asserted that he knew the real Kristen -- and he knew that she was the woman he wanted to be with for the rest of his life.

Brady got down on one knee and repeated his proposal. Again, Kristen was speechless, and Brady began to fret. Kristen reassured him that she was merely savoring the moment. "There's going to be many of these moments coming soon. Just help a guy out," Brady pleaded. "Okay. Yes," Kristen said meekly. Brady asked her to clarify if that meant she would marry him, and again she just said, "Yes."

Since Kristen seemed only to be able to reply in the affirmative, Brady kept asking questions that he hoped she would say yes to. He put the ring on her finger and asked if she loved it. When she confirmed that she did, he asked if she loved him -- because he loved her. "Yes!" Kristen declared, kissing Brady. After a few minutes, with her power of speech returned, Kristen gushed that her ring was even prettier than the first one Brady had given her.

Kristen said that she didn't want to use her ring as a weapon against people; instead, she thought they should simply tell their families. Brady agreed. Kristen suggested that since she had to finish the scholarship interviews with Eric the next day, they should start with him. Brady volunteered to go to the rectory right away to tell Eric, so Eric could see how happy Brady was.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Victor noted that it was hard to believe that Kristen had met someone recently in whom she would have confided about her affair. Marlena said that she wished they knew where Kristen had been before returning to Salem. Victor said that his people had been trying to find that out since Brady and Kristen had first gotten involved, but there were years in which there were no records of Kristen anywhere.

Marlena suggested that the obvious assumption was that Jennifer was most likely Kristen's confidante. Victor stated that they couldn't make a move until they were certain, adding, "We may only have one shot at getting Kristen's claws out of that boy's back." As they tried to figure their next move, Marlena suddenly declared, "I may have a solution to our problems." After promising to fill Victor in later, Marlena hurried out.

A little later, at Marlena's behest, Roman met with his ex-wife at Club TBD. Marlena explained that she needed a favor -- and Roman couldn't ask why. Roman asked what Marlena needed. "Kristen DiMera's phone records. I need her call history for the last couple of weeks, and you're the only person who can legally get it for me," Marlena disclosed.

Roman asserted that as much as he wanted to help, he couldn't break the law for Marlena, lest they both wind up in jail. He encouraged her to find another way to accomplish whatever she was trying to do. Roman apologized, but Marlena assured him that she understood. After Roman left, Marlena paid for her coffee and departed, as well.

At the rectory, Eric thrashed about in bed as he tried to nap, but the recurring dream with memories from the night at the hotel with Kristen awakened him with a start yet again. Outside in the hallway, a worried Nicole knocked on the door and asked to enter. Through the door, Eric insisted that he was fine and would be in the office soon. Although Nicole didn't believe him, she left.

Eric briskly entered the office a little later and got right to work, asking Nicole where a budget and the minutes of a meeting were. Nicole apologized for interrupting his nap, but Eric somewhat curtly assured her that it was fine. Nicole asked why Eric had seemed so upset when she'd knocked on his door earlier. She assured him that he could confide in her, but he snapped at her to let it go.

Sister Bernadette interrupted to request Nicole's help with a software program. When Eric reassured her that he would look for the paperwork -- and that everything was fine -- Nicole reluctantly went with the nun. A moment later, Sister Bernadette returned and informed Father Eric that the keys to the van seemed to be missing. Eric offered to look around the office for them.

As Sister Bernadette left, Eric sat at Nicole's desk and began looking through the drawers. He stopped cold when he found matches from the Capitol Plaza Hotel. He immediately flashed back to his "dream" about the night that Kristen had drugged and seduced him. When Nicole returned a few minutes later, Eric asked why she had the matches in her desk.

Although Nicole asserted that she didn't want to think about the night she'd found Eric at that hotel, she explained that she had just shoved everything from the dresser into a bag so she could take Eric to the hospital. Nicole demanded to know what was bothering Eric, but he insisted that it was her imagination.

Brady arrived just then, interrupting Eric and Nicole's conversation. Eric asked what Brady needed, and Brady announced that he had some news about Kristen. Nicole started to leave, but Brady wanted her to hear the news, as well. Brady began, "Kristen and I..." A dismayed Nicole cut him off by emphatically uttering the word "no" half a dozen times because she realized that Brady had proposed. Eric hadn't put the pieces together yet, so Brady explained, "I asked Kristen to marry me."

At the DiMera mansion, Kristen was looking for something in her bag when she ran across the adoption brochure that Brady had given her. She recalled how hopeful she had been when Brady had assured her that he could grant her greatest wish -- to be a mother.

When the doorbell rang, Kristen was annoyed that she had to answer it herself and found Marlena on the doorstep. Kristen advised her foe that neither E.J. nor the children were there as she began to close the door on Marlena. Pushing into the house, Marlena patted Kristen's cheek and announced, "Good. I'm here to see you."

At the jail, Sami outlined the terms of her deal with Melinda Trask for E.J.: If Sami could produce incriminating evidence against Stefano -- which she hoped E.J. would provide her -- she would only have to spend five years in prison. If E.J. couldn't do that, Sami had to give Trask something on him. While E.J. glowered at her, Sami expressed her certainty that E.J. wouldn't have to spend a minute behind bars because he could work out a deal for complete immunity by giving them something on Stefano.

Sami finally had to turn her back on E.J.'s glare. "E.J., I just can't spend the rest of my life in prison," she explained. "Oh, but I can, right?" E.J. bellowed. He couldn't believe that Sami was nave and stupid enough to believe that he would ever get immunity. Sami argued that a guy in New York had just cut a deal, even though he had killed a lot of people. E.J. hotly pointed out that the man had been a soldier. "My name is DiMera. They will never let me walk," E.J. growled.

Sami begged E.J. to give her something about Stefano that she could give to the special prosecutor. "Help me!" Sami shouted. E.J. roared back, "What do you think I'm trying to do?" Sami cried that she had no idea because she was trapped in jail, and all she thought about were ways for her to get out. "But this is the only lifeboat in sight! It is the only deal. If you won't let me give them Stefano, then you will have to," Sami pleaded.

E.J. argued that they would both go to prison then -- but Sami would get out after five years, while he would probably get a much longer sentence. Sami quietly informed E.J. that she hadn't officially made the deal yet. He wanted to know when she had decided to go that route. Sami reminded him, "You heard what Justin and that expert said about jury selection. I don't have a chance at trial." E.J. tried not to react when he learned that Justin had been present when Trask had offered the deal to Sami.

Sami explained that the initial deal had been "lousy," but she had given it a lot of thought since then -- and she knew that she couldn't spend the rest of her life in prison. "I can't do that to the kids. I just can't," Sami stated tearfully but firmly, adding, "E.J., you talk about how we're in this together, but we're not. I am in here all by myself. I am in this cage all by myself. What was I supposed to do?"

Sami stretched her hand through the bars, reaching out for E.J., and told him that she loved him, but E.J. scowled and turned his back. "E.J., I miss the kids every minute -- but I ache for you," Sami declared tearfully. "I know you love me, even right now. Tell me," she implored him. E.J. finally turned around and grabbed Sami's hand. "I love you," he admitted. Sami reiterated her confidence that E.J. would get immunity, and pleaded with him to give up Stefano so that Stefano would go to prison, where he couldn't hurt them anymore.

"Sweetheart, there is just one small problem... You can't give me up to the special prosecutor because you don't have anything to give," E.J. asserted. He reminded Sami that she had to be able to provide proof of his crimes. Sami countered that she knew about E.J.'s business dealings. When she cited "that thing in Belize," E.J. replied that it was a corporate loophole, not a crime. E.J. was able to justify every other example she gave as either legal or untraceable.

Finally Sami reminded E.J., "You kidnapped Sydney." E.J. wanted to know if they were going to start recounting every wretched thing they had done to each other. "If that's what you want, I'm sure we could burn one another to the ground," E.J. asserted. "Of course, it's not what I want!" Sami shouted, her voice thick with emotion. Insisting that she did not want to hurt E.J., she implored him to give her something that she could use so she could get out of there.

"How many years would be too many for me to spend in prison? Did you come up with a number?" E.J. asked coldly. Sami began to weep, insisting that she honestly believed that E.J. could talk his way out of going to prison. Softening, E.J. urged her to forget about him and focus on proving that she hadn't done anything wrong to clear her name. Sami hopelessly reminded him that they had tried.

Although E.J. urged her not to give up, Sami told him to be realistic. "There is no option. There is no other way," she stated, sinking down onto her bunk. E.J. tried to cheer Sami by calling her "Trouble," and reassured her that he would move heaven and earth to get her out of there. "I am your option, Samantha. You need to have faith in me," he said encouragingly.

Melinda Trask showed up just then and asked for a moment alone with Sami. When E.J. wouldn't leave, Melinda reminded Sami that the clock was ticking. "Do we have a deal or not?" Melinda demanded. After taking a moment to look at the pictures of her kids on the wall, Sami declared, "Take your deal and shove it."

Melinda tried to change Sami's mind, but Sami confidently asserted that she was innocent, and they would prove it. Melinda left after warning Sami that soon all she would have of her children were photos.

Sami apologized earnestly to E.J. He reiterated that they needed to focus on finding the evidence they needed to clear her name. Suddenly hopeful, Sami announced that she had an idea that was a little crazy, but she thought it might be exactly what they needed to free her. She explained that the problem all along had been that they hadn't been able to prove that Bernardi had been dirty.

"Let's say evidence just turned up," Sami suggested. When E.J. shook his head, Sami realized that he had already thought of that. Trying not to think about the strong possibility that it could actually happen, E.J. cautioned his fiance that she would definitely go to prison if it got out that evidence had been planted.

Sami beckoned E.J. closer and told him with a smile that things were better when they were planning things together. E.J. vowed to get Sami out of there and back home with the kids. "The kids and you, right?" Sami clarified as E.J. put his arms around her through the bars and kissed the top of her head. "Better believe that," E.J. assured her.