Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of October 19, 2015 on DAYS

Family and friends bid a sad farewell to Will. The DiMeras forced Aiden to plan Hope's murder in order to pay off his debt. Ben admitted to Clyde that he was the Necktie Killer. Bo tried to find his way home. Bo and Steve reunited. J.J. decided to join the police force. Shawn-Douglas returned to town to surprise Hope.

Will's mourners get an unpleasant surprise

Monday, October 19, 2015

by Mike

At the hospital, Kayla reluctantly agreed to let Steve visit Caroline, who was eager to hear what he was doing to help Bo. Steve apologetically explained that he couldn't do anything to help Bo without a solid lead to go on. Sighing, Caroline closed her eyes and tried to remember more details from her visions, eventually recalling that there had been a sign hanging on one of the filthy walls -- "Punta Laguna."

As people gathered for Will's outdoor funeral service, Gabi greeted Sonny -- with Arianna in her arms. Sonny was pleased to see Arianna, and he agreed with Gabi's belief that Arianna needed to be a part of the funeral, even though they couldn't guarantee that she would sit still and stay quiet the whole time. Elsewhere, Hope asked John about Marlena, and he reported that she was trying to stay strong for Sami's sake.

As Sami, Marlena, Roman, and Eric arrived together, Sami started having second thoughts about her decision to leave Johnny, Allie, and Sydney with their nanny in California. Meanwhile, Kate cautiously approached and greeted Sami, who rushed over to seize a hug from her former rival. "Long time no see, partner," Kate tearfully stated. Laughing through her own tears, Sami wondered how, in the span of just one year, Kate had managed to lose everything they had worked so hard to attain. "I guess it wasn't as much fun putting the screws to Stefano without you," Kate replied with a shrug.

After everyone found a seat, Father Louis said a prayer then invited people to say a few words about Will. Not wanting to be the first to speak, Sami looked to Marlena, who hesitantly approached the podium. "When Will was born, I wasn't prepared to be a grandmother. And then he went ahead and made me a -- a great-grandmother," Marlena began, prompting a few tepid chuckles.

"I was surprised, as many of you were, when Will decided to become a writer. He was a wonderful writer, because he was an observer of people, and his life experience made him curious about what made people tick. He taught me a lot about bravery. When Will decided to come out -- I mean, that's a thing that shouldn't be terrifying in this day and age, and yet, for some, it is; for him, it was. So I got to watch him come to terms with the man that he was. I saw him find happiness; I saw him find love. I'm unspeakably proud of his courage and his determination. I will miss him every day. I will miss his work, his words," Marlena continued before getting choked up.

Next, Kate approached the podium. "I always hoped that one of my children would become a writer. Even though I believed some of them did have talent, of course, they chose to follow their own path. And then came Will. I can't tell you how proud I was of him. I'd like to think that he takes after me, but, of course, he was so much more gifted and bold, and he used his platform to tell some truths that needed to be told. I am grateful that Arianna will have his writings to read someday, and through those words, our beloved William Robert Horton will live on," Kate sadly mused before letting Lucas take her place.

"Sami and I were kids ourselves when Will was born. We made a lot of mistakes. Sami and I used to fight all the time, about everything and anything under the sun, and I think Will was in high school -- something like that -- and he must've known I was upset, so he says, 'Hey, Dad, you want to go play basketball?' So I thought, what the heck, you know? I'll be a good dad, suck it up, go shoot some hoops with him. And after about an hour, I felt a million times better," Lucas recalled.

"But I didn't know that -- I think he had plans with his friend that night; he was supposed to go to a concert with T. He was supposed to go see Green Day, and they had backstage passes. Backstage passes to Green Day, and he didn't go because...he knew that I needed him. He knew I needed him, he knew I was hurting, and that's who my son was; that's what kind of person he was. He was my best friend...and I don't know how I'm gonna go on without him," Lucas tearfully concluded before returning to his seat.

Father Louis asked if anyone else wanted to speak. Abigail whispered to Ben that she was feeling a bit lightheaded and didn't think it would be wise for her to stand up at that time. Abigail suggested that Ben could say something on behalf of both of them, since Will had been planning to serve as Ben's best man, but Ben recalled strangling Will as he told Abigail he wouldn't feel right doing so because only family members had spoken so far. Abigail insisted Ben was just as welcome to speak as everyone else was, but Sami mustered up the strength to approach the podium before Abigail could pressure Ben further.

"Will was a miracle baby. I think of all the times I held him -- those eyes, that big smile. It was the cutest smile a baby ever had. And I did just about everything a loving parent shouldn't do -- I lied, I schemed, I fought with his father endlessly. And Will had every reason to turn out completely messed up. And he had his moments, but who doesn't, right? But I call him a miracle because he actually -- he turned out okay. I mean, more than okay. I don't take any credit for how smart he was, how funny he was, how kind he was, how talented he was; no, he got that way all on his own. And maybe he got a little bit from his dad," Sami conceded.

"He had to grow up way too fast. It wasn't fair to him. I think that's one of the reasons he was so independent and so stubborn. I know that he was going through a really rough time here, and I wish I could've been there for him, and let it be all about him for once. Too many people sitting here today know what it is to lose a child. There is this hole in my heart that will never be filled, and --" Sami continued before starting to quietly sob. Momentarily regaining her composure, Sami glanced at Will's closed casket. "Will, I will love you to the moon and back. Forever," Sami added before breaking down again.

Finally, Sonny approached the podium. "I don't even know if I should be up here, because I'm the one who left, and if I'd been here, then maybe things would've been different. The last time I heard Will's voice, he said he wanted to make things right, and I would give anything to have that chance," Sonny regretfully began, sighing heavily.

"When we got engaged, I, um -- I gave him this book called Maurice by E. M. Forster. And for those of you who haven't read that book...it's about these two guys who were imperfect souls, but in the end, they come together to create something pretty close to perfection. When Will and I got married, and we started a family with Arianna, that was the closest thing I've ever had to perfection -- and ever will have. I just hope that Will knew that, because in spite of everything that happened, I still loved him. I do love him. A piece of my heart's gonna be buried with him today," Sonny added, fixing his eyes on Will's casket.

"You know how people say, 'Don't go to bed angry'? Well...lucky me, I know why. So tell your loved ones how much they mean to you. Always have forgiveness in your heart. Because if you wait too long, you might never get the chance," Sonny sadly concluded.

One by one, the mourners approached Will's casket and placed a single long-stemmed yellow rose on top of it, with Sonny, Sami, and Lucas being the last three to do so. Sami and Lucas added a rose to the pile together then broke down in each other's arms. "He was the best of us," Sami told Lucas, who nodded in agreement.

At the hospital, Kayla visited Caroline, who happily reported that it had been years since she had last felt so energized. Caroline observed, however, that Kayla didn't look very good herself. Concerned, Caroline wondered what was wrong, and Kayla hesitantly replied that Will had been murdered. Caroline gasped in horror and hugged Kayla as she rested her head on Caroline's chest.

Later, Hope found Kayla near the nurses' station and assured her that everyone had understood why she had missed the funeral -- and, in fact, Sami had found it comforting to know that Caroline hadn't been alone that day. Kayla revealed that she had told Caroline about Will's death earlier. "You know what the worst part is? I'm just so afraid that, um, she's gonna wake up tomorrow, and I'm gonna have to tell her all over again," Kayla admitted.

Confused, Hope said she had been under the impression that Caroline had been doing better lately. Kayla confirmed that it seemed that way, but she added that Caroline was still quite insistent that her recent visions of Bo had all been real. "I mean, if she can't distinguish between reality and fantasy, then I can't really believe that she's getting better," Kayla concluded.

After noticing that Caroline was pushing her call button, Kayla and Hope went to her room to make sure everything was okay. "How can I be okay when my son's out somewhere in some terrible danger? I am not crazy. Kayla, you have to understand, I can see Bo. And we have to bring him back; we have to bring him home!" Caroline insisted as Kayla and Hope exchanged looks of concern.

Steve ran into Joey in the town square and explained what had happened during his recent search for Bo -- and why he felt like he had to go off on another search. "You think Grandma Caroline's psychic all of a sudden? Seriously?" Joey asked incredulously. Steve replied that, while he understood how crazy the whole thing sounded, Caroline's visions eerily matched up with the things he had seen during his first search. Steve added that he would rather believe that Bo was alive, and Joey conceded that he would, too.

"You're never gonna stick around; it's always gonna be something else," Joey muttered. Steve stressed that he would do anything for Joey, but he added that the same was true for Bo, who was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of friend. Joey wondered if Kayla was okay with the fact that Steve was about to leave again. Steve admitted that he hadn't shared that information with Kayla. "Well, that's a big mistake," Joey warned.

Steve wondered if Joey had ever heard anyone say that it was better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission. "Neither one seems to work out very well for me," Joey mused. Steve reasoned that if he left without telling Kayla but returned with Bo in tow, she would quickly forget about being angry. Joey pointed out that there was a chance that Steve might not return with Bo in tow -- and that Steve had promised Kayla he would stay in Salem. Steve stressed that he still planned to keep that promise -- after he finished doing what he needed to do. "Fine. But it's not like you're going to an amusement park. You might not come back. Don't you think you at least owe it to her to say goodbye?" Joey asked.

Later, Steve went to the hospital to see Kayla, who assumed he wanted to question Caroline further. Steve clarified that he simply wanted to say goodbye to Kayla, since he had promised someone he would. Steve added, however, that his goodbye didn't really mean goodbye, prompting Kayla to wonder what it really meant. "This," Steve replied, giving Kayla a long, passionate kiss before walking away, leaving her speechless.

At the Brady Pub, where some of Will's family members had gathered after the funeral, Sami approached Sonny and apologized for failing to tell him what he had needed to hear the previous day, when she had walked out on him at John and Marlena's townhouse. "You have to know that I don't want you to blame yourself for what happened to Will, and he wouldn't want that, either," Sami stressed.

Sami asked to hold Arianna, but after Sonny transferred the girl into Sami's arms, Sami quickly started feeling overwhelmed. Gabi took Arianna from Sami, who broke down in tears as she watched Gabi and Sonny take Arianna outside for some fresh air. Noticing that Sami was distraught, Eric excused himself from his conversation with Jennifer and went to comfort his sister.

Eric assured Sami that she was a great mom and could indeed take credit for the kind of man Will had turned out to be. Drying her tears, Sami thanked Eric for always knowing the right thing to say to her. Changing the subject, Eric hoped Sami had decided to take the advice he had given her about the letter that E.J. had supposedly left for her. Sami told Eric that if he were in her position, he wouldn't be able to take his own advice.

Meanwhile, the crowd grew quiet as a new arrival entered the pub -- Andre, who approached Sami and offered her his deepest condolences. "Tony?" Marlena asked as she protectively joined Sami and Eric. "Andre. Sorry to disappoint. Tony's still dead; obviously, I'm still very much alive," Andre replied. Kate wondered how Andre had managed to cheat death. "I'm a DiMera," Andre reminded everyone, prompting Abe to counter that Lexie had been a DiMera, too -- and she was really, truly dead. "Which is all your fault, you son of a bitch," Abe added.

Andre said he was truly sorry about "dear Alexandra," and as Marlena responded with skepticism, J.J. quietly asked Jennifer what was going on. Jennifer assured J.J. that she would explain everything later. "You fell off of the roof of the TV station, and you disconnected your own life support to frame my grandfather," Sami pointed out. Andre wondered if everyone really found it that stunning to learn that he was back from the dead. "You know what? I'm not sure how Stefano pulled it off, but I'd like to thank him, because now we can arrest you," Roman replied.

"I'm sorry to deflate your fondest hopes, but I have a pardon from the governor right here. Oh -- also, the statute of limitations has run out in whatever this doesn't cover," Andre said, retrieving a document from his jacket pocket and handing it to Roman. John wondered if Andre had promised the governor eternal life in exchange for the pardon. Chuckling, Andre clarified that he had simply expressed great remorse for any unpleasantness he might have caused in the past.

Pointing out that everyone had gathered at the pub to celebrate Will's life, Lucas demanded to know why Andre had crashed the somber occasion. "Yes, your son was quite the trailblazer. He stood for tolerance and understanding, did he not?" Andre pointedly replied. Sensing that Sami was about to react, Eric put a hand on her arm to stop her. "In Will's honor, I'd like to apologize to everyone I've ever hurt. I've been in a recovery facility for quite a while, and now that I've had a chance to gain a little perspective of my past, I realize that I was... Well, I suppose there's only one word for it, and that is that I was...insane," Andre continued.

"You were evil," Marlena clarified. "I'm much better now," Andre assured Marlena with a smile. Andre added that Marlena surely couldn't discount the power of a good therapist or begrudge him the chance to make peace with the good people of Salem. "Andre...make peace with this," Roman replied as he approached and punched Andre. John and Abe quickly intervened, preventing Roman from taking another swing at Andre. "Will's dead, and you're not?!" Sami asked incredulously, lunging toward Andre. Eric held Sami back, and as the place erupted in a cacophony of shouts, Ben raised his voice and wondered, "Who is this?"

"Well, this is Andre DiMera, the insecure bastard who tried to frame me for his own murder," John replied. "Yeah, one of his favorite tricks; did it a dozen times, including to me. Read about the Salem Stalker if you want to know more," Roman added, prompting J.J. to realize Andre was the guy who had once made Jennifer think Jack had died.

Conceding that his list of past crimes was far too long to enumerate in one sitting, Andre said a blanket apology would have to suffice. Sami lunged toward Andre again, but Eric stepped in front of her and wondered if Andre really believed his blanket apology meant anything. Andre replied that Eric was no longer a priest and therefore had no right to judge him. Lucas held Sami back as Andre continued that, after the initial awkward transition period, he hoped to be able to find some kind of civility with the people of Salem -- and if any of them wanted to get in contact with him so they could work together to achieve that goal, he would be staying with his father.

"Your father?" Marlena asked. "Yes. I received a letter from my mother several years ago, with the news that Stefano was my biological father. Well, now it all makes sense, doesn't it? No wonder I was so much like Tony, you know? He and I were so much alike," Andre mused with a laugh. Roman protested that Andre had never been anything like Tony. Andre countered that Tony was dead -- and E.J. and Lexie were dead, too, and Chad was a wanted man. Andre concluded that he had felt it was his duty to return home and take care of Stefano, since no one else was around to do so.

Andre left after once again offering his condolences. When Andre got back to the DiMera mansion, he informed Stefano that things had gone about as well as he had expected. "The beautiful thing is, I'm now free to go and do as I please," Andre added with a laugh.

Outside the Brady Pub, Sami told Eric that she had to pursue the lead E.J. had given her because it might be the only way to put an end to Stefano and Andre's reign of terror before anyone else got hurt. Eric tried to warn Sami that her mission could be dangerous, but she insisted he wasn't going to change her mind. "I'm going to Switzerland," Sami added with finality -- just as Marlena exited the pub. Sami said she didn't have time to explain everything to Marlena, adding that she knew what she was doing -- and Marlena was just going to have to trust her.

Alone at Will's grave, Sonny began sobbing uncontrollably as he placed his palms on the gravestone.

Ben confesses that he is the killer

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

by Spalding

Rafe visited a comatose Chad in the hospital. Rafe remarked that he was the only cop in town that believed that just because Chad was a jerk did not mean he was necessarily a serial killer. Shaking his head, Rafe wondered aloud about Chad's motive. Hope entered the room and asked Rafe his thoughts about the killings. Shaking his head, Rafe said that Chad was the kind of guy who did not get mad but instead got even. Hope reminded Rafe of Ben's theory that Chad was emotionally devastated to lose Abigail. Unsure, Rafe shook his head no. Hope said the case was up to the district attorney.

At the DiMera mansion, Aiden refused Andre and Stefano's request to destroy the evidence against Chad. When Andre made a subtle threat against Chase, Aiden vowed to pay the money he owed to the DiMeras. Chuckling, Andre suggested that Aiden should ask Hope for the money. As Aiden stewed, Andre remarked that Hope's liquid assets would not cover the amount of money that Aiden owed.

"But she does a have a lovely life insurance policy. Which would mean she would be worth more to you dead than alive. But then a man like you, I'm sure, has already figured that out," Andre said. Fuming, Aiden returned to his office and looked at Hope's life insurance policy. With a sigh, Aiden reviewed the news reports of the Necktie Killer, and he took notes. When Hope stopped by, Aiden quickly closed his computer and covered his notes.

Smiling, Hope asked Aiden what he was doing. Hope joked that Aiden was hiding something from her. As Hope reached for the legal pad, Aiden stopped her. Aiden explained that he was researching honeymoon spots. Confused, Hope asked why they were not planning the honeymoon together. Aiden shrugged. With a sad smile, Aiden promised to pay back his loan to Hope, and he stressed that he was a lucky man.

"I promise you, with me, you will always come first," Aiden said. Hope wanted to make a list for the wedding, but Aiden begged off, noting that he needed to meet with a client. Nodding, Hope asked Aiden if he had decided on a best man. Aiden shrugged. Hope suggested Rafe, but Aiden commented that he did not believe that Rafe liked him. Hope disagreed. With a grin, Hope told Aiden to ask Rafe.

At the hospital, Andre visited his unconscious brother, Chad. With a smirk, Andre promised that he would keep Chad safe, and he asked Chad to be nice to him in the future.

Rafe invited Lani to join him at the pub, and the two chatted about her career in Miami. Lani explained that she was anxious to be a detective. When Lani thanked Rafe for his kind words about her to Abe, Rafe commented that he thought positive comments would make her work harder. Lani smiled. When Lani asked about the pub, Rafe informed Lani that Hope's former mother-in-law owned the pub. Lani mentioned Aiden, and Rafe grunted.

Lani offered to help with the workload while Hope was on her honeymoon. Rafe nodded. The two returned to work at the police station, and Lani thanked Rafe for lunch. As Lani walked away, Hope asked Rafe if there were any updates on the case. Rafe explained that he had invited Lani to lunch in order to get to know her better. With a nod, Hope said that was a good idea.

Hope confided her concern that Aiden appeared to feel like an outsider in town. Hope added that Aiden did not have a best man for the wedding. With a chuckle, Rafe asked why Aiden did not fly a friend in from out of town. Hope asked Rafe if he would consider acting as Aiden's best man. Confused, Rafe countered that Aiden should ask. Hope said that Aiden was concerned that Rafe did not like him. Rafe said that was not true, and he was sorry if Aiden had the impression that Rafe did not like him. Rafe said if Hope loved Aiden, then Rafe approved.

Rafe said that he would consider agreeing to be the best man if Aiden asked him. Hope beamed. Hope hugged Rafe and thanked him profusely. Rafe promised not to tell Aiden that he had had the best man conversation with Hope.

As Aiden wondered aloud in his office, "What the hell am I doing?" Andre slipped in and loudly closed the door. Startled, Aiden asked why Andre was in his office. Andre assured Aiden that Hope had not seen him arrive. Noting Aiden's pale face, Andre asked him what was wrong. Aiden said he refused to be a hit man. Andre countered that he would never suggest Aiden should kill a member of one of Salem's first families.

Suspicious, Aiden asked why Andre was in his office. Andre assured Aiden that if he decided to murder Hope, the DiMeras would not stop him. Smiling, Andre said he admired Aiden's ability to turn on Hope.

"I'm a man in a desperate situation, being forced to kill the woman I love, the mother of a young girl, to save my son's life," Aiden said. With a shrug, Andre said the Brady family would take care of Ciara. Furious, Aiden demanded to know why Andre was in his office. Andre argued that Aiden had been unable to steal the evidence against Chad and that he did not believe that Aiden could pull off a murder. Suspicious, Aiden asked Andre why he was so anxious to see Hope die. Andre shrugged and said he did not care.

"If I do whatever it takes to pay you back, what guarantee do I have that this will be over? How do I know you won't threaten my son's life the next time you need someone removed from the face of the earth?" Aiden asked. Rafe interrupted, believing that Aiden was alone in his office. Aiden invited Rafe in, and Andre left. Once alone, Rafe asked Aiden if Andre had hired him. Aiden lied and said that Andre was confirming that the DiMeras would not pay for Aiden's services in representing Chad, since Aiden had been fired. Commiserating, Rafe groaned.

When Rafe asked Aiden's opinion on Chad's case, Aiden noted that Chad had said he had been framed. Rafe agreed. Concerned, Aiden suggested that there could be another murder if the real killer were still on the loose. Rafe nodded. When Rafe asked about the wedding, Aiden smiled. Rafe offered to help with the wedding planning. Raising an eyebrow, Aiden asked if Rafe would be his best man. Rafe feigned surprise, and he accepted the position.

After Rafe left, Aiden returned to his notes about the Necktie Killer. With a sigh, Aiden added his name as the prime beneficiary on a $5,000,000 life insurance policy for Hope.

In his apartment, Ben stared at the wall. Abigail touched his shoulder, and he jumped. Ben explained that he was worried about Abigail, but she stressed that she was fine. When Abigail mentioned that Ben had cried out in his sleep, Ben nodded. Ben said he was under stress from his father's arrest and Chad's attack.

With a sigh, Ben asked Abigail to move into the new house with him. Abigail was reluctant, but Ben convinced her. Abigail told Ben that he made her happy. With a smile, Ben said he was excited to marry Abigail as soon as possible. Citing a meeting, Abigail left.

At the pub, Hope asked Abigail to be a bridesmaid in her wedding. Elated, Abigail consented. Abigail said she was excited to have something to celebrate. Her smile fading, Abigail noted that she had wanted to ask Will to be her baby's godfather. Hope said she was thankful that they had Aiden and Ben to lean on.

While Ben was in his apartment alone, two police officers stopped by and escorted him to the police station to meet with Clyde. Clyde informed Ben that the state of Florida was extraditing Clyde. Dumbfounded, Ben shook his head. Clyde asked for privacy to talk to his son, and the officers nodded and left the room.

Once alone, Clyde informed Ben that his lawyer had secured an order for the officers to escort Ben to meet with him. Clyde assured Ben that he had checked the room and that there were no recording devices. Ben was angry and blamed himself for Clyde's imprisonment. When Ben asked if Clyde had murdered the witness in Florida to protect him, Clyde said he would be honest if Ben was honest with him.

Clyde asked why Chad had attacked Ben. Ben lied and told the same story he had told the police. Shaking his head, Clyde said the story did not make sense. When Ben objected and said he was not a liar, Clyde argued that Ben was hiding something. Ben said no. Suspicious, Clyde pressed Ben to talk to him.

"You're right. It's Chad. He was onto me," Ben said. As Clyde leaned closer, Ben said that Chad had interrupted him when he had attempted to murder Marlena. Clyde asked what Marlena had done.

"None of them did anything to me. Except Will. He was figuring things out," Ben said. Stunned, Clyde said, "You killed Will?" "Dad, I killed them all," Ben said nervously. Ben said he could not believe what he had done. Clyde asked Ben what had happened. Ben explained that he had not thought Chad would give up on Abigail and that he had wanted to remove Chad from Abigail's life.

Ben said he had seen Chad drinking with Serena and had followed her into the park. Ben continued that he had murdered Serena and planted evidence pointing to Chad. Frustrated, Ben noted that the police had not arrested Chad, and Abigail had defended Chad, which had forced Ben to kill Paige. Ben admitted that he had spiked the whiskey in Chad's hotel room, and he had planted more evidence at the scene with Paige.

"Why does she still stick up for him?" Ben cried out. Clyde urged Ben to calm down and tell him the rest of the details. Ben said that he had learned that Abigail had sneaked Chad into Marlena's office for counseling. After watching Chad leave a session, Ben had attacked Marlena, but had been interrupted when Chad had unexpectedly returned to the office. Ben said he had believed he'd been in the clear when Marlena had seen Chad with the necktie that had been purchased using a DiMera account.

"These moron Salem cops still didn't arrest him," Ben growled. Clyde asked about Will, and Ben started to cry. Choking up with his emotions, Ben said Will had found one of the neckties in Ben's apartment. "He knew it was me. I didn't have a choice," Ben said, sniffling. As Clyde took in the information, Ben added that Chad had figured out that Ben was the killer and had broken into the apartment in order to confront him. Ben added that Abigail had arrived home before he'd been able to kill Chad.

"I hate what I did. Do you understand me, Dad? Please say you do. Say you do," Ben said. Clyde stared quietly at Ben. Ben begged Clyde not to turn him in to the police. Fighting tears, Ben said he needed to be with Abigail. Clyde nodded. Ben added that Abigail had agreed to move into their house. Staring into his father's eyes, Ben swore that he had been forced to kill in order to keep Chad away from Abigail.

"I will take your secret to my grave," Clyde said. Relieved and surprised, Ben gasped. Clyde said he would do whatever he could to protect his son. Ben hugged his father, crying. Clyde said that he loved his son more than Ben would ever know. With both men fighting tears, Clyde assured Ben that Chad would remain the chief suspect. Ben asked Clyde about the witness in Florida, but the two officers returned and removed Clyde from the room. Upset, Ben struggled over to his father, and the two hugged one another goodbye.

Daniel and Nicole set a wedding date

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

by ChickenGrrl

In his office, Aiden reviewed the edited beneficiary designations on Hope's life insurance policy -- with his own name at the top of the list. Chase called his dad from Horton Square just then because he'd been about to head home but had realized he'd misplaced his keys. Aiden promised to meet his son right away. Across the square, Andre thoughtfully watched Chase.

Aiden was incensed when he arrived and found Chase chatting chummily with Andre. Aiden took his house key off his key ring and gave it to Chase, who headed off to meet some friends at the mall. With his finger in Andre's face, Aiden growled, "You come near my son again, and I will kill you." Andre nonchalantly maintained that he hadn't been trying to threaten Aiden; he'd merely run into Aiden's son.

Aiden informed Andre that he had set everything in motion with the insurance claim. "You've crossed the Rubicon, have [you]?" Andre asked, a bit impressed. Aiden warned Andre not to cross him but promised to pay back every cent he owed the DiMeras. "But if I fail, I'll have nothing left to lose. Do you understand?" Aiden declared, angrily reiterating his warning for Andre to stay away from Chase. Andre asserted that Aiden couldn't afford to make any more mistakes.

John walked up just then and asked if Andre were bothering Aiden. Attempting to lighten his demeanor, Aiden lied that Andre needed a lawyer, but Aiden wasn't taking on any new clients. Claiming he needed to return to the office, Aiden left. Before Andre could leave, John stopped him to warn him not to mess with John's family. Andre asserted that he'd changed and no longer had any ill will toward John, but John didn't buy it. "Stay the hell away from my family," John reiterated before walking away.

At the hospital, although she spoke in hushed tones, Kayla was clearly agitated as she told Hope about what had happened with Steve before he'd left town again. Hope tried to reassure Kayla that Steve's words had indicated that he intended to return. Kayla said Steve had grabbed her and kissed her right there in her place of business, in front of her colleagues -- but the worst part of the whole situation had been that Steve had taken off right after talking to her mother about Caroline's dreams. Hope couldn't help but smile and point out, "Kind of seems like old times, don't you think?" Ignoring Hope, Kayla noted that, at the very least, her mother really seemed to be doing much better.

In Caroline's room, Roman was helping his mother, who was dressed and perched on the edge of her bed, pack to go home. Caroline admitted that she almost wished her memory were gone again so she wouldn't remember what had happened to Will. Just as Caroline was demanding to go home, Victor walked in and said he needed to talk to her. "If it's about more medical claptrap, I'm walking right through that door," Caroline warned.

Victor barked at Caroline to let him finish. Just then, Dr. Salinas entered with Kayla and Hope. The doctor urged Victor not to speak to Caroline that way, but Caroline asserted, "He's talking to me like me, not like some ditzy old lady." Victor explained that Caroline could go home that day, but first, Dr. Salinas thought she should have another dose of the serum. Caroline tried to refuse, and Roman and Kayla agreed that it seemed like a bad idea.

Victor sat on Caroline's bed and stated gently that he hadn't gotten the best doctor in that hemisphere to treat her so she could quit halfway through -- but if she wanted to go home, she could "sit in her room and knit." Caroline hissed, "I hate you!" Victor retorted, "I don't care." He promised to hold Caroline's hand through it. Caroline asked what Kayla thought, and Salinas reassured Kayla that administering another dose was in Caroline's best interest.

Kayla reluctantly agreed as long as she could be the one to administer the drug. Caroline requested her rosary from Roman, which he handed over. After Caroline kissed it and crossed herself with it, Victor told her to take his hand -- and not to watch while Kayla injected the syringe into Caroline's IV.

Carrying a duffel bag, Aiden let himself into Hope's house and called his fiance to find out how long she would be at the hospital. Hope, who had left Caroline's room and was waiting near the nurses' station, explained that she would be a little while longer because Caroline was getting another dose of the serum before releasing her. "Give her a hug for me, will you?" Aiden asked. Hope thanked Aiden for checking in.

Kayla, Victor, and Dr. Salinas soon joined Hope. Kayla fretted that her mother was delusional and hallucinating about Bo. Victor insisted that Caroline was still doing much better; she was just worried about her son. Salinas noted that even though he and Dr. Brady were scientists, even she had to admit that they didn't know everything there was to know about the human brain. "Are you saying that you think that this drug is giving my mother some form of ESP? Because if you are, I want you off the case," Kayla said.

Once the women were alone, Hope admitted to Kayla that, even as unsettling as it was for Caroline to keep talking about the dreams, Hope's heart was breaking for her former mother-in-law. Kayla noted that Dr. Salinas' drug was making Caroline believe that her dreams were actually visions. Kayla reminded Hope that they had both worked hard to accept that Bo was gone and to move on, so they should stop thinking about Caroline's visions and focus on Hope's wedding day.

Kayla began ranting about Steve again, blaming her ex for making Caroline think that Bo was out there somewhere but unable to return home. Kayla complained, "Why couldn't he just stay in New York, you know? They like crazy people there!" Hope remarked that Steve was just in love with Kayla, who adamantly refused to believe that.

Kayla grumbled that it was just like Steve to encourage Caroline to believe she had some kind of mystical powers in which she could see Bo then for Steve to take off and leave Kayla to clean up the mess. "My mom now believes that her son is coming back, and it is not true!" Kayla asserted. Hope assured Kayla that, as much as Caroline wanted to believe that Bo was returning, Hope knew the dreams were only dreams. "It's time for me to move on with my life -- with Aiden," Hope said.

Nicole and Daniel kissed outside the Brady Pub. She proposed that they go back to the apartment for breakfast in bed -- as well as lunch and dinner. Daniel declined, reminding his fiance that they still needed to set a wedding date, without letting sex get in the way of planning. They went inside and began trying to coordinate their schedules with Chloe's and Parker's -- but they were unsuccessful. Nicole suggested they elope and just throw a big party when they returned, but Daniel really wanted Maggie to be there.

Nicole didn't want to get married at the holidays because she didn't want Christmas to upstage their nuptials. Daniel ruled January out because Parker would be with Chloe and in school. An obviously touched Nicole informed Daniel that Parker had asked if he could walk her down the aisle. Daniel admitted that he was impressed with how well Nicole was handling everything. Getting up to sit in Daniel's lap, Nicole said it was because she was happier than she'd ever been.

Although they agreed that it was a little corny and clichd, Daniel and Nicole finally settled on Valentine's Day. Since they'd accomplished their goal, Nicole asked if they could spend the rest of the day in bed.

Roman and Victor accompanied Caroline to the Brady Pub, where Daniel and Nicole greeted her warmly. Daniel lightly encouraged Caroline to call him if she even suspected there was something wrong. Nicole informed the others that she and Daniel had set a date. "Victor, we're going to be family again!" Nicole teased, unable to hide her glee. "Be still, my heart," Victor groused, suppressing a grin. Caroline declared that she couldn't wait to dance at the wedding.

Her old fire obviously back, Caroline ordered Daniel and Nicole to sit down and eat their food before it got cold. As Roman took his mother's bag upstairs, Caroline practically ordered Victor to help Steve find Bo. Victor informed Caroline that he had already given Steve the Kiriakis jet. "If anyone can find Bo, Steve will, and I'll give him anything he needs to do that," Victor promised.

Later, Daniel signaled the bartender, who used a remote to turn off the game on TV, dim the lights, and play John Legend's "All of Me" over the bar's sound system. Daniel invited Nicole to dance, and she happily accepted. Daniel danced her all around the restaurant, spinning and dipping her and lifting her high in the air, while smiling patrons looked on. As the song drew to a close, Nicole and Daniel shared a tender kiss, and she embraced her future husband with joyous tears in her eyes.

Victor stepped outside to call Steve but got no answer. "You promised to keep me posted. What's going on? Have you found out anything? Call me back!" a worried Victor ordered on Steve's voicemail.

As he set down his bag in the Brady house, Aiden noticed a pile of response cards from the wedding invitations. Caroline's was on top, and although her name was handwritten on it, the response line wasn't marked. With a heavy sigh, Aiden sat down and unzipped the duffel, urging himself not to think about what he was doing. Sighing again, Aiden took out a pair of black leather gloves, a black turtleneck, a black hood with eye and mouth holes -- and a red necktie. Wrapping the tie around his hands, Aiden rested his chin on his fists and contemplated what he was planning.

Aiden pictured himself in a tuxedo, carrying Hope in her wedding gown across the threshold, and the two of them falling into bed together. Just as it seemed they would consummate their marriage, Aiden said he'd left some Champagne in the car and wanted to retrieve it so they could celebrate. Aiden watched himself go downstairs, take off his tie and tuxedo jacket, then don all the pieces of his Necktie Killer costume. "Sorry, Hope. There isn't any other way," the real Aiden told himself shakily.

Aiden imagined himself going outside and using a crowbar to make it look like the killer had broken into the house. Tie in hand, fantasy Aiden began climbing the stairs, and the real Aiden followed. While his true self "watched," Imaginary Aiden crept up behind Hope, who was blissfully remarking that she felt as if she were in a romance novel. Fantasy Aiden swiftly got the necktie around Hope's neck and strangled her until she stopped breathing.

Reality Aiden looked down at his bride's lifeless form until it vanished and he was standing next to the bed, holding the tie. He lay back on the bed, obviously dreading what he had to do. Aiden went back downstairs and imagined himself back in the bedroom, using a gloved finger to dial 9-1-1 from the landline, and placing the phone in Hope's right hand. Imaginary Aiden went downstairs and exchanged a long look with the real Aiden before removing his costume, which he returned to the duffel bag.

After putting the tux jacket and tie back on, faux Aiden took a bottle of expensive Champagne out of the bag and headed to the front porch. When the emergency vehicles arrived, fantasy Aiden breathlessly ran out to the street, calling, "Thank God you're here!" Back inside, the real Aiden told himself, "It'll work. It has to."

In Mexico, Bo was asleep on a narrow bed, sweaty but shivering and mumbling fretfully in his sleep, in a crude cabin. A woman approached and placed a gentle hand on Bo's shoulder, and he jerked awake, staring at her mistrustfully. In Spanish, she quietly urged him to calm down because he was very sick. "Sick," she managed in English. Bo insisted that he had to get home to his wife and daughter. Throwing in what words he knew in Spanish, Bo asked for a phone or a radio to communicate with, but the woman informed that there was no electricity in the cabin.

The woman gave Bo a cup of liquid and, in Spanish, encouraged him to drink because he was very weak. Bo asked if there were a town or city nearby, but the woman didn't understand. Showing the woman the scars on his arm, Bo tried to explain that bad men had hurt him, put drugs in him, and made him sick. Again, the woman didn't understand. Bo asked if the woman had a map. She did understand that, as the word was very close to the Spanish word, mapa, and left to look for one.

The woman appeared after a few minutes with a map in hand. Bo thanked her in Spanish and asked where her casa was on the map. The woman pointed it out, and Bo studied the map until he found Playa del Carmen, which didn't appear very far away and where he knew there was a safe house. "This is very good news!" Bo exclaimed. With a few stilted Spanish words, Bo introduced himself and asked the woman's name. "Lucia," she replied, smiling because she'd understood him.

"Lucia, I love you, because now I believe I know where I am," Bo said, returning his attention to the map. Talking mostly to himself, Bo continued that once he got to the safe house, he could call his wife and daughter to let them know he was all right. As Bo used his finger to trace his route on the map and tried to get out of bed, Lucia sat him back down, urging him to rest. Bo asked which direction Playa del Carmen was. Lucia reluctantly pointed in the general direction but told Bo to wait until the next day. When Lucia gently pushed him into a reclining position, Bo weakly submitted, falling asleep almost before his head hit the pillow.

Steve found the place where Bo had been tortured -- and which Caroline had seen in her dreams. As he explored the dingy exam room with a flashlight, Steve spotted a sign that read "Punta Laguna," just as she had described it. Beneath that were the words "Centro Medico." Steve found a used syringe on the floor and gave it a sniff. He searched the gurney to which Bo had been strapped and found the unfastened restraints. "The hell, Bo? Did you do this, man?" Steve muttered.

"Where are you?" Steve wondered, looking around the room one last time before drawing his pistol and heading out. Once he was back on Victor's jet, Steve called John to tell him that he'd found the place from Caroline's dreams, although there had been no sign of Bo. Steve guessed that the syringes had been used to give sodium pentothal to Bo. John wondered, if Bo had been there, where he'd gone. "Probably not far. But, hey, wasn't there an ISA safe house around here?" Steve asked. John said the safe house was still there. "That's where I'm headed," Steve decided.

His gun drawn, Steve explored an abandoned-looking building, calling Bo's name -- until suddenly, a man approached from behind and used the butt of his pistol to bash Steve on the back of the head. Steve fell to the floor, unconscious.

Sonny leaves Salem again.

Thursday, October 22, 2015

by Mike

At the hospital, Chad remained in a coma, thinking about his recent confrontation with Ben. Meanwhile, Abigail entered Chad's room and took a seat at his bedside, greeting him and hoping he could hear her.

"I had to come and see you; not for you, Chad, but for me. I have to wrap my head around this. I have to know if what the police are saying -- what Ben is saying... I have to know... Did you murder those poor women and Will? Did you attack Ben?" Abigail wondered, admitting that she found that hard to believe. "But after what Ben told me about how violent and how crazy you were... If you did what he says you did -- if you killed all those people -- is it because of me? Did you snap? Did you snap, and that's how you were able to do all these terrible things -- because of me, because I chose Ben instead of you?" Abigail asked.

Abigail wanted to believe that Chad was incapable of murder, especially since she had seen the part of him that was gentle, loving, and kind; she conceded, however, that she had also seen just how angry he could get at times. Abigail momentarily allowed for the possibility that Chad really was capable of murder -- and perhaps she was just blind to that part of him. Ultimately, though, Abigail decided that wasn't true, and she assured Chad that she would always believe in him. Abigail tearfully begged Chad to wake up and tell her what had really happened.

At the police station, Rafe discussed the murders with Lani, still convinced that things weren't as they appeared to be. When Lani asked if Rafe had an alternative theory, he confirmed that he did, but he didn't bother to elaborate, admitting that there wasn't a shred of evidence to support it. Rafe started to leave, but Lani stopped him and wondered if he would like to have dinner with her sometime. Rafe reminded Lani that they worked together and therefore had to be careful about such things. Rafe added, however, that a group date with a few of the other police officers would be a good way for Lani to get to know everyone, and she accepted the offer.

Gabi stopped in front of a store window and began showing Arianna some of the Halloween costumes that were on display. "Daddy," Arianna said, spotting Sonny at the other end of the town square. Sonny approached and took Arianna into his arms as Gabi told him what Arianna had just said. Gabi invited Sonny to join her for coffee, but he declined, explaining that he didn't have much time because he was about to leave for Paris. Gabi tried to convince Sonny to stay for a while longer, but he had already made up his mind.

"You just don't know what it's like in Salem now. Will's around every corner. I go to the pub, [and] I get sick to my stomach; I can't breathe. I look at this beautiful little girl, and I see his eyes," Sonny told Gabi, who nodded and assured him that she knew what it was like to grieve. "But you and Will -- you had something so great," Gabi began to add, but Sonny sadly asked her to stop. Gabi stressed that she was always going to remember how wonderful Sonny had always been with her and Arianna. "Sonny, you really are her father -- no matter what, no matter where you are," Gabi concluded.

Sighing, Sonny told Gabi that he and Will had once discussed taking Arianna to Paris. Sonny extended an open invitation to Gabi, offering to provide her with the use of the Titan jet for the trip, and she promised to take him up on the offer someday. Sonny hugged Arianna and kissed her forehead. "I love you. Au revoir, ma petite," Sonny told Arianna before kissing her forehead again and stealing another hug. Sobbing, Sonny returned Arianna to Gabi and walked away.

At the Salem Inn, Eduardo received a phone call from someone he had hired to keep tabs on Gabi and Rafe. After a quick conversation, Eduardo ended the call and pulled a journal out of a desk drawer. Flipping to the bookmarked page, Eduardo grabbed a pen and began to write down what he had just learned. The journal appeared to be a log of all the places Rafe and Gabi had gone as well as a comprehensive list of all the people they had interacted with at each of those places. Once he was finished, Eduardo carefully returned the journal to the drawer, right next to a gun.

After closing the drawer, Eduardo deliberately placed the pen at the top center of the desk, positioning it horizontally, then straightened a few of the other items on the desk, making sure they were all just the way he wanted them to be. Satisfied, Eduardo went to get his suit jacket, brushing some lint off it before putting it on and fixing his collar. Next, Eduardo tucked the desk chair under the desk, picked up his hotel key card, positioned it in the center of his cell phone, and placed both items in his jacket pocket. Finally, after taking one last look around the place to make sure that everything was in order, Eduardo left his hotel room.

Eduardo went to the town square and located Gabi and Arianna, but before he could approach them, Rafe showed up and blocked his path, demanding to know why he was still in Salem. Eduardo explained that he planned to stick around and make things right with Rafe and Gabi. Chuckling, Rafe insisted that was an impossible task, and he declared that Eduardo was pathetic -- and delusional, too, if he truly believed he could earn Rafe's forgiveness after abandoning his family so many years earlier. Eduardo argued that he could be of real help to Gabi -- and she had a right to make her own decision about whether she wanted him in her life or not.

As Rafe and Eduardo argued, Gabi approached with Arianna and wondered what was going on, recognizing Eduardo as the man who had returned one of Arianna's toys a few days earlier. Eduardo claimed that he had just mistaken Rafe for someone else and had unintentionally offended Rafe in the process. Eduardo apologized and excused himself.

After Eduardo left, Gabi admonished Rafe for blowing a misunderstanding out of proportion. When Rafe explained that Eduardo was Paige's father, Gabi got even more upset, wondering why Rafe had been yelling at a grieving parent. Realizing that Gabi had a right to know the truth, Rafe reluctantly revealed that Eduardo wasn't just Paige's father -- he was their father, too.

Stunned, Gabi admitted that she couldn't really remember anything about Eduardo. Gabi recalled that she had once asked her mother about Eduardo, and her mother had replied, in an uncharacteristically cold way, that Gabi needed to forget about him, the same way she had. Gabi started asking Rafe questions about Eduardo, wondering why he had left them years earlier. "Who knows? Who cares?" Rafe replied with a shrug.

"I care, Rafe. It was just the central event of our lives!" Gabi countered. Realizing that Eduardo had arrived in Salem shortly after Paige's murder, Gabi wondered why Rafe hadn't told her about him sooner. Rafe explained that he had been waiting for the right time. Gabi wanted to know where Eduardo was staying, but Rafe had no idea -- although he assumed the Salem Inn was a safe bet. Rafe insisted it didn't matter, and he warned Gabi not to visit Eduardo, since she already had enough on her plate, and Eduardo had a habit of hurting people.

Rafe headed back to the police station after Gabi promised to stay away from Eduardo. Justin informed Rafe that Abigail was with Chad at the hospital. Rafe confirmed that a warrant for Chad's arrest had already been obtained, and the police were ready to act if, as Justin was hoping, Abigail's visit managed to rouse Chad from his coma.

After Justin left, Rafe received a phone call from his FBI contact, and he proceeded to ask the guy to investigate Eduardo for him. Meanwhile, Gabi tracked Eduardo down at the Salem Inn and approached the door to his hotel room. Inside, Eduardo looked up from his journal, as if he sensed a presence in the hallway. Gabi considered knocking but changed her mind and walked away.

At Will's grave, Lucas admitted that he was having trouble letting Will go. "You were such a great son, and you had your whole life ahead of you. I close my eyes, and I can still see the smile on your face when Sonny put that ring on your finger. I can't believe I'm never gonna see that smile again," Lucas tearfully stated.

Lucas added that Will hadn't deserved a father like him. Lucas apologized for all the times he had screwed up, and he vowed to take care of each of Will's loved ones -- especially Arianna, who would always know how great Will had been. Lucas also promised to try to be more like Will had been. "And I won't drink. I promise I won't take a drink. Today, of all days, would be the day I climb back in the bottle, but I won't do it, okay? I promise you, I'll make you proud," Lucas swore before sadly adding that he missed Will already.

Justin entered the Brady Pub and greeted Adrienne, wondering how she was doing. "You don't have to ask me like that -- like I'm on death's doorstep or something, okay? I have the BRCA1 gene; I don't have cancer. But I do have to get this payroll done for TBD, so you can go about your life, and I can go about mine," Adrienne replied before turning her attention back to her tablet computer.

Justin tried to convince Adrienne that the payroll could wait -- and that it would be better for her to spend her time exploring her options. Adrienne got upset when Justin revealed that he had discussed her case with a friend at the Mayo Clinic. "Justin, you are not a part of my life anymore, so you sure as hell aren't gonna be making decisions for me," Adrienne stressed.

Adrienne urged Justin to go back to his office, where everyone had to do what he told them to do, because she wasn't going to do anything impulsive or irrational simply because he wanted to be in control of the situation. Justin argued that talking to one of the top specialists in the field would be neither of those things. Justin added that he was concerned about Adrienne because, despite their recent divorce, he still cared about her.

Adrienne understood but maintained that Justin needed to accept the fact that he was no longer in the driver's seat because they were no longer husband and wife. "Really? Could've fooled me," Sonny said as he approached, adding that hearing Justin and Adrienne snipe at each other had reminded him of old times. Adrienne assured Sonny that she and Justin hadn't been sniping at each other. Justin elaborated that he and Adrienne had simply been talking about her recent health scare -- and what she planned to do about it.

"Damn you!" Adrienne snapped at Justin, who quickly realized she hadn't told Sonny about her health scare yet. "No, Justin, I didn't. I thought maybe I'd wait till after he buried his husband. Or was that a mistake, too?" Adrienne replied. Confused, Sonny wondered what was going on. Adrienne filled Sonny in but stressed that she was fine, prompting him to wonder why Justin was upset. Justin explained that he believed Adrienne needed to seek second and third opinions, and she countered that she believed he needed to mind his own business. "I'm sorry, Mom, but I'm on Dad's side," Sonny admitted.

Adrienne mused that it really did seem like old times -- Justin and Sonny were ganging up on her, as usual. Sonny clarified that he and Justin simply loved Adrienne and knew she had a tendency to sweep things under the rug. "You paid him to say that, didn't you?" Adrienne asked Justin, who denied the accusation. Adrienne insisted that she had the situation under control -- and she didn't want Sonny to worry about her because he was already going through a horrible time in his life. Sonny said he couldn't help worrying about Adrienne, and she replied that that was precisely why she had wanted to wait to tell him about her diagnosis.

Adrienne asked Justin and Sonny to let her be, assuring them that she would handle the situation in her own way. Sonny was fine with that but reasoned that it couldn't hurt for Adrienne to get a second opinion. "Great job at that 'letting me be' part," Adrienne sarcastically told Sonny, forcing a smile. Justin advised Sonny to give up, recognizing that it would be impossible to get Adrienne to budge because she had already dug her heels firmly into the ground. Hoping to end the conversation, Adrienne offered a compromise, promising to allow further discussion after Sonny took a few days to recover from the emotional turmoil of Will's funeral.

Sonny explained that he wouldn't be able to do that because he was headed back to Paris that afternoon. Justin started to object but quickly stopped himself. "Too many memories?" Adrienne guessed, and Sonny nodded sadly. Sonny apologized for saddling Adrienne with the responsibility of running Club TBD, but she assured him that it was okay because it gave her a reason to stay busy -- and that made it easier for her to sweep things under the rug.

"I love how you let things go," Sonny joked, prompting Adrienne to reply that she didn't want to let him go -- but would if he believed doing so would be best for him. "It is for now," Sonny confirmed, stressing that he was going to miss Justin and Adrienne -- and also Arianna -- terribly. Justin assured Sonny that he and Adrienne would help Gabi anytime she needed help. "And Sonny, trust me -- I'm gonna make Chad DiMera pay for what he's done, if it's the last thing I do," Justin vowed.

After Sonny left, Adrienne complained that she had wanted him to have time to grieve without having to also worry about her. Justin apologized again for messing up that plan but maintained that it was best for Sonny to know what Adrienne was going through because it was the sort of thing she shouldn't have to go through without the support of her family.

Adrienne reminded Justin that they were no longer family -- and they had the divorce papers to prove that. "You can't just come barreling into my life and do and say whatever you want because you think it's right," Adrienne added. Justin insisted he wasn't guilty of doing such things, but Adrienne assured him that he was -- and that was precisely why they were in the mess they were in.

Adrienne stormed off before Justin could respond, and as she passed through the town square a few minutes later, she found Lucas sitting on one of the benches. Lucas confirmed that he wouldn't mind Adrienne's company, so she took a seat next to him and listened as he told her about his earlier visit to the cemetery. Lucas admitted that he was having a hard time letting go, and Adrienne gently informed him that he would never be able to do so.

Adrienne took Lucas to a beautiful spot in Salem where much of the town was visible, including the town square and "Victor's hideous monument to his ego," otherwise known as Titan Tower. Lucas sadly pointed out that the cemetery was also visible from that vantage point. Lucas conceded, however, that it was indeed a beautiful spot. Lucas hoped he could keep the promises he had made to Will earlier. Adrienne was confident that Lucas could, and she promised that she would take care of him while he was taking care of everyone else.

Sonny went to Will's grave, and while he was kneeling beside it, Paul approached him from behind. "I knew I'd find you here," Paul said. As Sonny stood, Paul wondered if he had made up his mind about returning to Paris. Sonny confirmed that he planned to leave that afternoon. "I just -- I can't be here. He's everywhere; he's in everyone that I talk to," Sonny explained.

"I don't even know what's happened to me. Everyone's been so wonderful," Sonny added before letting his voice trail off. Paul reasoned that everyone had been that way because they all loved Sonny. "Maybe I don't want to feel anything right now -- even love," Sonny replied. Paul hesitantly stated that everyone simply wanted to help Sonny get through what he was facing. "I know. And I hope that they're here when I get back," Sonny said. "I think you can count on that," Paul assured Sonny before giving him a hug.

Later, alone again at Will's grave, Sonny opened his wallet, pulled out a picture of him, Will, and Arianna, and placed it on the gravestone with a heavy sigh. After staring at it for a few moments, Sonny sadly nodded, raised his fingers to his lips, and carried a kiss back down to the gravestone. As soon as Sonny walked away, a gust of wind blew the picture off the gravestone.

Steve and Bo reunite

Friday, October 23, 2015

by Mike

At the police station, Abigail ended a phone conversation with Ben after telling him she was with J.J. and Jennifer at the Horton house, talking about some family stuff. Jennifer wondered why Roman was late for a meeting he had called himself. Shrugging, J.J. suggested that Roman was probably just busy.

Changing the subject, J.J. said he had seen that the Salem Spectator had retracted the story about him and Jennifer dealing drugs out of the Horton Center. Abigail noted that Jennifer had already been reinstated as one of the Horton Center's board members, but that wasn't news to J.J., who bragged that it had all happened because he had gotten Clyde arrested. Jennifer complained that, while J.J. was feeling pretty full of himself at the moment, he had put himself in serious danger when he had decided to go up against Clyde on his own. "Mom, chill, okay? Everything worked out," J.J. dismissively pointed out.

Changing the subject again, J.J. wondered why Abigail had lied to Ben earlier. Abigail explained that she hadn't told Ben she was at the police station because she hadn't wanted to upset him, adding that it would be nice if J.J. could take a second to stop and consider how Ben felt about the fact that Clyde -- Ben's father -- was being extradited to Florida that day to face murder charges. Before J.J. could respond, Roman arrived and announced that Clyde's plane had just taken off and was headed to Florida -- with Clyde in handcuffs. "Turns out Weston is a lot more dangerous than anybody knew," Roman added.

"I knew. That's why I was ready to take him down any way I could," J.J. replied. Nodding, Roman wondered why J.J. had asked to see him. Confused, Jennifer and Abigail started to remind Roman that he had asked to see them, but they soon realized that they had been duped. J.J. apologetically explained that he had wanted Jennifer and Abigail to be present when he talked to Roman about joining the police force.

Jennifer and Abigail were both vehemently opposed to the idea, but Roman thought J.J. would make an excellent police officer. J.J. stressed that law enforcement was a career choice he felt really good about, but Jennifer and Abigail both insisted that he was too young to make such a decision, and he needed to finish college first. "No, I am not waiting! This is my life, and I want to do this now! It is my call!" J.J. countered before storming off, ignoring Jennifer's attempt to stop him.

Abigail chased after J.J. after reiterating to Roman that J.J. was not going to join the police force anytime soon. Jennifer also maintained that she wasn't going to let J.J. join the police force until after he finished college, but Roman reminded her that she couldn't stop J.J. from joining the police force right away because he was of legal age and could do whatever he wanted to do, with or without her blessing. "Look, I have been a cop a lot of years. A few scars, a lot of close calls, but I'm still standing. And, to be honest with you, I think J.J. has what it takes to be a great cop," Roman added as Jennifer sighed worriedly.

Abigail followed J.J. to a secluded section of the town square, where she admonished him for being selfish, pointing out that he could have gotten himself killed during his confrontation with Clyde at the pier. Abigail added that J.J. was too emotionally raw to be making such a big decision at that time. "Let me ask you something -- what if I had decided to be a cop a year ago? What if I had been able to arrest Chad before he started killing people -- like Paige, like Will? How would you have felt about that? Would you have jumped in and tried to protect him then, too?" J.J. wondered, but Abigail walked away without answering the question.

After kicking a nearby trashcan, J.J. took a seat on a bench and buried his face in his hands, trying to calm himself down. "Want some company?" Gabi asked as she approached with Arianna, observing that it looked like J.J. could use a friend. J.J. told Gabi about what had happened, and she encouraged him to pursue his dream of joining the police force if that was what he really wanted to do, noting that Rafe loved being a cop because he got to help people every single day, in big ways and in small ways.

J.J. admitted that he couldn't stop thinking that if he had joined the police force sooner, he might have been able to protect Paige. J.J. added that Paige had died before he had been able to truly make up for the things he had done that had hurt her. Gabi advised that J.J. needed to try to find a way to let Paige go and stop feeling guilty about her death. J.J. predicted that Gabi would have really liked Paige. Gabi wished she could have met Paige, especially since she had learned, earlier that day, that Paige had been her half-sister.

The news surprised J.J., who agreed to tell Gabi some things about the half-sister she had never known. J.J. described Paige as someone who had been self-confident, innocent, and shy, all at the same time -- something he had often teased her about. J.J. added that Paige had also been smart, pretty, and forgiving. Gabi felt guilty about making J.J. talk about Paige when he was obviously still grieving her loss, but he assured her that it had actually helped to talk about Paige because, in a way, it had allowed him to see her again.

Nodding, Gabi admitted that she was also dealing with a lot at that time -- getting out of prison, losing a half-sister she had never even known about, losing Will, finding out that her father was in Salem -- and she couldn't exactly talk about any of those things with Arianna. J.J. told Gabi she could contact him if she ever needed someone to talk to, and she extended the same offer to him. J.J. thanked Gabi then left after reiterating that talking to her about Paige really had helped.

Rafe ran into Ben in the town square and wondered how he was doing. Ben started to complain about how his father was being shipped off to Florida that day, but he soon stopped himself, remembering that Clyde had vowed to beat the charges. "Yeah, well, that's what they all say. And then they cop a plea," Rafe replied, prompting Ben to wonder if Chad would be able to do that.

Shrugging, Rafe pointed out that Chad was still in a coma because Ben had really done a number on him. Ben repeatedly stressed that he had just been defending himself, and when Rafe pointed out that Ben had already made that clear more than once, Ben apologetically admitted that he had a tendency to "lose it" whenever he started thinking about Chad. "I mean, the guy killed three people. They should bring back the death penalty just for him. And let's not forget that he tried to kill Will's grandmother," Ben reminded Rafe, who added that Ben had said that Chad had gone after him, too.

"What do you mean, I said? Abigail came home and found me unconscious. I'm lucky I'm not the one in a coma," Ben defensively replied. Rafe told Ben to relax, adding that he had simply been making a statement. Nodding, Ben explained that it had sounded like Rafe had been doubting his story. Rafe wondered what reason he could possibly have for doubting Ben's story. Shrugging, Ben said his father's arrest had left him feeling a bit paranoid. "Mm-hmm. Well, let's just wait and see what Chad says when he wakes up," Rafe suggested.

Ben asked Rafe to assure him that Chad would, at the very least, be facing assault charges, even if the DiMera power managed to make the murder charges disappear. "I'm sure the D.A. will add it to the list," Rafe noncommittally replied. "Good. I want that bastard locked up forever. I don't want him near me, near Abigail, or anybody else he can suck into that sick world he lives in," Ben stressed.

When Rafe didn't respond right away, Ben chuckled and apologetically reiterated that he had a tendency to "lose it" sometimes. Ben reasoned, again, that he was simply on edge because of what was happening with his father. "Yeah, well, you know, a word to the wise -- sometimes our fathers aren't the men that we need them to be," Rafe advised.

As if on cue, Eduardo approached, and when Rafe insisted that he had nothing more to say to his father, Eduardo clarified that he actually wanted to talk to Ben. Praising Ben's bravery, Eduardo revealed that he planned to give Ben the one hundred thousand dollars he had offered for the capture of the man who had killed his daughter.

The news excited Ben, but Rafe pointed out that Chad hadn't been formally charged with any crimes yet. Conceding the point, Eduardo informed Ben that they would need to wait until Chad was charged and put on trial before they could settle the exchange of the reward money. Eduardo added that there were also a few tax issues that would need to be ironed out first. Eduardo was confident, however, that those problems would all sort themselves out soon enough, leaving Ben with everything he deserved. Ben left after shaking Eduardo's hand, declaring that Eduardo had just made his day much better.

Rafe tried to excuse himself, but Eduardo asked for a chance to say something first. Eduardo admitted that he had made some terrible mistakes, one of which had cost him the chance to get to know Paige before her death. Eduardo added that, while he understood why Rafe was upset with him, he remained hopeful that Gabi might give him a chance to make things right with her, even if Rafe would never extend that same courtesy.

Rafe confirmed that he had told Gabi that Eduardo was in Salem -- since Eduardo hadn't really left him with much of a choice there -- but he stressed that he had also told her that Eduardo was the kind of man who liked to start families and then abandon them. Rafe was confident that Gabi would figure out on her own that Eduardo wasn't worth getting to know, and he warned that Eduardo would have to answer to him if Eduardo ever did anything to hurt Gabi. Meanwhile, Gabi watched from behind a nearby vendor's cart.

Ben returned to his and Abigail's apartment and excitedly informed Abigail that they would soon be rich because Eduardo planned to give him the reward money. "What? No! That money was offered because people were murdered -- people that we cared about, people that we loved. You cannot take that money; that's blood money. Ben, you have to promise me you will not even touch it," Abigail insisted.

At the Brady Pub, Hope and Aiden met with Doug and Julie for a pre-wedding celebration, fearing that there might not be time for such a thing later, when they would be busy planning not only the wedding but also the bicentennial ceremony. Aiden started to propose a toast, but Doug refused to raise his glass, stating that he had some questions for Aiden first. Doug explained that, while he was happy that Hope had found love again, he wouldn't be able to jump on the marriage bandwagon until he learned more about Aiden.

Hope curtly reminded Doug that marrying Aiden was her decision to make, but Aiden assured her that he understood why Doug was concerned. Aiden encouraged Doug to go ahead and ask his questions, so Doug began with a question about Aiden's first wife's death. Hope and Julie objected, but Aiden allowed the question, guessing Doug had read some of the speculation about his involvement in Meredith's death. Aiden explained that the police had ruled Meredith's death a suicide -- and that was exactly what it had been.

Aiden offered to provide more details, but Julie said that wouldn't be necessary, and Doug agreed, stressing that he wasn't trying to be ghoulish. Doug clarified that he really just wanted to know about the marriage itself -- which, apparently, hadn't been a happy one. "Excuse me -- when it comes to marriage, I don't think there's anyone at this table who can throw stones, Dad," Hope pointed out, but Aiden again agreed to answer Doug's question. Aiden admitted that he and Meredith never should have married each other in the first place, since they had never been able to agree on anything -- except that their son was amazing. Aiden said he couldn't look back on his marriage to Meredith with total regret because if they hadn't gotten married, Chase -- who meant the world to him, and had meant the world to her, too -- never would have been born.

Satisfied with the answer, Doug observed that Aiden seemed to have a good, strong moral compass. As Aiden began to thank Doug for the kind words, Andre entered the Brady Pub and walked over to the bar. Julie and Doug were both shocked to see Andre but not the least bit shocked to learn that he had managed to find a way to avoid paying for the crimes he had committed.

A waitress soon interrupted with a bottle of Champagne -- compliments of Andre, and in honor of Hope and Aiden's impending nuptials. The gesture bothered Hope, who complained that Andre couldn't just waltz in, send over a bottle of Champagne -- cheap Champagne, in fact -- and pretend they were friends. Hope stood to confront Andre, but Aiden stopped her and offered to handle the matter himself.

Julie started dispensing New Age advice to Hope as Aiden carried the bottle of Champagne back to the bar and set it down in front of Andre, demanding to know what kind of game he was playing. Andre explained that he had simply been wondering if Aiden's happy little gathering with Hope and her family meant that Aiden had changed his mind about the way in which he planned to repay his debts to the DiMeras. "My debt is with your father, not his bastard son," Aiden reminded Andre. "You forget who owns you, fool. I'm a DiMera, which makes me one of my father's heirs. I will have my cut of you, no matter what," Andre countered.

Hope interrupted and observed that Aiden and Andre seemed to be having a pretty intense conversation. Aiden claimed that Andre had asked him for legal advice about Chad. Aiden proceeded to advise Andre that Chad should accept whatever deal the district attorney offered him -- and Andre should leave town before he did something that landed him in the prison cell next to Chad's. "You're very rude, you know that? Anyone ever tell you that? Especially when you're speaking to a man you don't even know... Or do you?" Andre replied before walking away. Hope wondered what Andre had meant, and Aiden claimed that he had no idea.

Later, Doug proposed a toast to Hope and Aiden, wishing them luck, love, and a beautiful wedding day. While taking a sip of red wine, Hope spotted someone entering the pub -- her son, Shawn. "Surprise!" Shawn told Hope as she rushed into his arms. After Hope pulled away, Shawn turned his attention to Aiden. "So, this is the guy you're gonna marry, huh?" Shawn guessed.

In Mexico, Lucia tried to nurse Bo back to health, but he remained weak and delirious, mistaking her for a vision of Hope. "I've missed you so much. I miss your touch, and your voice, and -- I just want to be home. I -- I tried to get back to you. I tried to get back to you [for] so long, but I couldn't. Sometimes I thought I wouldn't make it back. I love you so very much. You're the love of my life," Bo muttered.

The vision of Hope informed Bo that she had been waiting a very long time for him to return, but she couldn't wait much longer; in fact, she had accepted that he was never going to return home, and she had decided to move on with her life. Sobbing, Bo tried to reach out to Hope, but she was too far away. As the vision faded, Bo rose to his feet and stumbled out of Lucia's home, ignoring her attempts to stop him.

Elsewhere, Steve awoke and found himself chained to a wall. A man soon entered the room, and when Steve asked the man to tell him where Bo Brady was, the man mused that it was nice to know that Steve wasn't going to try to pretend he didn't know Bo, since that would have been a waste of time -- and would have caused Steve a great deal of pain. The man asked Steve to tell him about the secret project Bo had been working on. "You mean he didn't tell you?" Steve asked. The man confirmed that, despite plenty of encouragement, Bo hadn't said much. "Well, Bo never was much of a conversationalist," Steve said with a shrug.

Pulling a Taser out of his back pocket, the man warned that, while he had been quite lenient with Bo, he wouldn't be making the same mistake with Steve. Assuring the man that shock therapy wouldn't be necessary, Steve promised to tell him everything he wanted to know about the wonder drug Victor had been funding. Steve claimed that Dr. Salinas had promised that the drug would cure cancer, but it had turned out to be a dud -- and, therefore, anything Bo might be able to tell the man about the drug would be totally worthless.

Doubting Steve's story, the man shocked Steve, promising to keep doing so until Steve told him the truth. Steve muttered that he had nothing more to say. Meanwhile, another man led Bo into the room, explaining that he had just caught Bo in the woods, trying to sneak up to the building. As Bo settled on the floor next to Steve, they smiled at each other.