Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of September 16, 2019 on DAYS

Jordan returned to Salem and regained custody of her son. Julie and Gabi fought over whether Gabi had left Julie to die. Maggie warned Victor to leave Ben alone. Sarah decided to have an abortion. Vivian put Kate in a coma. Nicole and Eric made love. The D.A. dropped all charges against Tony. Brady struggled to resist Kristen. Kristen concocted a scheme to steal Sarah's fetus. Stefan provided an alibi for Vivian. Henry kidnapped Jennifer.

Vivian tries to kill Kate again

Monday, September 16, 2019

by Mike

Eric took Nicole to his apartment, which she was quick to compliment, having never seen it before.

"I know it's not much, but...it's home," Eric declared with a shrug. "I was very lucky when I found it, [back when I was still planning to adopt Holly; it met] all the criteria -- you know, [a] big bathtub for Holly and all her toys, [a] really awesome playground, [and] a great school nearby..." Eric continued. "Well, you really made it cozy and warm," Nicole observed. "Yeah, well, I didn't do it alone..." Eric began to admit before stopping abruptly. "Sarah?" Nicole guessed. "Yeah," Eric confirmed. "Is that...when you started falling for each other?" Nicole asked. "It's...when our friendship began," Eric replied.

"You know, Xander admitted earlier that he had his sights set on Sarah -- and that they had been 'close' once..." Nicole began, unable to stop thinking about Xander's claim. "Yeah, well...'close' would not be the word that I would use...[but, yes, they] have a very -- well, they have a...complicated...relationship," Eric vaguely confirmed. "Wait -- are you saying...Sarah slept with Xander?" Nicole asked incredulously. "Well, she had just found out that Rex cheated on her, and she -- she was hurt, obviously, and... [Anyway], she regretted it, [but] ever since, Xander's kind of had a thing for her," Eric carefully replied.

"That's enough talking for now," Eric suggestively declared before leading Nicole to the bedroom. "I just can't help but wonder...is -- is this where you and Sarah made love?" Nicole asked awkwardly. "Why does it matter?" Eric evasively replied. "It matters to me," Nicole stressed, prompting Eric to reluctantly confirm the suspicion. "But there's nothing between [Sarah and me] anymore. You're the only one for me," Eric reassured Nicole. "[Still], knowing that you were in [this] bed with someone else..." Nicole fretted. "We can go somewhere else..." Eric offered, but Nicole declined.

"You've given me no reason to doubt [you]," Nicole acknowledged before dropping the subject -- and starting to kiss Eric passionately.

Later, while Eric and Nicole were lying in bed together after making love, they happily agreed that nothing was ever going to separate them again.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Sarah tried to deny being pregnant -- until Xander admitted to having seen the results of the pregnancy test. "You went through my trash?" Sarah snapped. "Only because I was concerned about you -- [I mean], I could feel that you were hiding something from me... And I wasn't even gonna say anything, [but then] I came back to bring you some ginger ale, and you were asleep, and..." Xander explained with a shrug, and Sarah nodded in response, mentally filling in the blanks. "Please -- you have to forget --" Sarah began to beg. "Of course," Xander soothingly agreed.

"I understand how complicated this is for you -- [and Eric]. Have you told him yet?" Xander continued. "No," Sarah admitted. "Well, why wouldn't you...unless...is the baby Rex's?" Xander wondered. "No," Sarah repeated. "Well, I doubt it's some rando that's the father; I mean, yeah, you fell into bed with me -- which was one of the most delightful experiences of my life, if not the most delightful...not that it did much for my ego when I realized that it only happened because --" Xander rambled. "I do not want to discuss [that] with you!" Sarah irritably stressed.

"I'm sorry -- truly... That was a bit...insensitive...of me, to go on like that -- I realize that now... I suppose I was just trying to distract you -- you know, lift your spirits in my own...clumsy way..." Xander sheepishly explained. "It's fine," Sarah insisted after calming down. "Well, back to the business at hand -- you've made it clear that it is, indeed, Eric's baby that you're carrying, [so]...you haven't told him because...?" Xander continued before suddenly realizing the answer to the question -- and conceding, with clear admiration, that it should have been obvious all along.

"Of course you haven't told him -- you're far too kind and selfless, which is why you wouldn't want to intrude on his happy reunion with Nicole," Xander summarized. "[But], when the time is right -- which, I hope, will be soon -- I just think you're gonna feel so much better after you've told him," Xander reasoned, prompting Sarah to admit that Eric might never find out about the pregnancy. "I have...options," Sarah vaguely elaborated. "So, you're saying..." Xander slowly realized. "Horrified?" Sarah assumed, getting defensive. "No -- and, God knows, I'm in no position to judge..." Xander began to clarify.

"It's more that... Sarah, I really care about you, and...somehow, I feel that this...this isn't what you want to do," Xander continued. "It's not about what I 'want'; it's about what makes sense -- for me, for Eric..." Sarah insisted. "Look, I know I'm being presumptuous -- and this goes dead against my best interest -- but...from what I've observed, Eric is a stand-up guy, and if he knew he was about to have a child with you, he'd do the right thing," Xander assured Sarah, who tearfully wondered what "the right thing" was supposed to be in such a complicated situation.

"It just seems to me that you are thinking a lot about how all this affects Eric -- and even Nicole -- [when] you should be more concerned with your state of mind," Xander sympathetically advised. "What, were you a shrink in your other life?" Sarah wondered, clearly impressed. "I've been reading a lot of self-help books -- trying to be a better person and all," Xander admitted with a shrug, drawing a chuckle from Sarah. "I actually agree with you -- I do need to be a little more selfish here, and remind myself that when this baby was conceived, Eric did love me..." Sarah conceded.

"[But Nicole's still] the love of his life, [so]... I don't know -- I guess I'm just back to square one, [and I still] don't know what to do," Sarah continued with a sigh and a shrug. "Well, you don't have to sort it all out right now...[and, either way], you're not alone -- I'm gonna help you get through this, whatever you decide," Xander stressed while gently wiping away Sarah's tears.

At the hospital, Will and Sonny tried to ask someone for an update on Kate's condition -- unaware that the person was Vivian, who had dressed as a doctor named "D. Cramer" in order to gain access to Kate. Vivian refused to face Will and Sonny, instead flipping through a stack of nearby medical charts in an effort to appear busy. "Sorry to bother you...but, uh, you look like you just came out [of] the O.R.," Will explained. "[Kate's] his grandmother, and she was in surgery [for] a gunshot wound," Sonny elaborated. "Are you listening?" Will wondered, getting impatient.

Just then, Kayla approached Will and Sonny from behind, paying no attention to the other "doctor," and reported that Kate was out of surgery. "It was touch and go for a while, but she pulled through," Kayla summarized, drawing sighs of relief from both Will and Sonny -- and a scowl from Vivian, who had stuck around to eavesdrop. "She's in Recovery now, but we're gonna take her to her room very soon, [so] I'll come [back and] let you know [when she's ready for visitors]," Kayla promised. "Hopefully, when she wakes up, she can tell us who did this to her," Will mused.

Vivian rushed off to Recovery and lurked near its entrance, wanting to keep an eye on Kate, who was soon taken to one of the available single-patient rooms. Vivian sneaked into the room and shut the door then approached Kate, who was connected to a ventilator. "Damn you, Kate -- I shot you [in] cold blood, at point-blank range, and yet you survived...and you managed to crawl out of that grave! Actually, [it's] really rather impressive, but...I cannot have you waking up and, no doubt, skywriting that I am the one who tried to kill you," Vivian declared, scowling at Kate.

"This seems to be helping you breathe, [so]..." Vivian continued before wrapping one hand around a portion of the breathing tube and squeezing tightly -- causing an alarm to start beeping rapidly. Vivian smacked the ventilator a few times with the other hand and eventually managed to stop the alarm. "You've been a worthy adversary over the years -- I will give you that -- and I have to admit, I'm gonna miss our sparring and making each other miserable... Oh, well -- it shouldn't be too difficult to find someone new to torment," Vivian mused while waiting.

"Oh, for God's sake -- will you die already?" Vivian impatiently snapped at Kate after a few more seconds passed without results -- and, just then, a flatline alarm began blaring.

Vivian gasped in shock and released the breathing tube then rushed out of the room through a side door -- just as Kayla led Will and Sonny into the room through a front door, not yet aware that anything was amiss. "What's happening?" Will worriedly wondered as a nurse, who had heard the alarm at the nurses' station, rushed into the room and prepared a defibrillator for Kayla. "Grandma, I love you!" Will called out, refusing to leave the room.

After getting things back under control, Kayla assured Will and Sonny that Kate was still alive. "[But] we don't know why she had a sudden drop in her oxygen level...[and] she has slipped into a coma," Kayla added. "What? No!" Will protested, horrified. Vivian, who had been eavesdropping outside Kate's room, rushed off with a shake of the head, not entirely satisfied with the results.

Meanwhile, J.J. found Jennifer in Rolf's temporary lab, attempting to clean it. "What happened?" J.J. asked with a gasp of shock while looking around the trashed lab, prompting Jennifer to share all the known details. "Oh, my God... Who would... Eve! Damn that evil, vindictive... It had to be Eve!" J.J. snapped afterward, and Jennifer agreed that was the most likely explanation.

"[Can Rolf] recreate the serum?" J.J. asked hopefully. "I don't know," Jennifer replied with a shrug, adding that Rolf had disappeared earlier. "Leave it to me," J.J. assured Jennifer before rushing off in search of Rolf.

At the Horton Town Square, Jack angrily accused Eve of having trashed Rolf's temporary lab at the hospital. "I don't know what the hell you're talking about!" Eve insisted before starting to walk away from Jack, who wasn't convinced. "Admit it!" Jack demanded, grabbing Eve's right arm. "I'm not gonna admit to trashing that lab -- because I didn't do it!" Eve maintained, pulling away from Jack.

"You think I wake up every morning and think, 'Oh, my gosh -- now, how can I just make Jack Deveraux's life miserable again today?' Please! Here's a news flash for you -- I got better things to do with my time!" Eve stressed. "Like making other people's lives miserable? Because, face it, Eve, that's what you're really good at -- hurting other people!" Jack countered.

"[But], just so you know, [that] little destruction act that you put on was a big waste of time, because the serum -- [if] Rolf made it once, [then] he can make it again, and he will!" Jack warned. "Good luck," Eve sarcastically countered before starting to walk away from Jack again. "You're the one that's gonna need luck, [because] it's a crime -- what you did was a crime! I should just drag you in right now and have Commissioner Grant lock you up!" Jack snapped through gritted teeth, stopping Eve again. "One more chance to sue your ass -- for false arrest!" Eve coolly reasoned.

"[I'll admit that] I don't want to ever see Jennifer happy, [because] she's a selfish cow who's had it in for me since the beginning of time, and I hate her with every cell of my being...[but], whether you believe it or not, I didn't trash that lab! [And besides], if I really wanted to make [her] suffer...oh, hell -- I could come up with better ways than that," Eve assured Jack before finally leaving.

A short time later, Jack ran into J.J., who was still searching for Rolf. "It had to be Eve who [trashed the lab], right?" J.J. guessed. "She denied it -- vehemently," Jack reported. "Like it means anything, coming from her... We already know it's her life's work to hurt Mom," J.J. grumbled. "Yeah -- I guess, uh...I guess she's always been pretty clear about that," Jack agreed.

Meanwhile, at the hospital, someone sneaked into Rolf's temporary lab, grabbed a scalpel, and approached Jennifer, who was still busy cleaning the place -- and was not yet aware that anything was amiss.

Rafe surprises Ben

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

by Spalding

In the Kiriakis living room, Maggie told Victor his attempt to murder Ben was unforgivable. "I don't know what you've heard," Victor started. Maggie said she knew everything, and she recounted the facts. Victor asked Maggie who had told her.

"The point is you tried to murder this young man!" Maggie yelled. Victor complained that he should never have trusted Xander. Victor grumbled that he would fire Xander from Titan and throw him out of the house. With a scowl, Maggie noted, "You will do no such thing." Maggie argued that Victor was the menace.

"Why would you do something so awful to that young man?" Maggie asked. Victor said he had acted to protect Ciara. "The man [Ciara] loves is a serial killer who murdered three people in cold blood, and need I remind you he tried to burn your niece Abigail alive?" Victor said. Maggie argued that Ben was no longer a danger, but Victor said he did not want to take a chance on Ben.

"Killing him is not the answer," Maggie argued. Victor stressed that he needed to watch over Ciara for Bo. Maggie asked Victor if Bo would approve of murder. "If it meant that his daughter was in imminent danger? You're damn right he would," Victor said. Maggie reminded Victor that Ciara was a grown woman that could make her own choices. Maggie added that everyone had wrongly advised her not to marry Victor, and they'd been wrong just like Victor was wrong about Ben.

"What do I do now?" Victor asked. Maggie asked Victor to give Ben a second chance. "I hoped Ciara would come to her senses all by herself when I had Brady offer her a job at Titan," Victor muttered. "Yet another manipulation," Maggie commented. Maggie asked Victor why he could not accept Ciara's love for Ben.

"I've always seen [Ciara] as the family's hope for survival. The one most qualified to lead Titan into the future. She's willing to throw it all away for the serial killer, hillbilly spawn of Clyde Weston," Victor complained. Victor added that Bo would never have let Ciara date Ben. With a nod, Maggie reminded Victor that Doug had not wanted Bo to date Hope.

"Bo wasn't a murderer. He was a good man. Ben Weston is evil. He has to be gotten rid of, one way or the other," Victor complained. "Why do you have to control everything? Can't you give Ciara's relationship a chance?" Maggie asked. Victor refused. Victor argued that people like Ben did not change. Maggie warned Victor that he could lose Ciara if Victor did not respect her wishes.

"Ben holds all the cards. He can take Ciara away from you for good. If I were you, I would proceed with caution," Maggie counseled. After Maggie left, Victor looked at a photo of Bo. "Don't worry, son. I won't let you down. One way or the other, we'll find a way to keep Ben Weston out of Ciara's life," Victor said.

Hope ran into Rafe outside the Brady Pub. With a grin, Hope marveled over how much David had grown since the last time she had seen him. Rafe asked about Julie. Hope's smile faded, and she explained that Julie needed a heart transplant but was not eligible for the donor list. With a sigh, Rafe said that Gabi felt awful about the situation with Julie.

"She swore to me she thought that Julie was faking it," Rafe said. Confused, Hope asked Rafe what Gabi had to do with Julie's condition. Rafe said he had assumed Julie had mentioned what had happened in the park. With a shake of her head, Hope demanded to know what Rafe was talking about.

"According to Julie, Gabi and her were having an argument when she had the heart attack. And she said that when she fell to the ground, Gabi walked away," Rafe said. "[Gabi] walked away and left her there?" Hope asked in astonishment. Rafe added that Gabi's side of the story was that Gabi had believed that Julie had been faking a heart attack like she had done with her previously.

"Honestly, I do not think that my sister would walk away if she thought that Julie was having a heart attack," Rafe said. Hope asked about the argument. With a shrug, Rafe said Gabi had believed that it was an accident. When Rafe said he believed his sister, Hope said she understood.

"I'm not sure anybody else will. Especially Julie," Hope said. Rafe agreed that Gabi was not always trustworthy, but he did not believe Gabi was so heartless as to leave a woman to die. Hope nodded yes. "We all just want Julie to get better," Rafe said. Hope straightened Rafe's tie, and she asked about his suit.

"Getting married again?" Hope joked. "That's very funny, "Rafe said with a grin. Rafe explained that he was headed to family court to finalize his legal guardianship for David. Hope said that Ben was excited to spend time with his nephew. Rafe reminded Hope that Jordan was adamant that Ben stay away from David. With a furrowed brow, Rafe added that once the guardianship was finalized, he did not need to listen to Jordan. Rafe asked Hope for her opinion about Ben. Hope admitted that she had once agreed with Jordan.

"[Ben] is definitely not my first choice for Ciara, but I will say I think he's really proving himself," Hope said. Hope said that Ben had saved Julie. "Too bad he didn't get there sooner," Rafe said. With a nod, Hope said she was grateful that she would get more time with Julie. Rafe reminded Hope that Julie was a fighter. Rafe promised to visit Doug and Julie as soon as he could. Hope wished Rafe good luck in court.

In the DiMera guesthouse, Ciara presented Ben with a smoothie as he returned from a run. Noting the look on his face, Ciara asked what was on Ben's mind. Ben explained that Rafe's court date to determine guardianship of David was that day. Ciara noted that the news was good because it meant that Jordan could not keep Ben from David. Ben said he was not sure it was a good idea to spend time with his nephew.

"I don't understand. I thought you wanted to be part of David's life?" Ciara asked. Ben said he was worried about whether he was a good influence on his nephew. Ben wondered aloud whether Jordan had been right about him staying away from David. Ciara looked Ben in the eyes and reminded him that he had worked hard to change.

"The past is never really gone, though, is it? There's still the stigma. There is still people all over this town that only see me as a murderer and as a danger to everyone, even you," Ben said. Ciara stressed that she knew the truth about Ben. With a nod, Ben asked what would happen when David learned about Ben's murderous past. Ciara said it was better to have a relationship with David so that David learned the kind of person Ben had become.

"You're so good at spinning things, aren't you?" Ben joked. Ciara argued that Ben was a good person, and she said she hoped that Ben could see that in himself. As Ben sighed with contentment, his phone beeped with a message from Rafe.

"It's happening. Rafe just invited me over to the house after the hearing," Ben said. Ciara offered to go with Ben, and he happily accepted. "I'm so damn lucky to have you in my life," Ben said. Ciara said she was hopeful that Rafe would let them babysit. Ciara and Ben talked about taking David to the zoo. With a chuckle, Ben said he looked forward to spoiling David with all the things he had not had during his childhood.

"Before I met you, my whole life was just darkness. My past, my present, my future, all I could see was just pain, loss, and regret," Ben said. Ciara asked Ben how he felt since meeting her. "It is like you came into my world, and you just flooded out all the darkness," Ben said. Ben called Ciara the light in his life.

After Ben and Ciara made love, Ben talked about going to the toy store on the way to Rafe's house. Ben thanked Ciara for cheering him up when he had doubted his skills as an uncle. Ben admitted that someone had recently reminded him of his past. When Ciara asked who, Ben did not mention the incident with Victor.

After court, Rafe returned home. When Ben arrived with Ciara and a stuffed duck for David, Rafe apologized. "I can't let you see, David," Rafe said. Confused, Ben asked why. "Jordan doesn't want you to be part of her son's life," Rafe explained. "After what she did to me, Rafe? It's not up to that crazy bitch anymore," Ciara yelled. Jordan entered from the back room. "Actually, it is," Jordan said.

In the waiting area by the nurses' station, Lani's phone dinged with a reminder about her and Eli's engagement party. Eli apologized for the delay. "We can have a party anytime. Right now, this is where we need to be," Lani said. As Lani and Eli hugged, Lani saw Gabi over at the nurses' station.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Lani demanded as she marched over to Gabi. Defensive, Gabi noted that she was there to visit Kate. "Must be a bit confusing for you, considering your situation with Stefan," Eli said. Gabi countered that Stefan had sworn that he had not been involved with Kate's shooting, but Eli noted that the evidence would likely point to Vivian as the culprit. Gabi reiterated that she knew nothing.

"How's your grandmother doing?" Gabi asked. "Like you even care," Lani snapped. "Excuse me, of course I care," Gabi argued. Suspicious, Eli asked what was going on. "You want to fill him in, or should I?" Lani asked.

"How was I supposed to know she was having a real heart attack?" Gabi exclaimed. Gabi reminded Eli that Julie had faked a heart attack before. "So, you just left her there and didn't even look back?" Eli asked. Gabi admitted she had made a mistake and was horrified that she had been wrong. Lani accused Gabi of leaving Julie to die. Lani added that she had talked to Julie; Julie had said that her argument with Gabi had triggered her heart attack, and then Gabi had left her on the ground.

"She said that you basically just stepped over her and walked away," Lani said. "Of course, she would say that, but she's wrong. She needs to understand that. You know what? Forget it. No one is going to believe me, so forget it," Gabi said. Frustrated, Gabi walked away. "You don't believe her, do you?" Lani asked. "I don't know what to believe," Eli admitted.

In her room at the hospital, Julie struggled to get out of bed. When Doug entered the room, he rushed to his wife's side and gently pushed her back against the pillow. Julie was frustrated and wanted to go home. Doug urged Julie to stay in bed. Frustrated, Julie said she felt like she was already in a coffin. Julie demanded a second opinion.

"You have the best team advocating for you right here! If there is anything that can be done, this hospital, your grandfather's hospital, will do it," Doug said. Julie countered that she did not want to wait to die. Doug reminded Julie of the miracles they had experienced through the years.

"I am putting my money on one more miracle," Doug said. "Then you haven't given up on me?" Julie asked. Doug chuckled. "Hell, no!" Doug said. Doug told Julie that they would face her illness together. Julie smiled. With a deep sigh, Julie complained that she felt cooped up. "Let me do the thinking for the both of us right now, and promise me that you will not go anywhere," Doug said. Julie agreed. "It's my joy to take care of you," Doug said as he left to retrieve orange juice for Julie.

The door opened, and Gabi walked in. "Come to finish the job?" Julie asked. "I'm not here to do that," Gabi protested. Julie lunged for her call button, and Gabi asked her not to alert anyone. Gabi asked for a moment to explain her actions. Gabi said she had sincerely thought that Julie was faking her heart attack like she had done before.

"Does this look like a stunt?" Julie asked as she flourished her hands. "No. It doesn't. I'm sorry this happened to you," Gabi said. Gabi added that it did not matter what had happened between them, she was genuinely sorry that Julie had suffered a heart attack. Julie grumbled about Nick, and Gabi sighed.

"If I would have known that you were in real distress, I would have never walked away. You have to believe me, please," Gabi pleaded. "You want me to believe you when every word out of your mouth to me has been an insult or a lie or both?" Julie growled. Gabi calmly asked Julie to reconsider. Julie refused to absolve Gabi of her guilt because she said Gabi refused to confess to what she had done.

"I did nothing," Gabi protested. "The life was pouring out of me, I begged you to help, and you stood there babbling. Babbling hateful things, and then you stepped over me and walked away. You left me to die. Well, now everybody is going to know. Everybody is going to know what a wretched little rodent you really are!" Julie yelled. Fed up, Gabi moved in closer to Julie. Julie argued that if Gabi had helped her, the doctors would have been able to help her sooner.

"I have a death sentence hanging over me!" Julie yelled. "Is it really that bad?" Gabi asked quietly. Julie said her days were numbered, but she planned to fight. Julie added that when she did die, she intended to join up with Nick and haunt Gabi for the rest of Gabi's life. Frustrated, Gabi said she had visited in an effort to reason with Julie, but it was clear that Julie did not want to listen to her.

"Clearly, it doesn't matter if you are on your deathbed! You're still the same bitter, bitch that you've always been!" Gabi shouted as she lost her temper. Hope entered and rushed to get in between Julie and Gabi. Gabi explained that she had wanted to tell Julie that she had not left her to die in the park. Hope reasoned aloud that yelling at a woman that had recently suffered a massive heart attack was a bad choice.

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to yell, but she's not listening!" Gabi complained. "Hope, you're my witness. She attacked me," Julie said. Gabi groaned in frustration. When Hope noted that she had spoken to Rafe, Julie argued that Rafe had not been in the park. When Gabi protested, Hope warned her that she was not helping her case.

"You left me to die, and I know it," Julie said. "You're not listening to anything I have to say," Gabi reiterated. Julie grimaced as she told Gabi to leave. Hope escorted Gabi out as Gabi complained that the situation was unfair. Julie yelled after them, "Gabriela, if I never see you again as long as I live, it will be too soon!" Julie fell back against the bed and gasped for air.

When Doug returned to the room with juice and gelatin, Julie groaned and turned away. "What's wrong?" Doug asked. Julie said she had lost her appetite. Doug crawled into bed next to Julie as she winced in pain.

Down the hallway, Hope said to Gabi, "You never should have been in her room, and you know that." Hope warned Gabi to stay away from Julie. Gabi said she had only wanted to explain her side of the situation to Julie. Lani and Eli heard Hope and Gabi arguing, and they walked over. Hope explained that she had found Gabi in Julie's room, yelling at Julie. Upset, Eli asked Gabi why she would do that.

"I was just trying to get through to her," Gabi said. "I just told Lani that the Gabi I know wouldn't leave my grandmother to die, but apparently, I was wrong. I bet you were in there because you felt guilty about what you did," Eli barked. Gabi protested her innocence, but an angry Eli told Gabi to stay away from Julie and his family. "We don't want anything else to do with you," Eli said. Gabi nodded and walked away.

Tony's fate is decided

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

by Mike

Ben and Ciara were both shocked to see Jordan at the Hernandez house -- or anywhere other than Bayview, for that matter.

"I'm sorry that I didn't give you a heads-up, but I just found out about all this [when] I showed up at the [courthouse], ready to get legal guardianship of David...[and ran into Jordan, who] was there with her own lawyer, having already been declared sane by her doctors, [to file] a petition to be released [from Bayview]," Rafe explained. "And, as you can see, the court [granted my request]," Jordan summarized. "Well, on one condition -- um, that being that she stay with someone who claims responsibility for her... [She] asked me, and I said yes," Rafe somewhat sheepishly clarified.

"So, here I am...[and] David doesn't need a legal guardian now that he has his mother [back], so...this 'crazy bitch' gets to decide who sees her son and who doesn't -- and she doesn't want you two anywhere near him," Jordan stressed while glaring at Ben and Ciara. "I'm sorry I called you crazy, okay? I was upset on Ben's behalf. I really shouldn't have said that," Ciara acknowledged. "It's okay -- sticks and stones," Jordan replied, flashing a fake smile. "Look, um...no matter how I feel about the situation, please don't take this out on Ben," Ciara begged.

"He cares about you so much, Jordan -- he always has -- [and] all he's ever wanted was for you to get help, and to get to know his nephew, so...please -- please -- don't keep him away [from] that little boy. [Ben] hasn't seen [David] in so long, and he loves him -- he loves him so much," Ciara continued. "I do," Ben confirmed. "I think he does," Rafe agreed.

"[Ben], I truly believe that you believe [that you love your nephew]...but the problem is that you don't know [what 'love' is]. Clyde used to always talk about how much he 'loved' you -- hell, he would say the same thing about me -- [and]...who knows -- maybe, in his mind, he meant it -- but [that] didn't stop the monster that he was, the things that he did..." Jordan dismissively argued.

"I'm sorry, but I cannot let you anywhere near my sweet little David -- you are just too dangerous," Jordan told Ben with finality. "Are you kidding me? Ben is 'too dangerous'? Jordan, the only person in this room who is capable of hurting that little boy -- not to mention anyone else in this town -- is you!" Ciara spat. "I don't blame you for being upset with me after what happened between us --" Jordan began. "'What happened' is you tried to kill me!" Ciara stressed. "And I deeply regret that," Jordan replied with a shrug, in a tone that didn't sound entirely sincere.

Ben asked for a minute alone with Jordan, hoping to defuse the situation. "I'm not sure I feel safe doing that," Jordan protested, further angering Ciara. "Fine -- just for a minute," Jordan agreed after another moment of thought. "You're really just gonna let her live here with you?" Ciara snapped at Rafe as soon as the coast was clear. "Yes, I am -- [so] I can watch her, and I can make sure that she is not hurting anyone, [and] I can make sure that she is getting better," Rafe explained. "I still think that it's way too early for her to be released -- much less take care of a little child," Ciara warned.

Meanwhile, outside, Ben tried to patch things up with Jordan, who remained guarded. "I know the dark places that you've been, because I've been there, too...and we both know there's really no coming back from that," Jordan argued. "Meaning...?" Ben wondered, suddenly a bit concerned. "Oh, don't look at me like that, okay? I'm not the one that you need to worry about; Ciara is! I just know something really bad is gonna happen to that girl -- something really awful! I'm genuinely afraid for her life!" Jordan stressed. "Did you just threaten Ciara?" Ben asked, getting even more concerned.

"If you even try to hurt Ciara --" Ben began to warn. "I don't know what you mean, Ben -- I was talking about you," Jordan innocently clarified. "The doctors made a terrible mistake, letting you out of that place...and, honestly, I am afraid of what's gonna happen next," Jordan continued, grasping Ben's wrists somewhat threateningly.

Brady paused while jogging through the park with John, who was far behind but eventually caught up. "We're finished...right? You said two miles, [but] it's been five! Please tell me we're finished!" John begged between gasps for breath. "Sorry... I went a little hard -- hard -- a little bit harder than usual," Brady, who was only slightly less winded, acknowledged. "'A little bit'? If I didn't know better, I'd say you were running from something!" John mused, managing a chuckle. "Eh, [you're] not too far from the...from the truth, Dad -- I, uh...I went to Kristen's last night...[and] I almost had sex with her," Brady admitted with obvious disgust.

"I think you're [really] making too much of this -- [I mean], it could have just been a slip," John tried to assure Brady after hearing the whole story. "It's not a 'slip'...because I woke up, and I wanted to go [straight] back to her room," Brady clarified with a sigh. "I can't help it -- as much as I don't want to think about her, that is all I can think about. That's why I asked you to come out on this run with me -- because I don't trust myself not to go back there, [because] I want to be with her. And I hate myself for that, Dad -- I mean, look at the things she's done to every single person that I love!" Brady continued with a shake of the head.

"Don't forget -- once upon a time, I was in love with Kristen, [and] I felt that same pull towards her, [so] I know, very well, the power that she has over a man," John assured Brady, who was relieved to know that someone understood the dilemma. "How do I fight it? I mean, it was one thing when I -- when I knew she was locked up for the rest of her life, [but now]... How the hell am I supposed to stay out of her bed? How do I stay away from her? I don't know how to do it! [And] when I have trouble staying sober, [then] I can just go to a meeting, [but] there's no meeting for this," Brady fretted. "Maybe the same principles apply," John reasoned.

At the Salem Inn, Kristen thought about what had -- and hadn't -- happened the previous night. "You can resist me all you want, Brady...but sooner or later, you will break -- it's just a matter of time," she mused with a confident grin -- and, just then, someone knocked on her hotel room door, causing the grin to get even bigger.

Kristen did a bit of primping then excitedly opened the door, hoping to see Brady standing on the other side of it. "Oh -- Anna," Kristen observed with a groan. "Well, believe me, I'm not happy to see you, either...but you and I need to have a little talk -- about your brother," Anna countered while barging into the hotel room. "Tony saved your life, and you thank him by letting him be -- be locked away for the rest of his? Well, not if I have anything to say about it! You're gonna make this right!" Anna continued. "[Okay, I'll] help you get the love of your life back -- if you help me get mine," Kristen offered after giving the matter some thought.

"Tony's [hearing] is today...[and] I'm not sure I could convince [Brady], given that huge time constraint, that being with you would be in his best interest," Anna warned. "You're not even gonna give it a chance -- give it a try? [Then you can just] go to your beloved Tony [and] tell him that you're gonna wear something very special for his first conjugal visit!" Kristen snapped. "You are a cruel, selfish bitch, and that's why Brady will never love you -- that's why no man on this earth ever will!" Anna countered before storming out of the hotel room with a shake of the head and slamming the door shut.

At the police station, Tony received an unexpected visit from Marlena, who was armed with a box of avocado cream-filled napoleons. "Still your favorite?" Marlena wondered. "Are you kidding me? I would kill for one!" Tony excitedly confirmed before sheepishly acknowledging the poor choice of words. "I'm so sorry you're going through this," Marlena stressed. "Eh, it's not me I'm worried about -- [I mean], I've already cheated death, [so] how bad can prison be?" Tony reasoned, managing a chuckle. "No -- [my biggest concern] is how hard this is going to be on my dear, poor Anna," Tony continued with a heavy sigh.

Anna soon arrived and joined Tony and Marlena in one of the conference rooms. "I'm so sorry that Kristen wouldn't agree to help Tony...but I can't really say that I'm surprised," Marlena admitted after Anna recapped what had happened earlier. "Me, neither...but I thought it was worth the old college try," Anna explained with a shrug. "Thank you, my darling, for braving my sister on my behalf...but I think we have no choice [now but] to face the facts -- that, without Kristen's testimony, I'm doomed," Tony summarized with a sigh, but Anna remained hopeful that something good would happen at the hearing later that day.

Jack tried to arrange a meeting with Jennifer and J.J. at the Brady Pub so they could continue searching for Rolf together -- but Jennifer claimed, via text message, to be too busy with work to attend the meeting.

After a bit of brainstorming, Jack and J.J. decided to head over to the Salem Inn to see if Kristen knew how to locate Rolf. "If you want to find Rolf, then -- then -- then find someone who actually cares," Kristen, who still only wanted to receive a visit from Brady, snapped. "We should go -- she obviously doesn't give a damn about anyone but herself," J.J. told Jack. "It's no wonder nobody wants anything to do with you," J.J. added.

"Wait," Kristen called out with a sigh, stopping Jack and J.J. "Look...I haven't heard from Dr. Rolf...um, but I can try and reach him, and if the old witch doctor shows up, I'll -- I'll call you immediately," Kristen promised. "Why the change of heart?" J.J. wondered. "Well, because your mom and I were friends once...and, um, if she wants your dad's memory back, then I want to give that to her -- I want to give her anything that she would like," Kristen explained with a shrug. "You better be careful, Kristen -- keep doing these good deeds, and, uh, everybody just might change their minds about you," Jack jokingly warned.

"News flash, Mr. Mayor -- that is the idea," Kristen stressed with a mischievous laugh after Jack and J.J. left the hotel room.

At the Evans-Black townhouse, John and Marlena discussed Kate's shooting -- and agreed that Vivian and Stefan were the two most likely suspects. John and Marlena also discussed Jordan's release from Bayview -- something Marlena had apparently known nothing about beforehand. Meanwhile, at the police station, Tony and Anna celebrated an unexpected victory -- thanks to Kristen, who ran into Brady outside the Brady Pub and seized the opportunity to brag about recent good deeds.

Jack called Adrienne to ask for help with the search for Rolf -- and was surprised to learn that Jennifer wasn't on a work assignment. Meanwhile, Jennifer -- bound and gagged in what appeared to be a seedy motel room -- cried out for help as someone approached.

The identity of Jennifer's captor is revealed

Thursday, September 19, 2019

by Mike

Jennifer -- still bound and gagged in a seedy motel room -- continued crying out for help as her gloved captor sent one of her phone calls to voicemail then tossed her cell phone on a table and stepped outside.

"Straight to voicemail?" J.J. asked after Jack recorded a message for Jennifer. "No -- it actually rang a couple times, so she must have seen it was me...and hit 'ignore,'" Jack -- who was at the hospital with J.J., searching for Rolf -- clarified with a sigh. "Mom would not ignore a call from you," J.J. insisted. "Well, maybe...maybe she just -- she couldn't answer the phone; maybe she's so deep undercover on this story, she couldn't even tell Adrienne about it," Jack suggested. "No, that doesn't make sense -- they're equal partners in the paper; they keep each other in the loop with everything," J.J. argued.

"Then how do you explain the text?" Jack asked. "My guess? Mom's not the one who sent it," J.J. replied. "You think your mother's in trouble," Jack realized. "I don't want to jump to conclusions -- [I mean], when I was a cop, I was trained to think through every possible scenario -- [but] think about all the weird stuff that's gone down lately -- someone trashed that lab, Rolf is missing..." J.J. reasoned. "So, your mom and Rolf could be together... Or...he could be holding her against her will!" Jack guessed. "We need to stop speculating [and] go to the police," J.J. insisted, and Jack agreed.

Just then, Rolf exited a nearby elevator, wearing a pair of gloves -- gloves that looked exactly like the ones Jennifer's captor owned.

"I...have returned..." Rolf announced as Jack and J.J. stared in disbelief. "Where the hell have you been?" Jack asked. "Decompressing. After my lab was vandalized and my serum destroyed, I was distraught. I had to go somewhere quiet so I could recover from the stress," Rolf replied. "You were supposed to lie down in the on-call room," Jack pointed out. "Yes, well...that room was...insufficient... Look, this is my life's work we are talking about, and to see it so violently decimated..." Rolf stressed with a whimper of sadness. "I contemplated going to a meditation retreat," Rolf admitted, sighing.

"But then I received a phone call from Madame, and she told me --" Rolf continued. "Got it," Jack impatiently stressed, understanding that Rolf was talking about Kristen. "Just tell me -- do you have any idea where Jennifer is?" Jack asked. "Ms. Horton? No... Why?" Rolf replied. "She might be missing, [and] we figured, since you were both unaccounted for..." J.J. explained. "What have you done to Jennifer?" Jack suspiciously demanded to know. "I didn't do anything to Ms. Horton! Why would I bite the hand that feeds me?" Rolf argued. "Especially with your appetite..." J.J. acknowledged.

"You and Jennifer brought me back to Salem, attended to my every need, offered to fund my research, provided me with a state-of-the-art laboratory -- which, granted, is in a bit of a shambles, but I know that's not your fault," Rolf said to Jack. "So...despite this -- this setback...you're -- you're willing to continue?" Jack summarized, clearly surprised. "Oh, absolutely! I am eager to get back to work on the serum -- which will, I have no doubt, restore your memory!" Rolf confirmed before rushing off in search of Kayla, wanting to find out if another lab could be made available.

"Do you think he's lying about your mom?" Jack asked once the coast was clear. "He's a weird dude...but my gut says he's telling the truth. What reason would he have to hurt Mom?" J.J. replied. "Well, we both know that there's one person who's made it very clear that she wants to ruin your mother's life -- Eve," Jack reminded J.J. before rushing off in search of Eve.

While passing through the park, Eve paused and, with a mischievous smirk, removed a pair of gloves -- gloves that looked exactly like the ones Jennifer's captor owned.

While passing through Horton Town Square, Eric and Nicole ran into Abe, who was delighted to see the happy couple. "I was so happy to hear you're back...and so real, too -- real this time!" Abe told Nicole, who laughed and nodded, understanding the meaning of the comment. "I left [Brandon] a couple voice messages, but...you know, it's so hard to connect, with the time change...and I just -- I know he's probably confused about the situation, so I just want to put his mind at ease," Nicole told Abe. "That's the Nicole I know -- caring, compassionate..." Abe raved.

"As opposed to that awful Kristen DiMera," Abe grumbled. "I wish I could say I'm not worried about Kristen, but knowing she's out there..." Nicole fretted. "That psycho's never gonna hurt you again," Eric insisted. "[Besides], right now, Kristen's laser focus is on one thing -- my brother," Eric continued. "And getting back DiMera. [I mean], now that Kate's in a coma, [Kristen] probably sees the CEO position as hers for the taking," Abe guessed. "And I might be in the market for a new line of work. [See], I made the mistake of accepting a job [at DiMera] -- Chief Communications Officer," Abe informed Nicole.

"I'm touched that you did that for me," Nicole declared after hearing the reasoning behind Abe's decision. "Don't be a stranger," Nicole stressed. "Same to you," Abe replied before walking away.

A short time later, while passing through the park, Abe ran into Eve, who was carrying a takeout bag in each hand. "That's a lot of food for one person," Abe observed. "Your point?" Eve countered. "It's really not any of my business," Abe acknowledged. "But the mayor's race was...and I truly regret ever encouraging Jack to run against you...[and], now, I am sorry that you -- that you lost," Eve admitted. "Well, maybe if he didn't have such a ruthless campaign manager..." Abe mused, managing a smile. "I thought at the time that he was the right man for the job, [but]...turns out, he's not the man I thought he was," Eve grumbled.

"Jack is not the man he used to be -- that's for sure," Abe agreed. "You know, I'm thinking here...since we were both wronged by the new-and-not-so-improved Jack Deveraux, how 'bout if we team up [to] bring him down?" Eve suggested. "The people that voted for Jack might take issue with that," Abe warned. "They might be happy that we're righting a wrong," Eve countered. "If you believe that, why did you work so hard to push me out?" Abe asked. "One of my many mistakes," Eve replied. "You knew exactly what you were doing...[but] you wanted power, fame, fortune -- all the wrong reasons to get into politics," Abe argued.

"[But] this time, it would be different, because I would be working on the side of good -- bringing [the] corrupt, crooked Jack Deveraux to his knees," Eve reasoned, drawing a sympathetic smile from Abe. "I read that you lost your lawsuit against Jack -- [and] that Dr. Rolf is working hard on a new batch of serum to help Jack regain his memory... That, on top of everything else [you've been through]... You're really angry, aren't you? [And] lonely, too. I understand loneliness, [and] I understand anger, [and] I know that giving in to it -- seeking revenge, spreading fear and hate -- is not gonna bring me...or you, or anyone else...a sense of peace," Abe advised Eve.

"[Then] what do you suggest I do with all the rage inside me?" Eve asked, fighting back tears. "Let it go," Abe replied with a shrug before walking away.

Outside the Brady Pub, Brady tried to ignore Kristen's attempt to brag about recent good deeds. "Why do you keep running away from me?" Kristen wondered. "That's not what I'm doing," Brady insisted. "Then prove it -- stay here and listen to what I have to say," Kristen challenged Brady, who reluctantly agreed. "I went to testify on behalf of Tony...and I'm happy to report that the charges against him have been dropped, [and] he's been released," Kristen announced. "That's great -- I'm happy for Tony [and] Anna -- but it really has nothing to do with me --" Brady began to argue. "It has everything to do with you," Kristen stressed.

"I did it for you, [because] I am trying to be a better person -- someone worthy of your love," Kristen explained. "In other words...you wouldn't have had the basic decency to try to help your brother out of a murder rap unless you were trying to prove something to me," Brady summarized. "That's not what I said!" Kristen protested. "That's exactly what you said! [You're] desperate; you're trying to throw anything you can against the wall, and you're hoping it'll stick! Just last night, you were trying to convince me that we should be together because we both have...what, 'dark sides'?" Brady countered. "Yes -- we do!" Kristen maintained.

"And I...I wanted [to] encourage you to embrace that, because I wasn't listening to you [then]...but I am now -- I hear you, Brady. I understand that you want to live in the light. And I want -- so much -- to live there with you. And I know I can't change overnight, but I...I am trying -- just like you are. I mean, you're the bad boy, doing his damnedest to be better, and I'm just a bad girl, trying to do the same," Kristen continued. "It's gonna take a hell of a lot more than one good deed --" Brady began to warn. "I've done more -- I have! Not only did I set Tony free, but I also did the same with Jennifer!" Kristen clarified.

"[She's been] living in a kind of prison since Jack came back without his memory, [and] when I found out that Dr. Rolf went AWOL, I contacted him immediately, and I told him to get right back to the hospital [to continue working on the serum to restore Jack's memory]," Kristen elaborated. "Out of the kindness of your heart," Brady skeptically summarized. "Yes! [Plus], Jennifer's an old friend --" Kristen began to confirm. "You don't have any friends in this town [anymore]. All you're telling me is that you're still running around [and] giving orders, making demands, pulling strings... That's a mob boss!" Brady argued.

"Well, if that's the case, then I don't have a single soul left on my payroll," Kristen stressed. "What about your partner in crime -- Xander?" Brady wondered. "Bless your little heart -- you're jealous of him, aren't you?" Kristen teasingly observed. "I could not care less about Xander," Brady dismissively insisted. "[Anyway, your good deeds have] nothing to do with us, [and] if you think these things are gonna change anything between us --" Brady tried to reiterate. "[They have] everything to do with us, because what I did -- I did it [all] for love!" Kristen maintained.

"Once Jack gets back his memory, he and Jennifer will be reunited -- and I already reunited Eric and Nicole, and Tony and Anna... The only two people left are you and me! [And] I understand that being together has been a problem for you, but not anymore, Brady -- not anymore! [I mean], I have been redeemed in the eyes of so many people in this town. You don't have to be ashamed of me anymore, you know? No more guilt, no more regrets or resisting -- we can be out there, free to live our truth as soul mates! And I know that you want that," Kristen continued before leaning in to kiss Brady, who didn't try to squirm away.

Just then, Abe approached, stopping the kiss from happening. "Shouldn't you be doing damage control at DiMera? I'm sure the company must be in crisis, with the CEO fighting for her life... If you need me to step up, um...I'll be right there," Kristen said to Abe, who insisted that Stefan and Gabi had everything under control. "Yeah, I doubt that...but you and me -- we made a pretty good team," Kristen argued. "I thought you were Nicole. I would never work with you. Now, get out of here, and leave Brady alone," Abe countered. "I'm not going anywhere," Kristen insisted. "If you won't, I will," Brady declared before walking away.

"Thanks a lot," Kristen snapped. "It's the least I could do," Abe replied with a grin, shrugging unapologetically.

After parting ways with Kristen, Abe tracked Brady down in the nearby town square, wanting to make sure that everything was okay. "Water?" Abe offered, pointing to the nearby caf. "I'm kind of resisting the urge to get something a little stronger than that...[but] I'm good," Brady insisted while idly scratching an arm. "Thank you for coming by when you did. I, um...I really hate the draw that that woman has over me. It's -- it's...it's hard for me to deal with. She's very -- um, she's very -- she's very...tempting...for me," Brady admitted. "She really did a number on you. It'll take some time, that's all," Abe reasoned. "I hope to hell you're right," Brady stressed.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Xander joined Sarah in the living room and immediately noticed the telltale signs of morning sickness. "You...are aware that stress can exacerbate morning sickness...[right]?" Xander asked. "You...are aware I'm a doctor...[right]?" Sarah replied. "I'm just saying...that you can't go on like this -- you're a complete mess," Xander stressed. "Thanks?" Sarah countered.

"I didn't mean to insult you -- I...I just hate seeing you struggle like this," Xander clarified. "And, not to pressure you, but...um, when last we spoke, you seemed a little...conflicted... Have you decided what you're gonna do about your pregnancy?" Xander continued. "Stop shouting about how I'm...pregnant!" Sarah quietly snapped at Xander, whose attempt to whisper the information apparently hadn't been satisfactory. "Still haven't told anyone?" Xander assumed. "No!" Sarah confirmed. "And if you say a word to anyone --" Sarah began to warn. "I already promised that I wouldn't," Xander pointed out.

"[But]...as I said before when we discussed this, there's only so long you can keep your...condition...a secret; once you start to show, people are going to know -- and by 'people,' I mean Eric," Xander reminded Sarah, who insisted that wasn't going to be an issue. "After a lot of tears, and lost sleep, and soul-searching...I made my decision -- [to] terminate the pregnancy," Sarah revealed. "Are you sure?" Xander asked. "Don't try to talk me out of this! [Look], I am not going to have Eric's baby, and he will never find out that I was pregnant!" Sarah replied -- unaware that Eric had just arrived with Nicole.

"Eric, I didn't want you to --" Sarah worriedly began. "Are you harassing her?" Eric snapped at Xander, ignoring Sarah's words. "Why would you think that?" Xander wondered. "Because you're...you?" Nicole suggested. "And Sarah's clearly upset," Eric explained. "This has nothing to do with Xander," Sarah insisted. "Have you ever considered that this might have something to do with you?" Xander asked Eric, who immediately turned to Sarah for confirmation. "I really don't want to talk right now," Sarah stressed before running out of the living room in tears.

"You left her high and dry...and you think I'm the bad guy," Xander summarized with a scoff while scowling at Eric. "Enough with the phony outrage. If you [hadn't helped] Kristen with her crazy plan to take over my life, Eric and I never would have been separated, [and Sarah never would have gotten hurt]," Nicole pointed out. "If you lay one finger on [Sarah] --" Eric began to warn Xander. "Been there, done that, mate," Xander crassly countered. "You already walked out on Sarah. Now she's ripe for the picking," Xander added. Eric lunged at Xander in anger, but Nicole intervened before things could escalate further, leading Eric upstairs in search of Holly.

A short time later, Kristen entered the mansion, hoping it was where Brady had ended up after the earlier incident. "That's right -- I'm free...despite you throwing me under the bus to get yourself out of jail. I'm still gonna make you pay for that," Kristen warned while joining Xander in the living room. "I'm getting tired of this -- the power games, the threats... I say we call a truce. [See], I'm trying to turn over a new leaf and prove to Sarah that I can be a better person --" Xander countered. "I'm trying to do the same thing with Brady! I mean, I'm doing all these wonderful things, but he doesn't give me credit!" Kristen grumbled.

"Who did I really hurt [in the end], hmm? Nobody! Holly, and Nicole, and Jack -- they're all alive and happy...because of me!" Kristen argued. "You want to know who got hurt? Sarah Horton! While Eric and Nicole are riding off into the sunset, she's left with nothing but a broken heart!" Xander stressed. "[But] that puts you in a really good place -- [so], once again, thanks to me --" Kristen countered.

"It's not that simple," Xander insisted. "Why not?" Kristen wondered. "Because Sarah's pregnant with a baby she doesn't even want..." Xander blurted out before stopping abruptly. "I beg your pardon?" Kristen replied.

Meanwhile, at the park, Sarah dialed a phone number and shakily informed the person who answered the call, "I would like to make an appointment...to have an abortion."

Jack went to the Salem Inn to question Eve about Jennifer's disappearance -- and grew even more suspicious after spotting the two takeout bags. "If I was gonna kidnap Jennifer, I certainly wouldn't feed her scrawny ass -- especially [not with] my favorite brownies from my favorite bakery in the square," Eve insisted while showing Jack what was inside both bags. "I didn't destroy your lab, and I didn't lay a finger on your precious Jennifer -- although I would really love to wring her scrawny neck," Eve continued. "Then who the hell did?" Jack wondered, drawing a shrug from Eve.

At the hospital, Rolf found Kayla, who was quite busy. "I will be quick," Rolf promised, stopping Kayla. "I'm sure you're aware that the beautiful laboratory you provided me with has been vandalized, and my work destroyed --" Rolf continued. "I heard -- [and] Security is on it," Kayla confirmed. "Well, uh...while I'm hopeful that the culprit is brought to justice, um...my main concern is that I be able to continue with my research. Aside from the serum, uh, to restore Jack's memory, I have several other projects I'm in the middle of...and, um...I need some supplies," Rolf clarified.

"There is something that you need to understand -- I'm not happy that you're here, [and] I'm not happy that you are working on your own 'projects' in my hospital. I authorized this so that you could work on the serum," Kayla stressed. "So...?" Rolf impatiently prodded Kayla. "Make me a list. I'll get you what you need," Kayla grudgingly agreed.

Shortly after parting ways with Rolf, Kayla ran into J.J., who worriedly revealed that Jennifer was missing. "I talked to Lani, [and] she says it's too early to file a missing-persons report," J.J. grumbled. "Dad went to go question [Eve, but] I doubt she'll cop to anything -- she didn't when he confronted her about the lab. [But] that doesn't mean anything, because we can't believe a damn word out of her mouth," J.J. continued. "You know, this might be the first time in her life that she's actually telling the truth," Kayla suggested. "Who, besides Eve, would want to destroy the serum and wreck the lab?" J.J. wondered. "Henry Shah," Kayla replied.

Jennifer managed to slip out of her bindings and remove her gag -- but then had to quickly put everything back in place when her captor suddenly returned to the seedy motel room.

"I'm back. Miss me?" Henry said to Jennifer with a smirk, unaware that anything was amiss.

Jennifer struggles to escape Henry

Friday, September 20, 2019

by Spalding

At the hospital, Kayla shared with J.J. her theory that Dr. Henry Shah could be a possible suspect in Jennifer's disappearance. When Jack arrived, Kayla reiterated her theory. Kayla explained that when she had talked to Henry after he had learned that Rolf had taken over his lab, Henry had been visibly shaking with rage. Kayla recounted her past conversation with Henry about the lab.

Kayla told Jack and J.J. that Henry had grumbled about Jennifer, and he'd said, "Once again, I'm getting shafted by that bitch." Henry had complained about Kayla's decision to shove him aside in favor of Rolf's project to help Jack. "So that's what we're doing now? You backburner critical, life-saving work by actual doctors?" Henry had asked. Insulted, Kayla had cautioned Henry to watch his tone. Henry had said he would not let Kayla and Jennifer ruin his career. As Kayla had started to leave, Henry had grabbed her arm and stopped her. Kayla had ordered Henry to let go of her arm. After a moment, Henry had.

Kayla told Jack and J.J. that she had said, "Go pack up your office. You're fired" Kayla explained that security had escorted Henry out of the building later, but Henry had had ample time to trash the lab before he had left the grounds. J.J. noted that Henry had a grudge and therefore a motive.

Down the hallway in Kate's room at the hospital, Will urged Kate to wake up from her coma. Lucas arrived and hugged his son. Lucas sat down next to Kate and asked her to wake up because he had traveled a long way to see her. Kate remained motionless. Sarah walked in with news about Kate's condition.

"The test results show that there was a lot more internal damage from the bullet than we initially thought, and between that and the blood loss," Sarah said as she shrugged. Sarah explained that Kate would need time to heal before she could wake up. Hopeful, Will asked if Kate would wake up. Sarah noted that it was too soon to tell. When Lucas asked about Kate's chances of survival, Sarah said her prognosis was not good.

Lucas called Austin and urged him to make his way to Salem to see Kate. After his phone call, Lucas asked Will if he knew who had shot Kate. "I'm almost positive I know who is responsible," Will said. When Will shared his theory about Vivian, Lucas was unsure. Will explained that the police intended to question Vivian and search the mansion. Will's phone beeped with a message that informed him that the search at the mansion had not turned up any evidence and that Stefan had provided an alibi for Vivian.

"I know they are lying! I know it," Will said. Lucas urged Will to let the police do their job so that he and Will could concentrate on Kate. Will agreed, but then he announced that he needed to leave to call Sonny. Lucas hugged his son and told him to pray for his grandmother.

After Will left, Lucas looked at a photo of him and Kate, and he joked that Kate had always complained about the shirt he had been wearing in the photo. Fighting tears, Lucas told Kate that he was still sober. "You are one pushy, opinionated, giant pain in the butt. Do you know that? And now I know you're like that because you love me so much," Lucas said. Lucas apologized for not being able to protect Kate.

From the nurses' station at the hospital, Kayla called security and asked them to post a guard at the entrance. "If Dr. Shah steps on the premises, I want somebody to get ahold of me," Kayla ordered. As Kayla ended her call, Sarah approached and asked why Kayla was talking about Henry. Kayla said she did not want to go into the story. Sarah showed Kate's test results to Kayla. As Kayla frowned, Sarah asked if she could leave work early.

"Is everything okay?" Kayla asked. Sarah lied and said her pregnancy test results had been negative. As Sarah started to walk away, Kayla asked Sarah how she felt about the results. "Me having Eric's baby would just make things a complete mess," Sarah said. Sarah asked Kayla not to say anything to Eric, and Kayla agreed.

Kayla walked into Kate's room to check on her, and she greeted Lucas. Lucas asked about Julie. "I love my cousin so much," Lucas said. When Lucas asked if Jennifer was with Julie, Kayla avoided answering the question. Kayla changed the subject to Kate's prognosis. Lucas asked about the next steps. Kayla said she wanted to encourage Kate to breathe on her own. With a nod, Lucas told Kayla to go ahead. Lucas quietly urged Kate to hang in there then he headed into the hallway.

After attempting to remove Kate's breathing tube, Kayla met up with Lucas in the hallway to let him know that Kate was not able to breathe on her own yet. Kayla promised to monitor Kate's progress. "She will be on machines for the foreseeable future, or until you decide otherwise," Kayla said.

At the police station, Jack asked Eli to send out an APB for Jennifer and Dr. Henry Shah. J.J. worried aloud that Henry would hurt his mother. "If anything happens to her, it is all my fault. I'm so sorry," Jack said. Jack explained that he had asked for the lab, which had upset Henry. Worried, Jack wondered aloud what they could do next. J.J. remembered that there was an app to track Jennifer's phone, but he could not get the app to work. Jack asked if the police could track where the texts and calls to and from Jennifer's phone had originated.

While Kristen needled Xander in the Kiriakis living room, a frustrated Xander accidentally blurted out Sarah's secret. Xander told Kristen to keep the news about the pregnancy secret, but Kristen laughed. Kristen questioned why Sarah did not want to use the baby to leverage her way back into a relationship with Eric. Xander noted that Sarah knew that Eric loved Nicole, and she had not told them about the baby because she did not want to hurt their relationship. Kristen pushed Xander for details, and he admitted that Sarah planned to get an abortion.

"Wonderful," Kristen said with a grin. Confused, Xander asked Kristen why she was so interested in Sarah's pregnancy. Kristen told Xander that Brady had admitted that he was still attracted to her. Kristen said she needed something to push Brady into giving in to his feelings for her.

"If I were pregnant with Brady's baby, then that might break down his walls," Kristen said. Xander asked Kristen if she was pregnant. "No, but I could be. If I took Sarah's baby," Kristen said. "I don't know what's going on in that demented head of yours, but if you think I'm ever helping you take another child," Xander warned before Kristen cut him off. Kristen said she did not need Xander's help. Xander noted that Sarah would never give her baby to Kristen. With a shrug, Kristen said she would take the fetus.

"I did it before. Remember?" Kristen asked. "Tate," Xander whispered. Kristen said she would do the same thing with Sarah's baby. "The hell you will!" Xander growled. Kristen argued that taking the fetus was the perfect situation for everyone because Sarah did not want the baby.

"It makes the process so much easier. I don't have to kidnap or chloroform her like I did with Theresa," Kristen said. "You're not listening to me, Kristen. I said drop it," Xander warned. Kristen reminded Xander that Sarah could decide to keep her baby and reunite with Eric. "Won't happen," Xander whispered. Kristen urged Xander to get on board her plan.

"Can you hear yourself? This is crazy. You're sick," Xander said. Xander promised he would not let Kristen follow through on her plan to take Sarah's fetus. "I don't work for you anymore, and I would never allow you and that maniac Rolf to steal Sarah's child," Xander said. Kristen argued that under her plan, the fetus would survive. Xander yelled that it was not Kristen's choice to make. Xander threatened to tell Sarah everything. "Tell me what?" Sarah asked as she walked into the room.

Jennifer remained partially tied to a chair in a seedy motel as Henry confronted her actions. "I thought we had a real connection, but you were just using me," Henry complained. While Henry stared out the window, Jennifer struggled against the ropes. Henry argued that Jennifer had toyed with his emotions and hurt his career. Through her gag, Jennifer apologized.

"I'm calling the shots, and you are completely at my mercy," Henry whispered. Henry unlocked Jennifer's phone and noted that she had a lot of missed calls. "Your family must realize you're missing," Henry said. Jennifer pleaded with Henry to let her go. "You never gave a damn about me. It was always about your wants, your needs," Henry complained. "You are going to give us a real chance," Henry added. Henry told Jennifer that if he could not have her, no one could.

"Is there anything you want, Jennifer, besides a future with me?" Henry said with a laugh. Jennifer asked for water. Henry warned Jennifer not to scream as he reached for her gag. Henry then stopped short and drank the water himself. "From now on, my needs come first. You got it?" Henry yelled. Henry added that he would not be selfish with Jennifer, and he would go refill the bottle of water.

While Henry was out of the room, Jennifer threw off the loose rope on her right arm and grabbed her phone off the table. Jennifer furiously typed a text.

In the park, Jack told J.J. that Eli had promised to call Jack if the police were able to triangulate the location of Jennifer's phone. J.J. suggested that they check Henry's office for clues. As Jack nodded in agreement, his phone beeped with a text from Jennifer. "Send help. West Salem Inn room five," Jack read aloud. J.J. suggested that the text could be a trap. "I don't care. We'll call the cops on the way," Jack said as he exited the park with his son.

At the Salem Inn motel room, Jennifer placed the phone back on the table and covered her wrist with the rope to make it appear that she was still tied to the chair. Henry reminded Jennifer not to scream as he removed her gag. "Things will go a lot smoother if you will accept that you and I are in this for the long haul," Henry said.

At the DiMera mansion, Stefan confronted Vivian about the set of scrubs and a fake ID he had found in Vivian's room. Stefan warned Vivian that he would not let Vivian make another attempt on Kate's life. With a knowing grin, Vivian told Stefan that his intervention was too late. Vivian explained that she had crept out of the house during Stefan's board meeting and gone to the hospital. Vivian admitted she had cut off the oxygen to Kate's breathing tube until Kate had flatlined.

"I must have done something right, honey, because [Kate] is in a coma," Vivian said cheerfully. Vivian asked for her disguise back in case Kate woke up. "Your days of playing doctor are over," Stefan said. Vivian complained that she could not risk Kate accusing her of the shooting. Stefan told Vivian that Gabi cared about Kate, and he did not want to make Gabi an accessory to murder.

"Let me just get this straight. You care more about your wife, who you have known for five minutes, than you do about me, the woman who gave birth to you," Vivian said. Stefan told Vivian he would not let the police send her to prison. "You better not, or so help me, yours will be the next grave I dig," Vivian shouted. Shocked, Stefan started to walk out of the room. Vivian begged Stefan to forgive her.

"Please swear to me that you'll protect me," Vivian asked. Stefan gently urged Vivian to back away from him. "I have been protecting you, haven't I?" Stefan asked. Vivian smiled. "Let's just hope Kate doesn't come out of that coma," Stefan said. Vivian asked what would happen if Kate woke up. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Stefan whispered. Vivian scoffed at Stefan's plan.

"Your generation. You don't believe in taking the initiative. We have to focus. We have to be sure that we take care of this little problem that we have. Honey, nobody can find out what I did," Vivian said. In the foyer, Will crept into the house and placed his ear against the closed door to the living room to eavesdrop.

When Jack and J.J. arrived at the West Salem Inn, they kicked in the door to room five. Jennifer was not there, but the ropes that had held her were still hanging from the chair.