Mimi confessed the baby was her daughter, and Rex was the father. Sarah broke up with Rex. Hattie convinced Bonnie to return to prison. John and Marlena remarried. A DNA test confirmed the burned man was E.J., and Sami took him to Italy for treatment. Ciara and Ben almost kissed. Hope suspected Tripp framed Ben. Chad kidnapped Abigail. Abigail went into labor.

Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday

by Mike

At Doug's Place, Chloe rushed toward Lucas with the results of the baby's DNA test. "Glad you finally made it," Lucas said. "Yeah... Is there somewhere we can talk -- privately? I have something important I need to tell you..." Chloe quietly replied. "What is it? What's wrong?" Lucas asked curiously, matching Chloe's tone. "Not here!" Chloe insisted, trying to drag Lucas out of the club.

Just then, Roman called for everyone's attention, wanting to make a toast to Rex and Sarah. Chloe politely but impatiently turned to face Roman -- and noticed, for the first time, that Bonnie and Mimi were huddled together in a corner at the back of the club. "What are they doing here?" Chloe asked Lucas, still whispering. "God only knows..." Lucas grumbled, clearly annoyed that the Lockhart women had crashed a family gathering. Nearby, Kate quietly asked Maggie the same question. "Sarah invited them to stay. She has a big heart," Maggie explained with a shrug, matching Kate's tone. "Or little sense..." Kate countered as Roman's speech ended.

"You shouldn't be drinking! You're nursing!" Bonnie reminded Mimi as everyone raised a glass. "As a matter of fact, I'm not nursing, so shut the hell up," Mimi countered. Undeterred, Bonnie seized Mimi's glass of Champagne and gulped it down. "Don't you remember what happens when you drink?" Mimi warned as Bonnie gulped down a second glass of Champagne. "Don't be a buzzkill," Bonnie dismissively replied, already searching the club for more glasses of Champagne to seize. "Go get me that last glass of Champagne before it disappears. The alcohol police are watching me," Bonnie ordered Mimi, noticing Maggie's glare of disapproval.

Meanwhile, Rex introduced Sarah to Chloe. "Nice to meet you. Congratulations. I hope you two will be happy," Chloe briskly stated before starting to drag Lucas away again. "Leaving so soon? You just got here!" Rex protested. "Oh, no, no -- we'll be right back," Chloe assured Rex with a polite smile while continuing to drag Lucas toward the club's front doors. Confused, Lucas tried to remind Chloe that they were leaving without the baby. "I have to tell you something. It's about the baby. And it can't wait," Chloe vaguely explained to Lucas. Mimi, who had gone to the bar to get the glass of Champagne that Bonnie had requested, overheard everything.

"Where's my Champagne?" Bonnie asked in a pout as Mimi returned to their spot at the back of the club. "We need to get out of here -- now!" Mimi quietly told Bonnie. "I'm not going anywhere! They haven't even served the cake yet!" Bonnie loudly protested. "Damn it, listen to me -- Chloe did not drop the idea that I am [the baby's] mother, and she's about to tell Lucas right now! I do not want to be here when it hits the fan!" Mimi explained, still whispering. "Fine, we'll go..." Bonnie grumbled, sighing. "Wait -- not without my baby!" Mimi insisted while eyeing the nearby stroller, which had been left temporarily unattended.

Meanwhile, Maggie cornered Lucas and Chloe at the front of the club, wanting to know why they were leaving in such a hurry. As Lucas gave Maggie a shrug, Chloe noticed that Mimi was sneaking toward the stroller. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Chloe demanded to know while storming over to Mimi's end of the club. "We settled this. I have the baby this evening," Lucas pointed out, joining Chloe. "Yeah, well, we thought you'd be spending quality time with her [instead of] dragging her to a party and ignoring her!" Mimi countered. Bonnie nodded in agreement. "I wasn't 'ignoring' her! She's sleeping, for God's sake!" Lucas clarified.

"Yeah, in a noisy restaurant [that's] full of people drinking! You know, if you really wanted to come to this party so much, you should have let my mom be with her little...baby girl...[in the meantime]!" Mimi continued. "Okay, there's a problem with that, Mimi -- this is not your mom's baby girl; it's yours!" Chloe blurted out, confusing Lucas. Mimi scoffed and dismissively insisted that Chloe was being ridiculous. Meanwhile, Maggie, Kate, and Roman approached, unable to ignore the argument any longer. "Are you all right?" Maggie asked. "What's going on?" Kate added. "That's what I'd like to know," Lucas admitted with a sigh and a shrug.

"Bonnie had said some things that made me suspicious, [so]...long story short, I took Mimi's water bottle and gave it to Kayla [for another DNA test]. They only looked at 15 markers [the first time], and it looked like Bonnie was a match because she is the baby's grandmother...[but] when Kayla ran the test again with more markers, it proved that Mimi was a perfect match for the baby, so there's no doubt about it -- Mimi is this baby's mother," Chloe explained. Still confused, Lucas wondered why Bonnie had lied about the baby's parentage. "Bonnie used the baby as a get-out-of-jail-free card," Kate knowingly summarized, disgusted.

"Do you know what's going on?" Sarah, who was standing at the bar with Rex, asked. "Your brother doesn't look very happy," Sarah continued. "Bonnie Lockhart has that effect on people," Rex explained with a shrug.

"How could you let her do this?" Kate asked Mimi incredulously. "I mean, it's generally accepted that drunken sluts don't make the best mothers!" Kate continued. "Hey! If I'm a pot, you're a kettle!" Bonnie defensively reminded Kate. "Oh, queen of the witty repartee, aren't you?" Kate sarcastically countered. "Don't you dare look down your haughty nose at me, you bitch!" Bonnie snapped.

"How could you let her do this?" Kate asked Mimi again, ignoring Bonnie. "Lay off! I didn't give her a choice!" Bonnie vaguely explained. "So, it's true, then?" Lucas asked, fighting back tears. "Yes, it's true," Mimi confirmed.

Kate lunged forward in anger, wanting to wring Bonnie's neck, but Roman quickly intervened. "As much fun as that would be, I don't think so!" Roman insisted while holding Kate back. Maggie immediately took over for Kate, storming toward Bonnie in slightly more reserved anger. "After everything that you did to Adrienne, and then to me, you do this to Lucas?" Maggie asked incredulously, glaring at Bonnie.

"How many times do I have to say it? I didn't want to hurt Adrienne, all right? That was Anjelica's idea!" Bonnie tiredly clarified. "But you? You, sweetheart, were [my target]," Bonnie admitted to Maggie with a scowl. "Why didn't you just do me and Mickey and this whole damn town a favor and stay dead?" Bonnie continued, earning a slap from Maggie.

"I'm gonna have you up on charges!" Bonnie vowed. "And I'll have you for breakfast!" Maggie countered, ready for a fight. Lucas and Mimi worked together to keep Maggie and Bonnie separated.

"The D.A. dropped charges against you based on a lie," Maggie pointed out. "Well, they can't take it back now, can they?" Bonnie bragged, shrugging unapologetically. "An agreement based on fraud isn't binding," Roman helpfully clarified, causing Bonnie's smile to fade at once. Meanwhile, Lucas continued struggling to absorb Chloe's bad news.

"The test matched my DNA. How is that possible?" Lucas wondered. "Well, Kayla said it means that you must be related to the baby's real father," Chloe explained as Rex and Sarah listened from the bar, no longer able to miss hearing the details of what had turned into a shouting match. "Did you have another child with Philip?" Kate asked Mimi.

"It's not Philip's baby," Rex guessed when Mimi didn't respond right away. "How could you know that?" Sarah asked curiously as everyone else turned to face Rex. "Because the baby's mine," Rex explained.

"[But] you said that you two were over years ago," Sarah recalled, confused. "We were...except for one night," Rex hesitantly clarified. "[But if] that baby is four months old, that means that your little hookup happened when we were already together!" Sarah tearfully pointed out. "We hit a rough patch..." Rex regretfully began. "So...what, that just makes it okay for you to sleep with your ex?" Sarah asked incredulously.

"I have to get out of here! I'm gonna be sick!" Sarah declared between sobs while retreating from the club. Maggie chased after Sarah as Roman approached Rex. "You're [supposed to be] the smart one, [and] it did not occur to you to share that news in private?" Roman asked Rex with obvious disapproval. Sighing, Rex conceded that Roman was right.

Rex started to rush off in search of Sarah, but Roman insisted that wasn't a good idea. Meanwhile, Kate asked Mimi, "So, how did you think this was going to turn out? Because all of Bonnie's schemes turn out so well..." Rex overheard and told Kate to give Mimi a break. Roman offered to take Kate to the Brady Pub for a beer, guessing that Rex would like some time alone with Mimi to sort everything out. "You didn't use protection, doctor?" Kate asked Rex with obvious disapproval before leaving the club with Roman.

"Unbelievable," Lucas muttered while taking one last look at the baby. "Great seeing you, Mimi. Best to your mom," Lucas sarcastically added before exiting the club, with Chloe close behind.

Suddenly alone with Mimi and the baby, Rex knelt down and said with a smile, "Hi, Bonnie. I'm Rex." Mimi clarified with a shake of the head, "Her name is Emily...and you're not 'Rex'; you're her father."

At the Brady Pub, Kate told Roman, "You know, I have always been proud of my instincts. [They always] get me through. But my sons? Dear God -- when it comes to women, they are absolutely clueless!" Kate worriedly noted that the baby was still a member of the family and would therefore remain a part of Lucas' life -- and a reminder of Lucas' loss -- forever. Roman predicted that Lucas would be okay, but Kate wasn't convinced. "[And I'm sure] you didn't notice, but I did," Kate added with a sigh. "Notice what?" Roman asked, confused. "Chloe moving in for the kill," Kate clarified.

At the Horton Town Square, Chloe apologized for having gone behind Lucas' back to do a second DNA test. "It's just that I know what it's like to fall in love with a baby that isn't yours," Chloe explained as Lucas remained silent. Elsewhere, Maggie comforted Sarah with a hug. "I'm so sorry. This was supposed to be a special night for you," Maggie noted. "Oh, it was special, all right..." Sarah sarcastically replied, fighting back fresh tears.

At the hospital, Sami prepared to look at the results of the burn victim's DNA test. Belle started to leave, but Sami objected, wanting a witness for support. "What if I open this up, and I find out that the man underneath all those bandages isn't E.J.? I mean, I told myself not to let my hopes get up, but...I've been alone for a really long time, and 'alone' is not my natural state, you know?" Sami tearfully explained.

Belle sympathetically insisted that Sami wasn't alone -- and never would be, regardless of the results of the DNA test. "I am so sorry that I blamed you for everything that happened with Mom. I should have believed you when you said you didn't [shoot her]," Belle added. "No, I totally understand -- [I mean], I was acting crazy [and] waving a gun around, [so] it makes sense [that] you thought I did it," Sami acknowledged.

"I'm still sorry," Belle maintained. "It's okay. There's no need to apologize. I mean, are you kidding? If I started apologizing to you for all the things that I have done over the years, it would take a lifetime!" Sami pointed out. "Then we're even?" Belle assumed. "Well, not quite; I mean, you don't exactly bat in my league for screw-ups..." Sami joked.

"That's not true!" Belle insisted. "Listen, I've just been realizing that, you know, you've been through so much, and you've suffered some terrible losses, and now that we're reconnecting, I, um...well, I won't say I'm sorry, but I will say that I wish I had been there for you more. I wish that I had, you know, been there to hold your hand through it, and, uh, [had] been a big enough person to put aside my petty resentments so I could be a better sister, you know?" Belle continued. "They weren't 'petty,' okay? You are a great sister -- you really are!" Sami assured Belle.

"And I do stupid things [to try to] push you away [because] that's what I always do -- I push you, or I sell you, or..." Sami added before stopping abruptly. "Too soon?" Sami guessed. "Yeah," Belle confirmed with a laugh.

"[Well, let's not] dwell on the past. How 'bout we stop feeling sad and guilty all the time for the things that have already happened, and [instead] move forward and be better, you know? [Let's] try to give each other the benefit of the doubt, you know, and see the best in each other, like we're doing right now," Sami concluded. "Yeah!" Belle agreed with a nod.

Satisfied, Sami started to open the envelope that contained the results of the DNA test. "I'm glad that you're doing this with me," Sami told Belle while reaching inside the envelope.

Belle stopped Sami suddenly. "You know what? We should go do this in Mom's room!" Belle spontaneously declared. "No, we can't!" Sami protested. "[I mean], we don't want to bother her..." Sami added.

Immediately suspicious, Belle guessed that Sami was hiding something. Sami tried to deny the accusation, but Belle wasn't convinced -- and vowed to head straight to Marlena's room for an explanation unless Sami provided one instead. "The woman in Mom's room is not Mom," Sami reluctantly revealed, stunning Belle.

"I feel like such an idiot!" Belle admitted after Sami finished explaining everything. "I mean, you saw [through Hattie's ruse]. Why didn't I?" Belle continued. "I didn't figure it out right away. I mean, it took me a long time," Sami clarified in an effort to make Belle feel better. "[And when you did], you didn't think to, like, put me out of my misery and let me know that [it] wasn't my mom [who was saying all those horrible things to me]?" Belle asked, suddenly hurt. "Well, Belle, you weren't exactly on the same side as me [on] that whole issue, if you'll recall, [so no], I didn't rush right out, [in the middle of] everything else I was doing, to tell you that it wasn't Mom hurting your feelings!" Sami unapologetically confirmed. "But...you know what, that doesn't matter now, right?" Sami added.

Belle conceded that Marlena's well-being was all that truly mattered. "It's just a little jarring to finally hear all of this. I'm sure it was for you, too," Belle added. "Yeah, yeah...for sure..." Sami claimed, clearly surprised that Belle was getting so emotional about the whole thing. "Sorry. I just need some time to think about this," Belle continued while wiping away tears. "Of course. No, I understand. Take all the time..." Sami awkwardly replied.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Victor entered the living room and settled on the couch with a sigh of contentment. "Finally -- some peace and quiet," Victor mused -- just as Susan entered the living room with a tray of food. "I don't know what I've ever done to deserve this..." Victor grumbled, looking up at the ceiling. "What are you doing here?" Susan asked. "I live here," Victor tiredly reminded Susan.

"Why don't you enjoy your snack somewhere else? The cellar, Uganda..." Victor suggested. "I am beginning to understand your sense of humor. It's what they call 'sarcastic,' isn't it?" Susan replied while taking a seat next to Victor on the couch. "I thought you would have been at the engagement party..." Susan grumbled. "[That's] about the only thing I can think of that would be worse than spending time with you," Victor countered.

"I thought that ancient Greeks said that hospitality was sacred," Susan pointed out. "Good God -- did you actually say something that wasn't inane?" Victor replied. "Well, I read it in a book that was on my nightstand..." Susan explained. "You read?" Victor repeated, stunned. "You say hurtful things on purpose!" Susan complained. "I'll pay you to go away! You could be a very rich person somewhere! Anywhere!" Victor begged.

Susan refused to leave Salem without first checking on Marlena. "Go ahead! I'll call you a cab!" Victor encouraged Susan. "Sami said that only family can visit right now," Susan explained with a pout. "Don't you think that's odd? I mean, I think that's odd. But what can you do? I mean, you can't fight City Hall -- only...it's not City Hall; I mean, it would be the hospital, right?" Susan continued.

"I've died. I have died and gone to hell," Victor grumbled as Susan turned on the television. "Oh, my stars and garters, look what's on! It's The Mummy! And he's all bandaged up in there, and you don't know who or what's in there..." Susan mused before stopping abruptly. "Oh, my... I just had this strong mystical moment... It was just this clear vision that...Elvis is alive!" Susan declared.

Meanwhile, at the hospital, Sami finally looked at the results of the burn victim's DNA test. "Oh, my God -- it's him! It's E.J.!" Sami tearfully informed Belle.

Back at the Kiriakis mansion, Victor agreed that Elvis was alive -- and that Susan needed to fly to Graceland right away to find the singer. "Not 'Elvis' -- Elvis!" Susan clarified. "Right..." Victor replied, confused. "My Elvis!" Susan further clarified. "I see him! I mean, he's wrapped up in bandages, like a mummy... What could that mean? What could that mean? I mean, maybe somebody put him in a tomb... Or...or...Vivian Alamain, she buries her people alive, [so] maybe he's in Egypt, or Alamainia..." Susan mused with obvious concern.

"Or maybe in University Hospital, recuperating from burns over 90% of his body," Victor reluctantly suggested. "He's in University Hospital?" Susan asked, stunned. "Courtesy of his soul mate, Samantha Brady," Victor confirmed. "I probably shouldn't have told you...but you are the man's mother..." Victor added. "Sami went down to Nashville, looking for E.J.," Victor elaborated. "No, she went to Memphis, where I live, and found Will," Susan argued. "Well, this time, she went to Nashville, and she found E.J. Seems that cheating death gives you a taste for country music," Victor dryly replied. "That is not funny!" Susan protested.

"You tell me what happened!" Susan demanded. "Somehow, as soon as she got there, a building exploded...which is sort of par for the course for her. The man she was looking for was burned beyond recognition. Nicole Walker and Kristen DiMera were both killed in the explosion," Victor continued. "Kristen? She's dead?" Susan asked, stunned. "How can you not know this? [I mean], it was in the paper!" Victor pointed out. "It wasn't in the Intruder, which is the only reliable source left!" Susan countered. "Wait a minute -- Sami was here, and she didn't say a word about this?" Susan added, hurt. "Probably afraid of the way you'd react," Victor guessed.

"Well, she should be afraid -- very, very, very afraid!" Susan snapped before storming out of the mansion.

Meanwhile, at the hospital, Sami started worrying about what the future might hold. "It's possible that when E.J. wakes up, he might not even remember me," Sami fretted. "Oh, honey, nobody could ever forget you," Belle assured Sami. "And Will got his memory back when he was around all the people that he loved, [so] I'm sure that can happen for E.J., too," Belle added. "If he survives..." Sami pointed out.

Belle soon changed the subject, ordering Sami to lead the way to Marlena's real room -- immediately. While leading Belle through the halls, Sami insisted that no one else could know the truth about E.J. yet -- especially Susan. "Sami, that woman is his mother!" Belle pointed out. "Look, I'll tell her...at some point...but right now, that loon is the last thing that [he] needs to be dealing with! [He] just needs to have calm, capable people around him, and the light from calm and capable will take eight million years to reach Susan!" Sami reasoned.

Meanwhile, Susan entered E.J.'s room. "It's okay now, baby -- mama's here," Susan tearfully assured E.J.

^ back to the top

by Spalding

Susan visited E.J. in his hospital room. Susan spotted the DNA test results on the table, and she cried when she read that the results confirmed the burned man was her son. Heartbroken, Susan told E.J. she would not leave him. Susan wondered aloud how Sami had obtained a DNA sample from her. Susan's eyes fell on the Marlena doll that Susan had made for Marlena.

"Sami Brady is a liar and a thief. She suspected you were alive, and she kept it from me. If it were up to her, she would never tell me the truth," Susan said. "Help. I can't breathe," the Marlena doll said to Susan. Susan shook her head in disbelief that the doll was calling to her from inside its plastic bag. Hesitantly, Susan opened the bag. Doll Marlena complained that she had almost suffocated.

"They are mean, mean, mean," doll Marlena said. The doll complained that Sami had used her for a hair sample and had no intention of giving her to Marlena. Susan asked the doll if Sami planned to take E.J. away from her.

"That is exactly what she is doing. And you have to stop her," the doll purred. "I just want to know why Sami Brady doesn't want me to have my son back," Susan yelled at the doll. The doll asked Susan, "Are you going to let Sami Brady get away with this?"

In the hospital waiting area by the nurses' station, Sami told Belle that she did not want to tell Susan about E.J. John wheeled Marlena down the hallway, and Belle mistook her for Hattie. As Belle read Marlena the riot act, Sami chuckled to herself.

"So, I guess you have no use for my joy and wisdom?" Marlena asked, reminding Belle of what she had told her before surgery. Overcome with emotion, Belle hugged her mother. Sami joined them in the hug. Marlena said she was happy to see her two girls together. Sami told Marlena and John that she and Belle had worked through their differences. John said he also had good news.

"Hattie has agreed to a divorce," John said. As John announced that he was going to make the switch with Hattie, Sami stopped him from going and told John and Marlena about E.J. John asked about the kids. With a nod, Sami said she had not told anyone yet because E.J.'s recovery was uncertain.

"I need to say something to mom. When you were shot, I was beside myself. We were all beside ourselves, and all we wanted to do was save you. And then I found your advance directive," Belle said. Marlena said she understand that Belle had fought to disconnect the ventilator because she had believed that was what Marlena would have wanted. Belle apologized through tears.

"You did exactly the right thing," Marlena said. John asked for a moment alone with Belle, and they stepped aside. Marlena asked Sami about E.J. Sami confided that she was happy but terrified. "What if E.J., the man that I love, what if he can never be the same?" Sami said. Marlena urged Sami not to give up hope. Sami's phone rang with a call from a clinic. After Sami ended the phone call, she smiled at Marlena.

"I found this amazing place in Italy, it is top rated, and if I can get in there, the kids would be close by. And they just called to say he got in there," Sami said happily. Marlena told Sami that E.J. would be fine because he had Sami in his corner. Excited, Sami said she wanted to tell E.J. the good news. Sami ran back to E.J.'s room and was horrified to find that he was gone.

Across the waiting area, John apologized to Belle for how he had treated her when Marlena had been in a coma. "I really thought I was losing her. I just took out all my anger and helplessness on you," John said. Belle said she had done the same thing. Belle thanked John for fighting for Marlena because he had saved Marlena's life. John asked Belle if they were going to be okay. In tears, Belle hugged her father.

In Hattie's room, Bonnie begged Hattie for help, since her plan had failed. Bonnie asked Hattie to testify to a mental illness. Hattie explained that she could not help because she was no longer acting as Marlena. "Besides, I'm going back to prison myself," Hattie said. Hattie explained that she was going back to prison to finish her time. Bonnie refused to go back to prison, but Hattie pushed her to reconsider.

"Aren't you tired of running?" Hattie asked. Hattie argued that the police would track down Bonnie, and she would be in prison for even longer. Hattie explained that the prison might go easier on Bonnie if she turned herself in voluntarily. With a grin, Hattie told Bonnie that she would be cooking the food at the prison.

"Once we are released, we can do whatever we want because we will be free. Really, really free," Hattie said. Through tears, Bonnie nodded yes.

After Bonnie left, John entered Hattie's room with Marlena. Marlena thanked Hattie for her help. "You have created a lot of problems, but you also saved my life, and for that, I will always be grateful," Marlena said. Hattie admitted that she had been jealous of Marlena, but she had since found peace with her own life. "I'm looking forward to a little less drama in my life," Hattie said.

In the square, Chloe asked Lucas if he was mad that she had told him the truth about the baby. Lucas said he understood that Chloe had not wanted him to grow attached to the baby, but she was too late.

At Doug's Place, Rex held his baby girl. Mimi asked Rex if he had been honest when he had said that he was ready to be a father. Rex stammered, and Mimi interrupted to assure Rex that he was under no obligation to be a part of baby Emily's life. "I just need some time to think about it," Rex said. Mimi encouraged Rex to talk to Sarah first. Rex handed Emily back to Mimi then left.

Once alone, Mimi doted on her baby girl. Lucas walked in with Chloe. Wordlessly, Lucas walked over and looked at baby Emily. As Lucas turned to leave, Mimi apologized. Mimi explained that her mother had pushed her into the scheme, and she felt awful. Chloe told Mimi she should have thought of the baby. When Mimi countered that Chloe had hurt Holly, Chloe argued she was not perfect, either.

"Whatever Bonnie wants, Bonnie gets," Lucas lamented. Mimi apologized again for hurting Lucas. "Baby Emily and I are leaving Salem," Mimi said. "Emily?" Lucas asked with surprise. With a smile, Mimi admitted that Emily was her baby's real name. Lucas asked to hold Emily one last time, since Mimi was leaving town. Mimi smiled and encouraged Lucas to pick up her daughter.

"I'm not new at being a dad, I just never seem to get it right. With you, I was hoping for a chance to be better. It really doesn't look like that is going to happen now. I guess it is just not meant to be. I want you to know, baby Emily, I want you to know that I want you to have a life full of happiness," Lucas said. Lucas told Emily that he would be there for her if she needed him.

In the Kiriakis living room, Sarah ranted about her desire to kill Rex for cheating on her. "I love him, and he broke my heart. And now I want to break his face," Sarah said. Maggie comforted her daughter. "Rex is the one that wanted to move in," Sarah yelled. Sarah wondered aloud why Rex had pushed for a relationship when he wanted to cheat on her.

"Why would a man who lies and cheats want to get married?" Sarah wondered aloud. Maggie told Sarah that only Rex could answer that question. Sarah said she wanted to leave Salem. Rex walked in. Maggie asked Rex what he wanted. Rex asked for a few minutes alone with Sarah. Reluctantly, Sarah agreed.

"I can handle this loser," Sarah said. Sarah demanded answers. "I never meant to cheat on you," Rex started. Rex said he had been stressed, and they had been having a rough patch when he had slept with Mimi. Rex said that during a break, he had run into Mimi. "It was a stupid and thoughtless mistake," Rex said. Rex said it had made him realize that all he wanted was to be with Sarah.

"Are you telling me that sleeping with your ex made you realize that you love me?" Sarah asked. Rex told Sarah that he wanted to make a life with her, and he asked Sarah what he could do to get Sarah to forgive him. "No more secrets. No more lies," Sarah said. Sarah asked Rex if Mimi was the only time that Rex had cheated on her. Rex remained silent. Furious, Sarah slapped Rex across the face.

"I'm so sick about this. I'm sick about what happened. I'm sick about what I did. If I could go back, I would do anything to change this," Rex said. Sarah reminded Rex that she had not pressured him to get engaged. Rex clarified that he had been pressured by society to check off all the boxes. Rex said he regretted his mistakes but had always returned to Sarah. Sarah asked how many times Rex had cheated.

"I think that I got it all out of my system," Rex said. "You can't get a child out of your system!" Sarah yelled. Rex begged Sarah not to make an impulsive decision about their relationship. Rex asked what he could do to get past it. "That child is a constant reminder of your betrayal, and I am never going to get over that," Sarah said.

"I'm so sorry. And I love you. And I still want to marry you," Rex said quietly. "That is never going to happen," Sarah said. Sarah took off her engagement ring and told Rex that their relationship was over. In tears, Sarah left the room.

At Bonnie's hotel room, Belle met up with Mimi. Mimi apologized for putting Belle in the middle of her situation. "I want you to know how grateful I am," Mimi said. Belle told Mimi that she would always help her. Bonnie returned to the room. Mimi announced that she was leaving town. Mimi added that Bonnie could not join them because she was a fugitive. Bonnie asked Belle to negotiate on her behalf to surrender to the police.

"I'm turning myself in," Bonnie said. Mimi's mouth dropped open. "By choice?" Mimi asked. Bonnie nodded yes. With a chuckle, Bonnie said she had not expected the decision either. "Old friend of mine made me realize that I can't run forever," Bonnie said. Belle promised to help Bonnie negotiate her surrender. Mimi agreed that Bonnie had made the right decision.

"I hit the jackpot when I got you for a daughter, baby," Bonnie said. Bonnie said she was not mother of the year, but she planned on being a good grandmother. Emily cooed. Bonnie told Emily that she loved her and that she would always be "baby Bonnie" to her. Mimi told her mother that she would miss her. With a nod, Bonnie said she did not expect to see Emily while she was in prison, but she wanted to see her after her release. Mimi nodded yes.

^ back to the top

by Mike

At the hospital, Sami looked around E.J.'s room in a panic. Kayla soon called out a cheerful greeting from the hallway. "Isn't it amazing that the DNA test proved that the mystery patient is E.J.?" Kayla continued, joining Sami in the room. "Yeah, yeah...except [for] one small little problem -- where is he?" Sami worriedly replied.

Meanwhile, Susan rushed toward an elevator behind the nurses' station -- then stopped abruptly, having just spotted Will and Paul in the nearby waiting area. Susan nervously shrank against a wall, just out of Will and Paul's line of sight, and listened as Will informed Paul that Kayla planned to sign a certain someone's discharge paperwork sometime that day.

"Are you kidding me? They're letting me go home?" Paul asked excitedly. "You're a free man," Will confirmed. "Oh, my God! I cannot wait to get out of here!" Paul happily declared. "And see our new place!" Paul quickly added. "Oh, yeah -- I really think you're gonna like it," Will predicted. "No, I'm gonna love it -- just like I love you," Paul countered.

As Will leaned in to give Paul a kiss, Susan dashed over to the elevator and started pounding buttons in a desperate attempt to make the doors open. "Susan?" Will called out after pulling away from Paul. Startled, Susan jumped then shrank against a wall again, refusing to face Will and Paul. "Susan, we can see you," Will continued, trying not to laugh.

"What are you doing here?" Will asked curiously as Susan reluctantly turned around. "Oh, my God -- Will? Is that you?" Susan replied, squinting dramatically. "I gotta get these old peepers checked again, 'cause I just didn't recognize you!" Susan continued while stepping away from the elevator. "Oh, really? Because it sort of looked like you did recognize me, and you were trying to avoid me," Will skeptically countered. "Why don't you tell me what you're doing at the hospital, Susan," Will suspiciously repeated, more as a demand than a request.

"Well, I -- I came to see Paul!" Susan claimed. "[And] here he is! What are the odds?" Susan continued. "Well, that was very thoughtful of you," Paul politely replied. "Well, that's who I am -- thoughtful and kind Susan! Unlike some people, who are just nasty, and selfish, and just...mean, mean, mean!" Susan declared with a shrug.

Will guessed that Susan was talking about Sami. "I don't want to get into this with you -- especially considering what you did to her," Will tiredly insisted. Undeterred, Susan forged ahead, noting that Paul had saved Sami's life -- and had been paralyzed in the process. "I bet she didn't even say thank you!" Susan continued. "Actually, she did," Paul clarified. "Okay, well...she should do a heck of a lot more! She should, uh...she should write you a check for a million dollars -- or at least get you a pretty scarf or somethin'!" Susan maintained.

"[But] she just thinks only about herself -- always has and always will!" Susan complained, ignoring Will's growing irritation. "I mean, you should've seen the way she lied to me the other day!" Susan continued, scowling.

"[And] the sacrifices you made for that she-devil! You could've ended up in the morgue! And believe you me, you don't ever want to go down there, 'cause from my experience, it's very creepy -- with a capital 'creep'!" Susan told Paul. "I'll take your word for it," Paul replied, forcing a smile. "So, how long are you, uh, staying in Salem, Susan?" Will tiredly interjected. "Um... Not long... Nope, nope -- not long at all..." Susan evasively replied as the elevator finally arrived. Susan seized hugs from Will and Paul, who were both clearly uncomfortable, then ducked inside the elevator while predicting that Paul would one day walk again.

"Well, that wasn't weird at all," Paul sarcastically declared once the coast was clear. "No -- not a bit," Will agreed with a sigh.

Back in E.J.'s room, Sami curiously noted that Marlena's look-alike doll was gone -- along with the results of the DNA test. Meanwhile, Kayla wrapped up a phone conversation with the head nurse, who had confirmed that there was no reason for E.J. to be missing from the room at that time. "[Then] something bad has happened! [I mean], it's not like E.J. got up and walked away on his own!" Sami worriedly pointed out after Kayla shared the news. "Take it easy. I'm gonna go talk to Security, [and then I'll come right back]. Just hang tight," Kayla told Sami before exiting the room.

Scoffing, Sami waited a few seconds then rushed off in the opposite direction, not wanting to "hang tight" any longer.

Will was still with Paul in the waiting area, teasingly refusing to offer any hints about the wheelchair-accessible apartment that was meant to be a surprise, when Sami rounded a corner and charged toward the nearby elevator. "Mom?" Will called out. "Will! Oh, my God! Hi! Thank God!" Sami breathlessly replied. "What's wrong?" Will asked curiously. "E.J.'s missing!" Sami frantically explained. "What do you mean, 'missing'?" Paul interjected. "He was in his room when I left, and when I got back, he was gone!" Sami elaborated. "Are you sure that it's E.J.?" Will wondered. "Yes. My Aunt Kayla did a DNA test, and I used Susan's hair, and it's a match!" Sami confirmed.

"So, Susan knows about this," Will assumed. "No! No way! Are you kidding? I don't want that nutter-butter anywhere near here! No good can come from Susan [being] anywhere near this hospital!" Sami clarified. "Oh..." Will replied. "'Oh'? What do you mean, 'oh'?" Sami asked worriedly. "Well...Susan was here...and she looked like she was up to something," Will revealed.

"She claimed to be here to see Paul, but when she spotted us, she kind of looked like a deer in the high beams," Will elaborated. Alarmed, Sami guessed that Susan had kidnapped E.J. "Yeah, I wouldn't put that past her..." Paul interjected. "I am tired of that woman trying to walk away with the people that I love! [You know], if that wretch tries to get E.J., I swear to God, I will --" Sami began to vow. "Remain perfectly calm [and] work things out," Will insisted. "I don't think that's what she was gonna say..." Paul guessed, stifling a laugh. "Not even close!" Sami confirmed.

Sami wanted to get the police involved, but Will warned that doing so would just make Susan even more paranoid and unpredictable. "He's right, Sami. I mean, that woman is unbalanced on a good day. The last thing you want to do is set her off," Paul agreed. "I'm supposed to be worried about setting her off?" Sami incredulously countered.

"[Look], she was just here a little bit ago -- by herself -- so she couldn't have gotten very far," Paul continued. "Did she say something that would give you a hint as to where she's going?" Sami asked hopefully. "She mentioned that I was lucky [because] when I fell out a window, I didn't end up in the morgue," Paul recalled. "And she knew firsthand how creepy it could be," Will added.

"She's gonna sneak E.J. out [through] the morgue!" Sami realized before dashing off, ignoring Will's protests. "I'll be fine here," Paul insisted, knowing that Will wanted to chase after Sami. "Are you sure?" Will asked.

Just then, Kayla rounded a corner and approached with Paul's discharge paperwork. "There's something that you should know..." Kayla began to tell Will. "E.J.'s alive, and Susan took him?" Paul guessed for Will. "You know about Susan? I just saw her on the security footage," Kayla elaborated. "We know...and so does my mom," Will confirmed with a sigh before proceeding to fill Kayla in on Sami's theory.

"Susan isn't gonna have an easy time getting E.J. out through the morgue. The attendant is off duty this time of night, and the keys are only accessed on a need basis," Kayla assured Will. "Well, Susan can be pretty resourceful when she needs to be -- I mean, look at how long she hid me away," Will countered. "Well, I [already] alerted security, so if she's here at the hospital, we're gonna find her -- and E.J.," Kayla promised.

After Kayla walked away, Will started helping Paul fill out the discharge paperwork. "You know, I wonder if we should go try and find Sami and Susan [after this and] make sure nothing goes wrong..." Paul began. "My mom can handle Susan," Will insisted. "Yeah -- that's what I'm worried about..." Paul replied. Will sighed and nodded, getting Paul's point.

Meanwhile, in the morgue, Susan rummaged through cabinets and eventually found a spare pair of scrubs, a surgical mask, and a hair net.

"These security folks should be a lot more careful [about] leavin' their keys lyin' around [where] anybody can just pick 'em up and walk!" Susan told E.J., who was under a sheet on a gurney. "I am so sorry for leavin' you alone in this creepy place, but I had to scout out the exits," Susan explained. "And it's a good thing I did, too, 'cause Will and Paul [are here], and they could've ruined everything!" Susan continued, shuddering.

"I'm gonna dedicate my life to helpin' you get better," Susan promised E.J. "But first, we gotta get you outta here -- and away from that mean, mean, mean Sami!" Susan added, scowling. "I'm gonna take you home to meet my Roger! He looks just like the real Elvis, and he takes really good care of me! And we are gonna take really good care of you, too! [We're] gonna have a wonderful life -- just the three of us!" Susan excitedly declared. Just then, Marlena's look-alike doll rolled off a counter and fell to the floor. Susan picked up the doll and lovingly dusted it off while assuring it, "Oh -- I mean the four of us..."

Susan finished donning the disguise while complaining to E.J. about Sami. "Can you believe she didn't want me to know that you were alive? Your own mother!" Susan asked without a hint of irony. "Well...it's time we hit the road... [Now], wish me luck, Elvis. I think this will work. [Mama's] gonna wheel you off [and] right into the promised land..." Susan added while pulling the sheet over E.J.'s face.

Just then, Sami burst into the morgue. "Uh...my -- my -- my apologies, miss, um, but it's after hours, and this is a restricted area, and you have to leave..." Susan began. "Just turn around, Susan," Sami tiredly demanded. "How'd you know it was me?" Susan asked with a sigh while turning to face Sami. "Well, the socks-and-sandals combo was a dead giveaway, but that accent..." Sami replied, cringing.

"Are you gonna hurt me?" Susan worriedly wondered. "Not if you tell me why you were trying to take E.J. away from me," Sami replied while pulling the sheet back down. "Because you took him away from me first!" Susan explained with a growl while shoving Sami away and pulling the sheet over E.J.'s face again. "Careful with him!" Sami protested.

"I had to hear that he was alive from -- from that Victor Kiriakis-is-is, of all people!" Susan complained while continuing to fight with Sami for control of the sheet. "I'm sorry, Susan -- I really am -- but I...didn't want to get your hopes up...until I was sure that it was really E.J.," Sami claimed with a shrug. "Lady, that's not your decision to make!" Susan insisted.

"This is my little boy -- my little Elvis -- and if you had one little moment that you knew he was alive, then you should've told me!" Susan added. "Okay, you're right...[but] can we just put that behind us, Susan, and do what is best for E.J.? Please?" Sami sweetly suggested, not bothering to point out the irony of Susan's statement.

"No! You're lyin' to me again! I don't trust you anymore! You know, you just wanna take him away from me!" Susan guessed while shielding E.J. from Sami. "You're damn straight I do!" Sami unapologetically confirmed before shoving Susan away. "See? I knew it!" Susan declared with a dramatic gasp. Susan seized a scalpel from a counter and pointed it at Sami while warning, "Don't you dare take another step, lady!"

At the Kiriakis mansion, J.J. greeted Gabi, who had just returned from a business trip. "It was a big success. [This] Gabi Chic pop-up is gonna kill it!" Gabi declared to satisfy J.J.'s curiosity about the trip. "What are you doing here?" Gabi added. "I just came to check on Thomas, but, uh, the nanny's giving him a bath, so I'm just hanging out until [they're done so I can] tuck him in," J.J. explained.

"Poor little guy. Must be all hands on deck while Chad and your mom are having Abigail committed," Gabi guessed. "You didn't hear?" J.J. realized.

Gabi was stunned to learn that Abigail had managed to find a way to avoid being committed. "I just remembered -- I gotta go get something from the office for a meeting in the morning..." Gabi claimed before starting to rush off. "Let me give you a ride," J.J. offered. "No, that's okay -- you stay here with Thomas," Gabi insisted before trying to leave again.

"I hope I didn't overstep [the other night] -- you know, when we almost..." J.J. awkwardly began, sensing that Gabi wanted to get away from him for some reason. "Kissed?" she impatiently finished for him. "So, I wasn't imagining it," he concluded, relieved. "No. [And] it's okay," she assured him with a smile before turning to leave yet again.

"[Good, because] I just wouldn't want anything like that to get in the way of our friendship. You're too important to me," J.J. stressed. "I really gotta go," Gabi replied with finality before rushing off, leaving J.J. puzzled again.

At the DiMera mansion, Stefan called for a guard to deal with Chad, who was outside and was refusing to leave without Abigail. Seconds later, as a guard flashed a gun to force Chad off the property, Stefan promised to always protect Abigail. Scoffing, Abigail made it clear that Stefan's ulterior motives had not been forgotten -- and were a waste of time because Gabby was gone for good.

"Still clinging to the idea that [Gabi] is setting you up?" Stefan asked with obvious skepticism. "Yes -- because it's true!" Abigail insisted. "Why would she go after you [but] not me? I'm the one who set her up to take the fall for Andre's murder," Stefan pointed out. "Maybe she wants more than just revenge," Abigail guessed, adding that, in any case, Gabi was definitely behind everything that had been blamed on Gabby lately.

"How can you be so sure of that?" Stefan wondered. "You have spent days with me [now]. Have you seen any signs that maybe I'm losing track of time, or another personality's been trying to take over? No, you haven't. [And] if Gabby were back, don't you think maybe she would have tried to come out when we were getting married, or she'd be desperately trying to get to you in some way? There's no voices, Stefan. She's not there! [And] the incidents have stopped because I'm in this house, [where Gabi] can't reach me [and therefore] can't hurt me," Abigail reasoned with a shrug.

At the Salem Inn, Kate received a visit from Gabi, who furiously revealed that Abigail had screwed up the plan. "What nerve! How dare she screw up your plan to have her committed to an insane asylum!" Kate sarcastically agreed. Gabi insisted that something had to be done -- immediately -- to get the plan back on track so Abigail could be committed and Stefan could lose the baby to Chad.

"And then you're gonna step in and 'help' Chad with the baby, right?" Kate tiredly concluded for Gabi. "[Why would you want to] chain yourself to a sham relationship -- with a man that you have told me yourself you don't love -- all to get back at Abigail?" Kate wondered. "It's not like I'm dating anybody else, so...who cares?" Gabi reasoned with a shrug. "But you could! You never know when that person -- that right person -- is gonna show up!" Kate pointed out. Gabi couldn't help thinking about J.J. but dismissively maintained, "I'm not gonna sit around and wait for some perfect love to sweep me off my feet!" Kate groaned in protest.

"I need to focus on the task at hand!" Gabi continued. "Well, there's really nothing [more] that you can do. [I mean], unless you could prove that Abigail snapped and was a danger to society..." Kate countered. "I can't do that...but you can," Gabi pointed out, grinning mischievously. "You have already involved me in too much of your mess. You're gonna have to fix this yourself," Kate dismissively insisted.

"Everyone's already suspicious of me!" Gabi reminded Kate. "I wonder why! You're such a paragon of virtue!" Kate sarcastically countered.

"Look, Chad believed you when you said that [Gabby] shoved you, [so] this time you need to take it further," Gabi continued, ignoring Kate's dig. "I really hate the sound of that..." Kate muttered, groaning again.

"All you need to do is get yourself to the mansion under some pretense, [like making amends], and when she is not looking, you can slip a light sedative into whatever she's drinking, wait for her to pass out, and then make that room look like a mess -- like a huge fight! [Like] a very violent fight! [Like] that maniac Gabby [just] tried to kill you, [and] you are lucky to be alive! [You can just] rip your clothes a little bit, scratch yourself, call the police in tears, [and have Abigail] arrested for attempted murder! Then they're gonna have no choice but to commit her! Easy peasy, lemon squeezy!" Gabi cheerfully suggested. "No," Kate coolly replied.

Gabi was quick to remind Kate of the potential consequences of refusing to cooperate. "Is this really how you want to play this? Because I'm not the only one who has something to lose here. If you expose me, I'll be more than happy to tell everyone about all of the lies you've told about the baby, and how you set Abigail up, and that will make you very toxic. No one will want to be near you," Kate pointed out. "Not if I tell everybody it was your idea," Gabi countered, shrugging. Kate sighed and again wondered what had happened to Gabi. "I'm just doing what I have to do," Gabi dismissively insisted.

"Well, I hope it's worth the risk, because if the truth does come out, you're going to lose everything -- your friends, your business...[and] your daughter," Kate warned before exiting the hotel room.

Chad entered the Kiriakis mansion and told J.J. about what had happened at the DiMera mansion earlier. "How the hell am I supposed to get through to [Abby] if -- if I can't even see her?" Chad wondered. "And the longer she's in that house --" Chad began to add. "The more likely it is that her alters come back," J.J. concluded with a nod of agreement. "We have to get her out of there," J.J. told Chad.

"What would my father do?" Chad wondered after J.J. rushed off to work.

At the DiMera mansion, Stefan wrapped up a phone conversation with someone. "That was Seth Burns. [He] called to tell me that my brother E.J. is alive," Stefan explained, stunning Abigail. "I gotta go down there and see for myself. You want to come with me? I could use the company," Stefan added. "Oh, I think I better steer clear of Sami right now," Abigail replied.

Kate arrived at the mansion a few minutes after Stefan departed from it. "I can't believe I'm doing this..." Kate muttered before ringing the doorbell. "I think it's time for a chat," Kate said when Abigail opened the front door.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Chad filled two glasses with whiskey. "Some would describe Stefano DiMera as 'Machiavellian.' He certainly wasn't scrupulous. He tried to indoctrinate his children into his code of ethics -- always be ruthless, always be selfish, do whatever you have to [do] to get what you want, the ends will always justify the means... I rebelled against that way of thinking for a long time. I fought against it with every cell of my being. But not anymore. Stefan has taken everything that I love in this world, [including] my wife, so now it's time to get down in the mud with him. I'm gonna do anything and everything I have to [do] to get my wife back," Chad vowed.

"[And] you're gonna help me do it," Chad added before handing one of the glasses to a new partner -- Ben.

^ back to the top

by Mike

At the police station, Abe greeted Belle, who was there to finalize the terms of the deal to send Hattie and Bonnie back to Statesville.

"[I just] came from the courthouse, and the clerk there [told] me that John petitioned for an annulment...to dissolve his marriage to Hattie Adams!" Abe began, outraged. "How the hell did I marry John to Hattie Adams?" Abe asked incredulously. "Listen, if it makes you feel any better, I was as much in the dark as you were," Belle replied with a shrug.

"Well, [this] explains why Marlena didn't seem to be herself during the ceremony..." Abe noted after Belle finished explaining the ruse. "So, [Hattie's] back in Statesville?" Abe added. "And Mom is doing beautifully," Belle replied with a nod and a smile. "Except...your parents still aren't married," Abe pointed out. "I know!" Belle agreed with a groan of frustration.

"[The day of the shooting] was supposed to be such a happy day..." Belle added, sighing. "What if today [could be] that happy day [instead]?" Abe suggested, grinning mischievously.

At the hospital, John and Marlena joined Will and Paul in the waiting area near the nurses' station. "You look so much better!" Will excitedly informed Marlena, who was sitting in a wheelchair that John was steering.

"Thank you. I'm feeling so much better," Marlena happily assured Will before turning to Paul. "How are you?" Marlena asked gently. "Um...well, at least I'm getting out of here..." Paul replied, forcing a smile. "I understand that you're getting an apartment together?" Marlena asked curiously, glancing from Paul back to Will. "Yeah, yeah -- it's a...tricked-out place to go with this...awesome chair I'm stuck in..." Paul confirmed.

As Marlena gave Paul a sympathetic nod, John said a few words of thanks to Will. "You've been there for Paul when I couldn't be, [and] I'll never forget that," John declared. "Well, he deserves it," Will replied with a shrug. "And I really hope the two of you come over and see the new place," Will quickly added. "Oh, you know we will," John promised. "[But we're gonna see E.J. first], before Sami takes him to the burn clinic," Marlena added.

"Oh, um...about E.J. -- there's something you should know..." Will began with a sigh before proceeding to tell John and Marlena about what had happened earlier.

Meanwhile, in the morgue, Sami tried to reason with Susan, who was still waving a scalpel threateningly. "I just found my Elvis, [and you wanna] take him away from me again!" Susan complained with a pout. "I'm just trying to help [him]," Sami insisted. "[He's] in trouble, and he needs real help. He has burns over [90%] of his body, [and] chicken soup is just not gonna make him better. He needs money, and you don't have that," Sami continued. "Well, what are you gonna do [to help him]?" Susan asked suspiciously. "I'm gonna fly him to a private facility in Italy [that specializes] in treating burn victims," Sami explained.

"I've done the research, [and] it is the best chance he has, so put the scalpel down!" Sami demanded before lunging forward in an effort to seize the scalpel from Susan.

"Don't you touch me!" Susan warned, sidestepping Sami while keeping a firm grip on the scalpel. "My Elvis is alive, and you didn't tell me, so why should I believe a word outta your mouth, hmm?" Susan demanded to know, still eyeing Sami suspiciously. "If I let you take him away, I may never see him again -- and I just found him, Sami! Losin' him again would kill me!" Susan added, fighting back tears.

"I understand how you feel, Susan, [but] right now, you have to think about E.J. -- and what is best for him," Sami insisted. "He is in for the fight of his life...and he's gonna need the love and support of both of us," Sami added. "You really mean that?" Susan asked, stunned. "Yeah, I really do, Susan. I...I think we should find a way to work together," Sami replied with a nod.

"How?" Susan asked, confused and still suspicious. "Well, I have to take E.J. to Italy and get him settled in the clinic, and then..." Sami hesitantly began. "And then what?" Susan asked expectantly. "Well...maybe...you could come visit us there," Sami reluctantly proposed. "For real?" Susan asked, stunned again. "For real," Sami confirmed, giving Susan another nod.

"E.J.'s gonna need lots of people [around] who love him, [and] I know how much you love your son," Sami added. "I do! And I -- I've just been so lost without him! And I want him to get well again!" Susan stressed. "We both do...and I think us being enemies probably isn't good for [him], so...can't we just...knock it off?" Sami suggested. "Knock it off!" Susan agreed with a laugh.

"You know, I don't want to fight with you, Sami! I don't! I mean, we...we both love so many of the same people!" Susan added. "You're right. [And] maybe someday we could learn to love each other," Sami agreed with a smile. Nodding, Susan extended both arms expectantly, wanting a hug. "Uh...if we're gonna bury the hatchet, don't you think you could put the scalpel down [first]?" Sami suggested with a nervous chuckle.

"Oh! Yeah, yeah, yeah -- silly me!" Susan agreed while tossing the scalpel aside. "Didn't you say you had a cold?" Sami pointed out in an effort to avoid having to hug Susan. "I lied...a little...about that... I just... I wasn't ready to hug you then..." Susan sheepishly admitted. "But now you are?" Sami asked, suppressing a groan. "I believe you," Susan explained with a shrug.

Sami -- who seemed somewhat touched, and also seemed surprised to feel that way -- smiled and gave Susan a hug while fighting back tears.

Meanwhile, in the waiting area near the nurses' station, Marlena and Paul anxiously watched for any sign of John or Will, who had both gone to the morgue to investigate. "[They've] been gone for a while..." Marlena worriedly noted. "Yeah, [but] Will has a way of talking Susan down," Paul optimistically countered. "Well, I hope she hasn't done something...risky...with E.J. I mean, he's very badly burned..." Marlena mused.

John and Will soon returned -- with Susan. "Where's Sami?" Marlena wondered. "Making arrangements for, uh, E.J. to get settled back into his room. We said we'd give her a little time alone with him," John explained. "She was really nice to me! Even invited me to come to Italy with her!" Susan bragged. "Oh... How nice..." Marlena politely replied. "John, I'd love some air. Could we go on the patio, please?" Marlena quickly added.

Shortly after John left with Marlena, Belle rounded a corner and approached Will and Paul, grinning mischievously. "I need your help to plan a really special surprise," Belle announced. "Count us in," Will replied. "Yeah," Paul agreed. "Ooh!" Susan added, butting in. "And Sami -- she's gonna be crucial," Belle continued. "That might be a little tougher..." Will warned, giving Belle a look of concern.

Meanwhile, Stefan joined Sami in E.J.'s room. "Is it true you're the one that pulled him from that burning building?" Stefan wondered. "I would do a whole lot more for him," Sami replied with a nod.

"[You know], if you had turned Kristen in instead of protecting her, he wouldn't be like this!" Sami angrily added. "You spent too much time trying to wheel and deal with me," Stefan replied, shrugging unapologetically. "You gave me no choice!" Sami countered. Stefan ignored the point and forged ahead. "[You never paid] me the other half of the money you owe me," Stefan reminded Sami. "That deal was for E.J. to turn out alive and well. He [barely] qualifies as 'alive,' and he is definitely not 'well,' so I am gonna be using that money to make sure that [he] gets better, [and] you can kiss our deal goodbye!" Sami spat.

"Should've known you'd [back out of] our deal," Stefan grumbled. "You must be so disappointed -- a man of honor such as yourself," Sami dryly countered. "How's marriage to your brother's slutty ex-wife?" Sami added. Stefan forced a laugh then declared that it was fine for Sami to use stolen DiMera money to pay for E.J.'s treatment. "I'm so relieved [to have your permission]," Sami sarcastically replied.

"Will you be staying here in Salem?" Stefan asked curiously. "No. Actually, I found a really incredible facility for burn victims in Italy," Sami clarified. "Well, he is my brother, so if there is anything that I can do to help..." Stefan vaguely offered before exiting the room. "We don't need his help," Sami told E.J., waving a hand dismissively. "It's just gonna be you and me, okay? And I'm gonna help you get through this, and then you're gonna be better, and we can live the life that we have always dreamed of!" Sami excitedly added as Belle peeked in the room. "Think you'd be up for helping me with a little surprise?" Belle asked Sami teasingly.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Ben took a sip of whiskey while eyeing Chad suspiciously. "Why me? After everything I did to you and Abigail, why in God's name would you ever turn to me, of all people, for help?" Ben asked curiously. "'Cause I need to get Abby out of that house, and it's gonna take a monster to do it," Chad replied with a shrug.

"[Then] you still consider me a monster," Ben concluded with a hint of disappointment. "I need somebody ruthless, smart, driven, and effective...and you, Benny, are all of those things," Chad elaborated. "I'll be sure to add that to my résumé..." Ben dryly muttered. "[And yes], I still think you're a monster...but now you're my monster," Chad continued, shrugging again.

Ben gulped down the rest of the whiskey then walked over to the bar for a refill. "You know, uh, from what I hear, you're living in a homeless shelter and panhandling for coffee...[which] sounds pretty dismal. [So], if you ask me, it sounds like you could use a break," Chad noted as Ben took another sip of whiskey. "Fine. Okay. I'll do it," Ben said after giving the matter a few seconds of thought.

"Under one condition -- nobody dies," Ben quickly added. "We'll see how it goes," Chad noncommittally replied.

Gabi entered the mansion a few minutes later, while Chad was in the process of handing a small stack of cash to Ben. "This is just your advance. You'll get the rest when the job's completed," Chad promised. "When what job's completed?" Gabi asked worriedly. Chad tried to dodge the question, but Gabi demanded an answer. "You really want to know?" Chad wondered. "Yes!" Gabi confirmed. "I'm gonna have Ben kidnap Abby back from Stefan," Chad matter-of-factly revealed before starting to leave the mansion with Ben. "That is a terrible idea!" Gabi protested, but Chad ignored the advice.

At the DiMera mansion, Abigail wondered why Kate wanted to chat. "Invite me in, and I'll tell you," Kate sweetly replied. "After you told people that I turned into Gabby [and] beat you up? I don't think so," Abigail countered.

Abigail started to close the front door, but Kate quickly extended a hand to hold it open. "I know I haven't been your biggest fan --" Kate acknowledged. "I think that's kind of an understatement," Abigail interjected. "But Chad loves you, and it's killing him [to think] of you [being] married to Stefan, [so] I think we should talk," Kate continued. Abigail sighed and reluctantly stepped aside.

"I will probably regret this..." Abigail dramatically predicted as Kate entered the mansion and headed toward the living room. "Time to find out what you've been up to," Abigail quietly added, eyeing Kate suspiciously.

After closing the front door, Abigail joined Kate in the living room. "I'm glad we're having this chance to try to clear the air," Kate began. "Hmm. Well, if you really wanted to 'clear the air,' you could admit that you were lying when you said I pushed you," Abigail suggested. "But I wasn't lying. You just don't remember doing it," Kate maintained.

Nodding skeptically, Abigail pointed out that Kate's cell phone was vibrating. "I'll just ignore it," Kate said, waving a hand dismissively.

"[Anyway], what I'm hoping is that we can find some common ground, because we both -- we both love Chad, you know? Maybe we can even figure out a way for you to learn to trust him again," Kate continued. "See, I don't really see what you get out of that, because I know you don't really care about me," Abigail countered. "Maybe I'd like the chance to prove that's not true," Kate reasoned.

"Maybe over a cup of tea?" Kate sweetly suggested. "Tea? Heh -- you know, I always thought of you as the 'dry martini' type," Abigail admitted. "Well, actually, I am...[but I've been] thinking of changing my ways," Kate explained with a shrug and a laugh. "That'll be the day..." Abigail dryly mused. "But...hey, why the hell not? I will go tell Harold," Abigail added before walking away. "You do that, honey..." Kate tiredly muttered. While waiting, Kate retrieved one capsule from Gabi's bottle of sedatives, wanting to be ready for the first opportunity to spike Abigail's tea.

Abigail soon returned with two cups of tea and placed them both on the coffee table. Just then, a guard entered the living room. "I didn't let her in. She got past the guard station when I was checking the rear entrance," the guard explained. "Surprise, surprise..." Abigail mused. "Don't worry about it. I let her in the house," Abigail assured the guard. "But Mr. DiMera said --" the guard began to protest. "I'll talk to him," Abigail promised while escorting the guard back out of the mansion. As soon as the coast was clear, Kate dumped the powdery contents of the capsule into Abigail's cup of tea.

The guard went back outside after agreeing with Abigail's assertion that Stefan never needed to know that Kate had visited the mansion that night. Abigail lingered in the foyer for a few seconds, listening at the closed living room door, then rejoined Kate and politely apologized for the wait. Meanwhile, the guard stopped Chad, who had been trying to approach the front door. Chad put up a bit of a fight then reluctantly agreed to leave. As the guard watched Chad walk away, Ben emerged from a hiding place behind the distracted man and pounced, putting him in a chokehold. He struggled a bit but soon lost consciousness.

Chad quickly returned and gave Ben a nod of approval. "Now what?" Ben asked as Chad knelt down to seize the guard's gun. "Use your imagination," Chad suggested with a shrug while offering the gun to Ben. "I already told you -- I'm not killing anybody! I told you that! I told you that!" Ben protested. "Relax, all right? I was just testing you to see if you were as reformed as you say you are," Chad clarified.

Meanwhile, Abigail again pointed out that Kate's cell phone was vibrating. "Just go ahead and answer it," Abigail urged Kate, guessing that the caller wasn't going to give up anytime soon.

Kate nodded and stepped into the foyer to answer the call. As soon as the coast was clear, Abigail switched cups with Kate, just to be safe. Meanwhile, Kate impatiently demanded to know why Gabi had been calling nonstop. "You didn't listen to my messages?" Gabi worriedly began. "Everything's under control!" Kate insisted before hanging up and turning off the cell phone, still unaware of what Chad and Ben were up to.

Kate returned to the living room and started sipping tea in an effort to get Abigail to follow suit. Meanwhile, outside, Chad and Ben finished hiding the guard's body -- just as Stefan returned home. "What the hell are you doing here?" Stefan demanded to know, catching Chad near the front door. "Sleep tight, brother," Chad replied with a smirk as Ben pounced on Stefan from behind and put him in a chokehold.

As Kate started succumbing to the effects of the sedative, Abigail flashed a grin of triumph then went to see who was ringing the doorbell. Ben, who had hidden Stefan's body and had then rung the doorbell for Chad, stayed out of sight so Abigail wouldn't get freaked out. Chad, who had already entered the mansion with the help of the guard's keys, used the distraction as an opportunity to catch Abigail off guard.

"How did you get in here? What do you want?" Abigail demanded to know. "I'm gonna take you away from here [and] get you the help that you need," Chad replied.

At the hospital, Sami assured John and Marlena that E.J.'s ordeal with Susan hadn't caused any obvious damage. "Will you be leaving [for Italy] soon?" Marlena asked. "Tonight," Sami apologetically confirmed. "I was hoping we could have some sort of farewell dinner before I go," Sami quickly added. "I'd love to!" Marlena agreed, not wanting to say goodbye to Sami just yet. "I had someone bring some clothes over for you from your townhouse," Sami informed Marlena, who was still wearing a hospital gown. John hurriedly rushed an excited Marlena off to a private room to get changed.

Meanwhile, Will, Paul, Susan, Belle, and Abe prepared the Horton Town Square for an impromptu wedding ceremony. "I got the rings from the townhouse, [and] I also left messages with Eric and Brady, but I haven't heard back, [so] I think that everything that happened with Nicole will probably keep them from [wanting to celebrate with us]," Belle announced. "At least you tried," Will reasoned with a shrug.

Sami soon arrived with John and Marlena, who were both surprised to see the others waiting. "I ran into Abe today, and he told me that Dad's marriage to Hattie was annulled, which makes him a single man...[so] this is us, trying to remedy that," Belle explained. "I know it's not quite the wedding you had in mind, but we thought you wouldn't mind an impromptu ceremony," Sami added. "Your marriage license is still valid, and I am still authorized to marry people..." Abe pointed out, shrugging. "Well...what do you say, Doc? Are you in?" John asked. "I am so in!" Marlena happily confirmed.

"[But] I'd like to marry you standing on my own two feet," Marlena added. Nodding, John helped Marlena out of the wheelchair.

Abe soon started the ceremony from the very beginning, but John quickly interrupted. "I think Doc and I have said all the important stuff to each other already, and because of her suspect stamina, what do you say we just get right to it?" John suggested. Abe nodded in agreement and prompted Paul to hand over John's ring.

"You know, because of what has happened since the last time we tried this, I have gained a much fuller appreciation of exactly what these vows mean..." John began before reciting the traditional wedding vows to Marlena.

Abe gave John a nod then prompted Sami to hand over Marlena's ring. "Last time we were here in this place, trying to get married, I...got myself injured...[and] you took care of me, and all of our friends were here, [and] they saw me through -- they saved my life -- so this is not really just [about] two people that love each other getting married; this is all of our family and our friends being a big part of it," Marlena began.

"You know, I wanted to get married here because this is the place [where] the plaque for Tom and Alice was dedicated, and they are the two people who showed me so much about what a marriage really is -- and not because they didn't have problems but because when they had problems [and] worked them out, their marriage was even stronger after that. I want that for us. I want us to celebrate every day as though it were our first together. And I will delight in you all the days of our lives," Marlena added before reciting the traditional wedding vows to John. Afterward, Abe happily pronounced John and Marlena husband and wife.

John and Will agreed that it would probably be best to hold off on the post-wedding celebrations for the time being, since Marlena and Paul both needed rest. Susan stepped forward and reluctantly handed over Marlena's look-alike doll. "She's been through a lot, but, um...we just wanted to wish you the happiness that you deserve, Dr. Marlena Evans," Susan declared. "Wow. Thank you. I'll..." Marlena hesitantly began. "Cherish it," Susan insisted. "Cherish it," Marlena politely agreed. Meanwhile, Sami said a tearful goodbye to Will and made Paul promise to take good care of him. Sami then shared tearful goodbyes with Belle, John, and Marlena, as well.

Later, when everyone else was gone, Marlena told John, "Let's not have any more weddings. Let's just have the most spectacular anniversaries ever." They sealed the deal with a kiss, close to Tom and Alice's plaque.

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by Spalding

In Ciara's bedroom at the loft, Tripp lay awake in bed and watched Ciara sleep. Restless, Tripp checked his text messages. Claire had texted and asked if Tripp was avoiding her. Tripp thought about when Claire had accused him of planting evidence at the cabin. Tripp shook off the memory. Claire texted again. "We need 2 talk," the message read. As Tripp stared at the text, Ciara stirred awake.

"Who's texting you already?" Ciara asked. Tripp lied and said that work had texted. "I'd much rather stay here with you," Tripp said as he cuddled Ciara tight. Ciara noted that Tripp had been working a lot. Tripp asked Ciara why she had left the café with Ben the previous day. Ciara thought about when Ben had almost kissed her in the pub.

"What was up with what? It's not like anything happened," Ciara said. "You sure about that?" Tripp asked. Ciara explained that she had taken Ben to the pub to ask about a job. Tripp reminded Ciara that Ben had attempted to murder Roman's grandson. With a shrug, Ciara said that she knew the idea had been a long shot. When Ciara noted that the idea had been Claire's, Tripp countered that Claire had told him that it had been Ciara's idea.

"That's ridiculous. Why would she lie to you about that?" Ciara asked. After Tripp and Ciara got dressed, Ciara reminded Tripp that Claire wanted to make trouble because Claire was still interested in Tripp. Tripp told Ciara that he only wanted to be with her. Tripp added that he would not let anyone or anything get between them.

Outside the DiMera mansion, a disoriented Stefan awoke in the bushes. Stefan recalled someone attacking him on the front porch when he had been talking to Chad. Inside the mansion, Kate stirred awake on the couch. Kate realized that Abigail had switched the two cups of tea and that Kate had sipped from the dosed cup meant for Abigail. Kate looked at her phone and saw five missed calls from Gabi.

"What the hell are you doing here, and where is my wife?" Stefan asked as he stumbled into the DiMera living room. "Well, I have no idea," Kate said. Stefan demanded to know why Kate was in his house. Kate explained she had stopped by to visit Abigail. When Kate asked Stefan why he appeared bedraggled, Stefan explained that he had slept outside because Chad had knocked him unconscious. Stefan added that Chad had abducted Abigail.

"You can either talk to me, or you can talk to the police. What do you want to do?" Stefan asked. Stefan accused Kate of being an accessory to kidnapping. Kate chuckled. Kate asked Stefan why he believed that Abigail had been kidnapped. Kate suggested that Abigail had left of her own free will. With a shake of his head, Stefan said he did not believe Abigail would leave voluntarily when it meant commitment. Kate argued that Stefan was hung up on Gabby.

"The reality here is that you love Chad very much, don't you? Just as much as anyone who would do anything for him? Such as assist in a little abduction," Stefan said. With a groan, Kate said she would not stick around the mansion if she had helped kidnap Abigail. Stefan promised that he would find out the truth. After Stefan marched out of the room, Gabi burst into the house.

"You want to tell me what the hell is going on?" an irate Gabi asked. Kate warned Gabi to close the door before anyone saw her. Gabi asked Kate if she had been at the mansion all night. Kate explained that Abigail had switched the cups. "So, you passed out?" Gabi asked. Gabi explained that Chad had been at the mansion. "How could he not find you?" Gabi wondered aloud.

"It's a good thing that [Chad] decided to snatch Abigail, otherwise the two of us would be sharing a jail cell tonight," Kate said. Kate argued that they had been lucky and should cut their losses. "I'm so sorry I ever became part of this plan of yours," Kate said. Kate told Gabi that she wanted nothing to do with Gabi's scheme anymore. Gabi refused to accept Kate's surrender, and she demanded that Abigail suffer.

"I helped you because of your dad. But now that is all done," Kate said. Gabi apologized for pushing Kate too hard. "We're friends, Kate. We have the same enemies, and we deserve justice," Gabi said. Kate warned Gabi to wash out the teacup and hide the pills and wig. Kate said she would not take the fall for Gabi. With a sigh, Kate walked out.

Chad kidnapped Abigail and stashed her away in a cabin. Abigail demanded to go home. Calm, Chad said no. Abigail reminded Chad that she was pregnant and needed to go to doctor appointments. Chad promised that Abigail would get the medical care she would need.

"My mental health is fine, but I am going to press charges. You know that, right? Because this is kidnapping," Abigail said. Chad said he was certain that Gabby was back and that Abigail needed to seek professional help. Abigail ordered Chad to let her go. Chad said he would release Abigail if she agreed to go to the hospital as Abigail had originally promised. Chad told Abigail that he had left a voicemail for Marlena.

Abigail stressed that Gabi had manipulated Chad and that he was keeping Abigail from getting the evidence she needed to prove that Gabi had railroaded her. "You have seen me as Gabby before. Have you seen me as Gabby lately?" Abigail asked. Chad reminded Abigail that she had married Stefan. Abigail protested that she had married Stefan as a last resort to prevent her commitment to a psychiatric ward.

"I know what Gabi is saying. I know that she is telling everyone that she forgives me, but I also know that is a lie. My alter framed her, so she is trying to frame me. She went to prison, so she wants me to go to a psych ward. She can't have kids, so she wants to take mine and apparently my husband, as well," Abigail said. "What about Kate?" Chad asked. Abigail told Chad that Kate had visited her at the mansion and had asked Abigail to trust her.

"[Kate] asked if we could have tea. Imagine that? So, I switched our cups. And within just a couple sips, Kate could hardly put one word in front of the other, okay? And before she was passed out completely, and I had the proof I needed to show you that Kate and Gabi are guilty as hell, you showed up and you dragged me off," Abigail said.

Chad was dumbfounded. Abigail insisted Kate had drugged her. With a shake of his head, Chad said that Abigail sounded paranoid. "The only person who has listened to me or believed me at all is your brother," Abigail said. Chad argued that Stefan was using Abigail. Abigail countered that Chad was just as bad as Stefan because he had kidnapped a pregnant woman and had locked her in a cabin.

"You gave me no choice," Chad said. Chad told Abigail he loved her. Abigail asked what happened after she talked to the doctor. "Are you going to be able to accept that your brother's child is a part of our lives?" Abigail asked. Chad was silent. Abigail groaned. "I love you," Chad said repeatedly. "We can be a family. We can be together. And there is still time. I can accept that child as my own," Chad said. Abigail disagreed. Abigail noted that if Chad could accept the baby, then they would not still be separated.

"I love you, and I would never force you to do something or accept something that you can't. That's why I let you go. If you love me the way that you say you do, don't keep me here when I'm telling you I don't want to stay," Abigail pleaded. Chad agreed that he could not force Abigail to get help if she did not want it. Chad told Abigail she could leave.

"You're doing the right thing," Abigail said. As Abigail turned to leave, Chad asked her if she was going back to Stefan. Abigail nodded yes, then clutched her belly. "I think I'm in labor," Abigail said.

In the square, Ben handed Claire the cash that he owed her. Suspicious, Claire asked Ben how he had earned the money. Cryptically, Ben said he had worked an odd job. Claire urged Ben to keep working on Ciara. Curious, Claire asked Ben what had happened when Ben had left the café with Ciara. "I think your plan may be working," Ben said. Claire asked for details.

"I told her about my past. Some stuff from when I was a kid. Some stuff that really shook me up," Ben said. Claire called Ben a genius. "We almost kissed," Ben added. Claire asked what had stopped Ben. Ben explained that he did not want to push too hard, and Ciara had pulled away because of Tripp. Claire was disappointed. Ben reminded Claire that Ciara probably liked heroes.

"Oh, trust me. Tripp isn't exactly squeaky clean," Claire said with a chuckle. Ben asked Claire what she meant. Claire attempted to avoid the question, but Ben pushed. "Tripp might have killed someone," Claire said. Claire explained that Tripp had shot someone who had threatened Ciara. Claire changed the subject back to Ben, and urged him to keep working on Ciara. Ben asked about the café job, but Claire said there was definitely no work available at the café. Claire noted that it was better for Ben to continue to hang out with Ciara and job search.

After Ben left, Claire went back to work at the café. When Tripp arrived, Claire said they needed to talk. "You're damn right we do," Tripp grumbled. Tripp asked Claire why she had lied about Ciara and Ben's job search. Claire asked Tripp why he had been avoiding her since she had asked Tripp about the planted evidence at the fire.

"Maybe I just don't like being accused of something I didn't do," Tripp said. "Well, it wouldn't be the first time you've framed someone," Claire countered. Claire reminded Tripp of when he had framed Kayla. "This is different!" Tripp growled. "So, you did do it," Claire said. Tripp started to walk away, but Claire stopped him. Claire stressed that she was on Tripp's side if he had intended to plant evidence to frame a guilty man.

"That's exactly why I did it," Tripp blurted out. Tripp explained that he had not wanted Ben to get away with attempted murder. Claire asked Tripp how he had planted the evidence. Tripp said he had been inspired by a case that Steve had worked on. "It's very super spy," Claire said. Tripp asked Claire not to tell anyone about what he had done because Ciara would hate him. "Your secret is safe with me," Claire said.

In Doug's Place, Ciara muttered at her computer. "Need some help?" Ben asked as he approached Ciara's table. Ciara asked why Ben was there. With a smile, Ben explained that he was answering an ad for a dishwasher. Ben said he had worked in the club previously. "Maybe this Doug guy is one of the few people in this town that doesn't know my history," Ben said. Ciara's face fell. "Or maybe he does?" Ben asked. Ciara explained that Doug and Julie were Hope's parents.

"I'll get back out there. I'll find another place," Ben said. As Ben turned to leave, Ciara called out to him. Ciara said she wanted to clear up the awkward moment they had had at the pub. "That's all it was. A moment. Like I said, I have a boyfriend," Ciara said. "I know. But if I'm being honest with you, I wish you didn't," Ben retorted.

In the interrogation room at the police station, Hope and Rafe were hopeful that the manager of the place that had sold the accelerant for the fire would be able to identify Ben as the culprit. When the manager, Mr. Snyder, arrived, Hope presented the photo of Ben for the man to review. "I'm sorry. This isn't the guy," Snyder said.

"For the record, you're certain the man in the photo is not the man who purchased the accelerant?" Rafe asked. The man said he was certain. After Snyder left, Hope slammed her fist on the desk. Hope complained that her theory had been dashed. "Who the hell planted this?" Hope wondered aloud. "We need to figure out who is planting evidence at our damn crime scene!" Rafe yelled. There was a knock on the door.

"Excuse me. I'd like to report a crime. My brother Chad DiMera had me knocked out and then kidnapped my wife," Stefan said as he walked into the interrogation room. Confused, Hope asked Stefan who he was talking about. "Abigail married you?" Hope asked. Rafe refused to believe that Abigail had married Stefan. With a sigh, Stefan said he wanted Abigail found.

Stefan explained that he had been talking to Chad when someone had knocked him out. Hope suggested that Abigail had decided to return to Chad on her own. Stefan offered to talk to the press if the police were unwilling to help, but Hope said there was no need. Hope noted that she wanted to track down Abigail just as much as Stefan wanted to find her.

Hope called Jennifer and left a voicemail about Abigail. Hope begged Jennifer to call her back. Rafe returned after taking Stefan's statement. Rafe suggested that Chad had kidnapped Abigail to protect her. "That's what a man does when he loves a woman. He does everything he possibly can to protect her," Rafe said. Hope smiled.

Talk turned back to the arson investigation. Hope and Rafe agreed that they believed J.J.'s denial. Hope asked Rafe who else would have planted evidence to frame Ben. "Someone who loves Ciara. Someone who is worried about her safety with Ben being around a little bit too often," Rafe said. "Anyone who would do whatever he needed to do to protect the woman he loves? Tripp. What if it was Tripp?" Hope asked.

Hope and Rafe went to the café to talk to Tripp. "Sorry to bother you at work, but I need to ask you some questions," Hope said. Claire's face frowned with worry as she overheard Hope and Rafe talking to Tripp.

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