Kayla talked to Jack about their past. Ben broke up with Ciara. Ted agreed to represent Stefan in court to help Hope get evidence against Ben. Chad offered Eve a job. The Deveraux family had dinner together. Victor refused to hire Xander. Leo made Xander an offer. Eric told Chloe he would not pursue custody of Holly. Rex returned.

Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday

by Mike

At the loft apartment, Ben coolly refused to answer any of Hope's questions about Gabi's alleged kidnapping without an attorney present. "Pleading the Fifth? I'm not surprised. That's what guilty people do," Hope mused, giving Ciara a pointed look. "It's also what people do [when they're] being railroaded by a police commissioner with a personal vendetta," Ben countered.

Ben knew that Hope couldn't make an arrest based on an accusation from someone who wouldn't exactly be seen as a reliable witness in a court of law. Hope desperately tried to convince Ciara that Gabi was telling the truth about Ben. "You keep telling me that he's reformed, but there is nothing 'reformed' about him -- nothing," Hope insisted before reluctantly exiting the apartment.

"I'm gonna ask you the same question my mom just did...and I don't give a damn if you have a lawyer present or not. I want the truth. Did you kidnap Gabi Hernandez for Stefan DiMera?" Ciara asked Ben once the coast was clear. "[And] don't you dare lie to me, because I will talk to Gabi, so if you want me to trust you ever again, I suggest you come clean right now," Ciara added.

"Yes, I took Gabi from her room at the Kiriakis mansion --" Ben began. "Took?" Ciara incredulously repeated as Ben continued talking. "I didn't hurt her. I promised you I would never do that," Ben stressed. Ciara pointed out that Ben couldn't possibly have been certain that Stefan wouldn't hurt Gabi. "I'm paid to do as I'm told, not to ask questions or pass judgment," Ben pointed out with a shrug. "So, you would have been okay if Stefan had murdered her?" Ciara asked, stunned. Ben dodged the question, instead acknowledging that Ciara was upset. "I tried to protect you from this --" Ben began to add.

"Upset?" Ciara incredulously repeated. "Tell me, how am I supposed to feel when a guy cancels a date with me to go kidnap another woman?" Ciara continued. Ben maintained that Gabi had not been harmed during the kidnapping, but Ciara didn't find that particularly comforting. "If she'd resisted, what would you have done to restrain her?" Ciara wondered. "I don't know," Ben replied with a shrug. "That's not good enough! That's not an answer!" Ciara insisted. "When a man is willing to do something like this to a woman, I start thinking, 'What else is he capable of doing?'" Ciara added.

"And as someone who was violated by a man once --" Ciara continued. "Are you thinking about what this guy Chase did to you?" Ben asked incredulously. "Because I have done some awful things when I was sick, but I would never..." Ben added, getting upset. "Please tell me you're not comparing me to a rapist," Ben said after calming down a bit. "I am not saying that," Ciara assured Ben.

"But what I did to Gabi brought back some memories for you -- of what that monster did," Ben sadly concluded. "It's all violence. You have to see that," Ciara reasoned. "It's just a job. That's all. It's just a job -- the only job I was gonna get," Ben protested. "But, Ben, if your job is to hurt people --" Ciara began to argue. "I didn't hurt her!" Ben defensively reiterated. "This time, but what's next?" Ciara wondered.

"Stefan isn't asking me to go kidnap women on a daily basis," Ben insisted. "So, just every other day?" Ciara incredulously summarized. "All I'm saying is, I'm mostly doing security. I'm keeping the guy safe," Ben clarified. "But you know he'll ask you again, and this time, he'll want more -- especially since now he knows that you're willing to do it," Ciara argued. "You're gonna have to trust that I won't cross that line," Ben reasoned.

"And what is that line?" Ciara wondered. "You grabbed a young mother from her bedroom, and then you left her to be hurt by your boss. After what happened to me, how could I just go along with this? How could I look the other way without feeling like a total hypocrite?" Ciara continued. "You're not a hypocrite," Ben insisted. "But standing by you makes me complicit. It's like I'm allowing you to hurt these women," Ciara argued.

"[That's] just how I feel...and I'm not sure I'm okay with it," Ciara added. "Are you asking me to quit my job?" Ben wondered. "I can't tell you what to do," Ciara replied, knowing that Ben needed to make a living somehow and didn't really have many other options. "[So], you won't tell me to quit, but you hate what I do, and you can't live with it," Ben summarized. "Where does this leave us?" Ben asked. "I don't know," Ciara admitted.

"I want to keep my job, Ciara...but I do not want to lose you over this. You mean way too much to me. You are the most important thing in my life," Ben stressed. "I care about you, too...but I need some time to think about this, okay? And I hope you will, too," Ciara replied, fighting back tears. "Of course. We'll figure this out, okay?" Ben assured Ciara before reluctantly exiting the apartment.

Hope returned to the police station just in time to catch Rafe stashing Stefan in one of the conference rooms. Stunned, Hope waited until Rafe was done then irritably reiterated that there wasn't enough evidence to hold Stefan accountable for Gabi's kidnapping. Rafe clarified that Stefan had actually been arrested for committing espionage. "And you'd know that [if you had] been here. Where have you been?" Rafe added with a hint of suspicion. Hope filled Rafe in on Ben's role in Gabi's kidnapping and insisted that it had been necessary to warn Ciara right away. Before the tension between Hope and Rafe could be resolved, Rafe received a phone call.

After Rafe stepped aside to take the call, Hope joined Stefan in the conference room. "I did a little research, and, uh...found that under Title 18 of the U.S. Code, treason is punishable by death," Hope informed Stefan. "I know nothing about those stolen ISA documents," Stefan maintained. "The grand jury disagrees," Hope countered. "You have a pretty heavy charge hanging over your head right now. You could really use some friends, wouldn't you say?" Hope added. "Are you offering to be my 'friend,' Commissioner?" Stefan skeptically replied. "Give me Ben Weston," Hope urged Stefan. "We both know you ordered him to kidnap Gabi," Hope added.

"If I did, that would make me a conspirator to kidnapping, wouldn't it? And I'd go to jail for that, as well," Stefan pointed out. "Not necessarily," Hope noncommittally replied, amusing Stefan.

"Forgive me for, uh -- for being na?ve here, but, uh...isn't it the job of the police to try and get the little fish to flip on the big fish [instead of the other way around]?" Stefan wondered. "[Ben's] no ordinary fish," Hope explained with a shrug. "Because he's dating your daughter," Stefan guessed knowingly. "Because he's a murderer that never should have been let back out on the street," Hope claimed. "Because he's dating your daughter," Stefan maintained. "I will not be rolling over on Ben Weston today. He's been very loyal to me, and, quite frankly, I happen to like the guy," Stefan added. "Of course you do..." Hope grumbled.

"I don't belong here. I'm not a traitor to my country," Stefan insisted. "You're innocent?" Hope asked skeptically. "Are you innocent, Commissioner? I know you think you're better than me, but I'm not the one who put bullet holes in an unarmed man," Stefan countered. "You're making a mistake," Hope warned Stefan before exiting the conference room.

At the Horton house, Jennifer received a visit from Maggie, who had heard that Jack was alive. "I understand that Eve is involved," Maggie said. "Yeah, she is...[and she's trying] to turn Jack against me," Jennifer replied, sighing. Maggie was optimistic that it would just be a matter of time before Jack, like Will, remembered everything. "With Eve hovering, time is not a luxury that Jack and I have right now," Jennifer fretted.

At the Salem Inn, Jack started to respond to Eve's advances but soon pulled away, thinking about Jennifer. "I'm not trying to hurt you or anything -- [I mean], you are so tempting -- [but]...I'm confused, and I gotta find some answers," Jack explained before bolting from the hotel room, ignoring Eve's protests. "Answers?" Eve repeated, puzzled. "Oh, no -- please don't tell me he went to find that sneaky little bitch..." Eve grumbled.

At the Brady Pub, Roman ended a phone call then happily informed Kayla that, according to the caller, Stefan had just been arrested for espionage. Kayla was equally pleased to hear about Stefan's downfall but didn't want to celebrate until Steve returned home. "This is step one," Roman assured Kayla, who hoped that was true -- and not just for selfish reasons. "Maybe if [Steve] was around, it would help Jack remember," Kayla mused.

"If Jennifer can't do it, I'm not sure anybody can," Roman argued before carefully acknowledging that it might be awkward for Kayla to see Jack again, since they had a complicated history. "We put all that behind us a long time ago. Jack is a completely different person now," Kayla dismissively insisted. "At this point, I'm not sure he even knows who he is," Roman countered with a hint of concern.

Roman soon rushed off to the back of the pub to sign for a delivery. Seconds later, Jack wandered into the pub and approached the bar, planning to order a drink.

Kayla hesitantly called out Jack's name. "You look like you've seen a ghost...but that's all right -- I'm getting a lot of that lately," Jack said. "I mean, I -- I knew that you were alive, but...seeing you in person..." Kayla began to explain. "I'm Kayla Johnson -- your brother's wife," Kayla added. "The roguish guy with the eye patch, right?" Jack recalled. "That's the one," Kayla confirmed. "He's out of town at the moment, but I know that he'd be anxious to see you," Kayla continued. "That goes for us both," Jack said. "[So], you're my sister-in-law. Did we have a good relationship?" Jack asked curiously.

"Um...my -- my brother Roman is in the back. Our, um...our family owns this place," Kayla randomly revealed, squirming a bit. "You seem uneasy. Did I slip you guys on a tab or something?" Jack asked, confused. "No, um...when you 'died,' we had a very strong relationship," Kayla insisted. "And before that?" Jack wondered. "We've known each other a very long time, Jack," Kayla vaguely replied.

"All of it good? Is there anything I need to know?" Jack asked, still confused. "Um...before I was married to Steve, you and I were married," Kayla awkwardly began to explain. "How many ex-wives do I have in this town?" Jack jokingly wondered. "Well, we weren't married for very long. I was in love with Steve, and, uh...he pushed me away," Kayla clarified. "So, I was a rebound," Jack guessed. "Something like that," Kayla confirmed.

"We got together, and, um...and, um...it didn't work out," Kayla vaguely continued. "Is there something you're not telling me?" Jack asked. "I had an affair with Steve, and you found out," Kayla admitted. "Ouch," Jack said.

"So, I dumped you," Jack assumed. "You raped me," Kayla clarified. "I raped you?" Jack asked incredulously. "It was a long time ago. And it took a lot of work on both our parts, but we got past it," Kayla elaborated. "I don't know what to say. I'm sorry," Jack stressed. "You don't need to apologize -- not anymore. Over time, you proved yourself to me. You are not that man anymore. He's gone. And I could see how sorry you were for what you did to me," Kayla replied. "Eve told me that I had a dark side. I just didn't imagine how dark," Jack muttered with a shake of the head.

"Well, I'm happy to say that, uh, you became a better person -- a good friend, a good husband, and a good father," Kayla assured Jack. "But how?" Jack wondered. "Thanks to Jennifer's love," Kayla explained with a shrug. "I can imagine that this is very difficult and confusing for you [to hear]," Kayla sympathetically added. "You could say that," Jack confirmed, sighing. "This is what you need to know, Jack -- there are a lot of people in this town that love you, [and] at the very top of the list is Jennifer Horton," Kayla stressed before exiting the pub.

At the Horton house, Jennifer learned that Stefan had just been arrested. Shortly after Jennifer finished assigning a reporter to the story, someone began pounding on the front door. Jennifer opened it and found Eve standing outside, fuming. "Where's Jack?" Eve demanded to know, barging into the foyer. "I wouldn't know...but I hope [this] means he came to his senses and got away from you," Jennifer replied.

"After you attacked me, we had a very honest talk, and we worked things out," Eve claimed, but Jennifer wasn't convinced. "You're scared, Eve -- I can tell. You are so afraid that Jack is gonna figure out who he really is. Seems to me your little heart-to-heart talk didn't go very well. Maybe it's because you're heartless," Jennifer mused. "Jack and I will be just fine. [This is] all just a big misunderstanding," Eve insisted.

"You're right -- you misunderstand how much Jack and I mean to each other. But I promise you, he will find his way home to me," Jennifer warned Eve. "This isn't Jack's home anymore, Jennifer. His home is with me, where he was just a few minutes ago -- in my bed," Eve countered. "So, the two of you were in bed together, and he just took off? I guess whatever was happening in that bed wasn't very successful," Jennifer mused. "Well, you are...wrong..." Eve tried to protest. "Maybe he was so repulsed by you that he just took off," Jennifer suggested. "I am the one that slowed things down, for your information," Eve claimed.

"[Jack's] going through a very tough time right now, and I don't want to take advantage of that," Eve explained, but Jennifer wasn't convinced. "Jack may not remember what a snake you are, but he is a smart man, and if he hasn't figured it out already, he will -- very soon," Jennifer confidently predicted. "Mark my words, Jennifer -- I will be Mrs. Jack Deveraux again," Eve countered before storming out of the house.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Victor complained, while on the phone with someone, that Titan was still recovering from, among other things, Chad's mismanagement. "I should've known better. Putting a DiMera in charge of the company -- [that's] like putting a fox in charge of the henhouse," Victor admitted before ending the call. "Even I could've told you that," Xander said, joining Victor in the living room.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Victor demanded to know as Xander began pouring a drink at the bar. "I heard about the explosion in Nashville. To tell you the truth, I was hoping you'd suffered the same fate as Nicole Walker...[but] deep down, I knew you'd survived -- cockroaches always do," Victor added as Xander settled in a chair. Xander chose to take that as a compliment, but Victor insisted it hadn't been meant as one.

"You know, you're really pressing your luck, showing your face around here -- [or] anywhere -- [when] you're a fugitive," Victor noted. "Those charges will never stick. And I intend to keep a low profile until that's all resolved," Xander dismissively replied. "[Now], before you have me kicked out as usual, you might as well take a look at what I have to offer," Xander added, producing a flash drive.

"Am I supposed to be impressed?" Victor wondered, assuming that Xander was showing off the flash drive that held a copy of Nicole's recorded confession to Deimos' murder. "That drive is worthless," Xander conceded. "Whereas this drive is something completely different," Xander added while inserting the flash drive into the USB port of a tablet computer.

"Do I have your attention now?" Xander asked with a triumphant smirk after handing the tablet computer to Victor. "Inside information on DiMera Enterprises..." Victor muttered, stunned. "You could do some serious damage to them with that -- maybe even put them under for good," Xander pointed out. "What do you want for it?" Victor wondered. "I want to be the new CEO," Xander replied.

"What happened to keeping a low profile until things got resolved?" Victor asked incredulously. "All will be resolved very quickly," Xander dismissively assured Victor.

"So, what do you say?" Xander asked hopefully. "I say never! Before I'd turn my family business over to you, I'd just as soon give it to my granddaughter Ciara!" Victor spat. "As always, thank you for the vote of confidence, Uncle," Xander sarcastically replied. "Did I mention there's a lot more on here than what I showed you?" Xander added while reclaiming the flash drive. "How much more?" Victor wondered. "Enough to guarantee Titan puts DiMera down for the count," Xander teasingly promised. "I'll pay for it! Name your price!" Victor excitedly offered. "I don't want your money; I want the title, and the power, and the respect," Xander clarified.

"Take your time and think about it, and in the meantime, I'll go get settled back into my old room," Xander added before starting to walk away. "You're staying here?" Victor asked incredulously. "I might as well. I'll be running the business soon," Xander confidently predicted before disappearing from view. Seconds later, Maggie entered the mansion and began talking to Victor about Jack. "You should know that Xander is alive. Somehow, he survived that fire, and he's the one that handed Jack to Eve," Maggie revealed. "So, that's where he got it..." Victor realized. "Excuse me?" Maggie asked. "That slippery son of a bitch!" Victor spat.

Xander returned -- wearing only a towel -- a short time later, while Victor was warning Maggie that another unwanted houseguest had just moved into the mansion. "The best thing about living here is skinny-dipping in the heated pool in the dead of winter," Xander raved. "You, uh...care to join me?" Xander added, flashing Maggie a smile. "Show some decency for once in your life!" Victor protested. "As if you'd even recognize decency..." Xander countered with a scoff while pouring another drink at the bar. "I'll go change into something a bit more...well, a bit more. I'll see you guys at dinner," Xander cheerfully added before rushing upstairs.

^ back to the top

by Spalding

In the interrogation room at the police station, Stefan refused to talk to Rafe without his lawyer present. Rafe informed Stefan that DiMera Enterprises had decided not to send an attorney to represent him. "You've got no one left," Rafe said. Stefan told Rafe that he had not laid a finger on Gabi. Rafe swore that Stefan would pay for what he had done to Gabi, one way or another. With a grin, Stefan informed Rafe that Hope supported him.

"You are so damn full of it. I know Hope. I know she would never cut a deal with you," Rafe said. Stefan explained that Hope hated Ben more than she hated Stefan. Rafe shook his head in disbelief. Stefan informed Rafe that Hope had offered to help him if Stefan handed over Ben. With a smirk, Rafe noted that if Ben went down, so would Stefan. Stefan told Rafe that he had refused Hope's offer because he rewarded his employee's loyalty.

"I'm talking about your wife's loyalty to you. Or lack thereof. Because it doesn't seem to exist in this case. Because it it did, would she offer to help me in this case?" Stefan asked. Suspicious, Rafe accused Stefan of attempting to drive a wedge into Rafe's relationship with his wife. "Don't believe me, just ask her," Stefan said.

In Hope's office at the police station, Hope met with Ted Laurent to tell him that Stefan had been arrested. Ted was still concerned that Stefan was after him. Hope asked Ted to represent Stefan in court. Ted's eyes went wide in surprise. With a shake of his head, Ted said he did not want to represent the person that had held him captive. Hope reminded Ted that she had helped him, and she asked Ted to return the favor.

Ted countered that Hope had pulled police protection. Hope argued that the danger had passed when she had removed Ted's protection. Ted sighed. Hope explained that Stefan's priority was to defeat the charge of treason and that if Ted represented Stefan, Stefan would owe Ted.

"What's in it for you?" Ted asked. "You hate Stefan as much as I do, and now you want me to help keep him out of prison?" Ted asked in disbelief. Hope admitted that she was more interested in removing Ben from Ciara's life. Hope urged Ted to convince Stefan to turn on Ben. With a shake of his head, Ted said he could not help because the espionage case and the kidnapping case were unrelated. Hope reminded Ted that he was a clever person.

"Please. I can't lose another child," Hope pleaded. "Okay. For you. For you, I'll do it," Ted said. Ted took Hope's hands in his as Rafe entered the office. "I'd like a word with my wife. Unless I'm interrupting," Rafe grumbled. Ted excused himself and left. Once alone, Rafe asked Hope if she had asked Ted to represent Stefan.

"It's complicated," Hope said. Rafe argued that Stefan had told him that Hope had asked Stefan to turn on Ben. "You actually offered to help him if he agreed. I didn't believe it, but it's true," Rafe said in amazement.

"So now you're trying to use a guy who not only screwed his country, but Steve and Kayla, but let's not forget my sister," Rafe argued. "I did not forget your sister. Nor am I forgetting Abigail, by the way," Hope countered. Rafe disagreed. "You will do anything to nail Ben Weston," Rafe said. Hope explained that Ted would not be able to free Stefan from prison, but with Stefan's help, Ben would also go to prison.

When Rafe reminded Hope that her last plan to use Ted to stop Stefan had backfired, Hope insisted that her new plan to use Ted was the right thing to do. "[Ben] kidnapped your sister. I thought you would be on board if it meant putting him away!" Hope yelled.

"I am, but we have to do this the right way. You are crossing all kinds of lines here!" Rafe stressed. "I am trying to protect my daughter and your sister," Hope insisted. Rafe argued that Hope's judgment was clouded by desperation. Rafe urged Hope to reconsider before her plan blew up in her face.

In the interrogation room, a reluctant Ted met with Stefan. Stefan laughed out loud. "You come here to gloat?" Stefan asked. "I'm here because I want to represent you," Ted explained. When Stefan asked why, Ted said, "If you will give me your word that you will leave me alone, I will go straight to the courthouse and push for an arraignment." Stefan hired Ted.

In the Horton living room, Ciara visited Abigail. Ciara said she was hopeful that Abigail and Chad could work things out. Abigail explained that she and Chad were at odds over what had happened. When Abigail mentioned that Ben had helped Chad kidnap her and confine her to Bayview, she rolled her eyes.

"Do you know that psychopath is the new head of security?" Abigail said. Ciara's face fell. Abigail said she understood that Ciara was indebted to Ben for saving her life, but she warned Ciara that Ben was a murderer and could not be trusted.

"So everyone keeps telling me. Including my mom. But since when is whomever I date her business?" Ciara wondered aloud. "You're dating Ben?" Abigail asked haltingly as if she had not heard Ciara correctly. Defensive, Ciara argued that the hospital would not have released Ben if he had not changed for the better. Ciara added that Marlena was convinced that Ben was no longer a psychopath.

"No offense to Marlena, but I don't think she would let Ben get close to her, and neither should you," Abigail argued. Ciara countered that she thought Abigail would understand Ben's plight. Ciara reminded Abigail that her alters had hurt people before she had gotten better. "Don't you think it is possible that Ben could get better, too?" Ciara asked.

"I don't agree with you. I don't think there is any commonality with Ben and me. I can't tell you how to live your life, but I care about you," Abigail said. Abigail added that Ciara needed to be careful with Ben because he was a dangerous man -- who had taken a job working for Stefan. Concerned, Ciara asked Abigail if Ben had done something to keep Abigail from her daughter while she had lived in the mansion.

"No, Stefan didn't give him the order," Abigail said. When Ciara asked Abigail if she had worried that Ben would hurt her, Abigail groaned. Abigail turned to face Ciara square in the eyes.

"Ciara, [Ben] killed my cousin. He strangled two women, another one shot practically in front of me, and then he chained me to a bed and lit it on fire. He tormented me and this entire town. So, do I think even if he has changed that he wouldn't have hurt me if he got the order from Stefan?" Abigail said. Ciara stood silent.

"Look I'm not trying to scare you, but you need to be aware that you have a choice. You have a choice in your relationships. So why would you choose someone with such a violent history, especially when you know he could be triggered at any minute?" Abigail reasoned aloud. Ciara sighed.

"I do not want Ben working for Stefan. It's just that no one else would hire him," Ciara said. Abigail argued that any darkness in Ben would be teased out by Stefan. With a sigh, Ciara told Abigail that Stefan had ordered Ben to kidnap Gabi. Abigail agreed that Ben should not have executed the order.

"If I stay with Ben, doesn't that make me complicit in what he is doing? Doesn't that make me a traitor to women, especially with my history?" Ciara asked. Abigail agreed. Abigail urged Ciara not to put herself at risk for Ben. "Walk away while you can," Abigail counseled Ciara. Ciara explained that she had feelings for Ben and was upset that Ben had not refused Stefan's order to kidnap a woman. Ciara added that she also did not think she had a right to ask Ben to quit his job.

"Do you think that he would have quit if you asked him to?" Abigail asked. "No. I didn't even want to give him some ultimatum. Truthfully, I just wanted him to come up with that decision on his own," Ciara said.

At Doug's Place, Chad confided to Julie that his conversation with Abigail had not gone well. "Sweetie, you must never give up," Julie said. Chad asked Julie for help in setting up a romantic dinner. Julie assured Chad that showing Abigail how much Chad loved her was the best option. When Julie said she was on Chad's side, Kate chimed in, "So am I."

"What makes you think I would ever trust you again?" Chad asked. Julie warned Kate that Chad did not need to forgive Kate after her schemes with Gabi. Kate asked Chad to speak privately, but Chad reiterated that he had nothing to say to Kate. "I need to tell you something about Stefan," Kate said. Chad was not interested, but Kate persisted. Kate informed Chad that Stefan had been arrested for espionage for stealing information from Steve's bionic eye.

"DiMera has already removed him as CEO," Kate said. Chad asked Kate who the board had decided to hire in the role of CEO. "Me," Kate said firmly. Chad said he was not surprised. "I'll tell you what I told Shin. Chad DiMera," Kate said. Kate asked Chad if he wanted the job. Chad declined. Kate asked why.

"The only thing I'm concerned with is getting my family back," Chad said. Kate said she understood, but she added that Chad loved DiMera Enterprises, too. Chad countered that the last time Kate had given him the pitch to be ruthless, all his ethics had fallen away and ruined his life.

"I was headed down a very dark road, and I didn't care about anything but revenge and destroying the lives of those ahead of me," Chad said. Chad stressed that he did not want to lose his soul or hurt the people he loved. Chad removed Stefano's ring.

"I don't want to do it," Chad said. "Legacy is what you make it. Just because you are CEO doesn't mean you are going to turn into your brother or your father," Kate reasoned to Chad. Chad said he did not think it was possible to make the company legitimate. Kate disagreed.

"Why were you so determined to build a better DiMera, anyway? Was that for you? I don't think so. It was for the future, right? It was for your children. So, go do that. Show Abigail and your family that you can have success with integrity and honor. Take the ring and make it yours," Kate said. Chad stared at the ring, mulling over what Kate had said.

In the park, Gabi leaped to her feet when she saw Ben. Ben promised he would not hurt Gabi, but terrified, Gabi said she would scream if Ben walked any closer. "I'm not going to hurt you," Ben assured Gabi again. Ben explained that he was walking through the park.

"I don't kill people. Anymore. I was just doing what I get paid to do," Ben said. "What Stefan asked you to do was horrible, and you know it," Gabi retorted. Ben apologized.

"You left me there with that evil bastard that hates my guts. What did you think Stefan wanted to do with me? Have a tea party?" Gabi asked. Gabi told Ben what Stefan had done to her after Ben had dropped her off.

"I never should have done that. I'm sorry," Ben said. "You must not be very sorry. I mean, you're still working for the maniac," Gabi spit out. Ben argued that he needed the job. When Ben mentioned that he was dating Ciara, Gabi gasped.

"[Ciara] knows that I don't have any other options. She won't ask me to quit. And I can't. No matter how much she wants me to," Ben said. Gabi joked that Ciara would move on soon enough. Ben admitted that Ciara had been upset about the kidnapping and said that he might lose Ciara over the incident. "I hope that you do lose her. I hope that she dumps your crazy ass and never looks back," Gabi said. In a huff, Gabi walked away.

Ben thought about his argument with Ciara, especially about when she had asked Ben for time to think about the situation. "I won't lose you, Ciara. I know what I have to do," Ben said to himself.

Gabi walked through the square and ran into Julie. "My God! You made bail?" Julie marveled. Julie joked that Rafe had to have pulled strings to get his sister out of jail. Gabi explained that the charges against her had been dropped. Confused, Julie promised to talk to the district attorney. "There's no case," Gabi said. Gabi explained that Abigail had chosen to "let the whole thing go."

"Abigail would never let this drop. What did you do to her?" Julie asked with suspicion. "Nothing. She just doesn't want Arianna to lose her mother. She wants to focus on her own children, and she wants to stop this war with me. She thinks that we have suffered enough, and now we are even," Gabi said.

"Abigail is much more forgiving than I would ever be. You're a liar. You're a murderess. You killed my Nick years ago, and you're still at it," Julie said. Julie argued that Gabi had nearly killed her and ruined Abigail's marriage.

"If Abigail won't testify against you, maybe I should go to the authorities. Maybe I should tell them everything I know. Maybe I should tell them how you pushed me down the damn staircase!" Julie growled. Gabi warned Julie to leave her alone, or Gabi would "shut your mouth for good."

In the interrogation room at the police station, Ted broke the news to Stefan that he had been unable to get a hearing before the judge. Ted promised to get Stefan released in the morning. "What about tonight?" Stefan asked. Ted said Stefan would have to spend the night in jail. Stefan laughed nervously. Ted walked out.

In the DiMera living room, Ben walked in and spotted a figure in the shadowy back corner of the room. "Stefan. We need to talk," Ben said. Assuming that his boss was the man in the corner, Ben said that though he appreciated that Stefan had believed in him, he could not work for Stefan anymore. From the shadows, Chad stepped out into the light.

"Surprise. You don't work for Stefan anymore," Chad said. Chad explained that the board had removed Stefan and that Chad was the new CEO. "So that means that you work for me," Chad said.

^ back to the top

by Mike

At the DiMera mansion, Chad happily informed Ben that Stefan had been arrested for treason and was going to be in prison for a very long time. "I came here tonight to quit -- hand in my resignation and move out of this house -- [but] if Stefan's out, [then] I don't have to stop working here; I could work for you [instead]," Ben mused, breathing a sigh of relief. "You're fired," Chad unceremoniously announced.

"[Now], let's have a little job interview," Chad spontaneously suggested, picking up a pen and a notepad. "First question -- 'Mr. Weston, why did you leave your last employer?'" Chad continued, pretending to be filling out a questionnaire. "The woman I'm dating didn't want me working for [Stefan DiMera] because of the things he asked me to do, [and] I just decided that my girlfriend was more important to me than any job," Ben explained, deciding to play along. "But if she knew I was working for you, she wouldn't have a problem with it. I know how much she respects you," Ben added.

Chad was surprised to learn that Ben was dating Ciara Brady, of all people. "How does Hope feel about [that]?" Chad wondered. "Not great. [She's tried] her best at making my life a living hell," Ben admitted. "I can't say that I blame her. You are just about the last person I would ever want dating my daughter," Chad mused. "Which is why I'm working my ass off to prove to [Hope] -- and to the whole world -- that I am not the same man that I once was," Ben stressed. "That's a hard sell," Chad noted. "It is a damn hard sell, Chad...but I would be one step closer if you hired me," Ben pointed out.

"And how would that look?" Chad asked. "To whom?" Ben wondered. "Abigail, for starters," Chad clarified. "And what about Ciara?" Chad added. "What about Ciara?" Ben countered, confused. "She's smart, she's talented, she's beautiful, and she has a bright future ahead of her," Chad pointed out. "And...what, you think I'm gonna screw that up?" Ben guessed. "Man, it's Salem. People are gonna ask questions. They're gonna judge. They're gonna see you two together, and they're gonna form opinions. You're gonna hold her back," Chad argued. "I'd never hurt Ciara -- in any way. That girl believed in me when nobody else did," Ben insisted.

"Then why don't you repay her kindness by letting her go?" Chad challenged Ben. "[Otherwise], we're done here," Chad concluded with finality.

At the loft apartment, Tripp reluctantly posed for a selfie with Claire, whose followers had been asking for a picture of him. "See? Not so bad, right?" she said afterward. "Yeah, not so bad," he agreed, locking eyes with her.

Just then, Ciara entered the apartment. "Sorry -- didn't mean to interrupt," Ciara said as Tripp and Claire stepped away from each other. "We were just taking a selfie," Claire explained. "You seem upset," Tripp observed, recognizing the look on Ciara's face. Ciara vaguely admitted to having fought with Ben about Stefan earlier, but neither Tripp nor Claire was able to pry many details out of Ciara, who soon retreated to her bedroom.

"Can't say I'm surprised that Ciara and Ben are having problems," Tripp mused. "Really? I don't know, Tripp -- I think they're pretty great together, and I'm sure they'll work through this little bump on the road," Claire dismissively insisted. Claire tried to shift Tripp's focus to something that didn't involve Ciara, but Tripp continued fretting about Ciara's relationship with Ben until a text message about Steve finally provided the distraction that Claire had been looking for -- but also sent Tripp rushing off to see Roman, who had sent the message. "Damn it, Ben -- you are not about to blow this for me..." Claire grumbled once the coast was clear.

Claire tried to contact Ben, but the call went to voicemail. "Hi, Ben -- it's Claire. Uh, look...I don't know what kind of job you just did for Stefan, but Ciara's really not happy, all right? So, you need to find a way to fix it -- right now, all right? I am finally starting to get somewhere with Tripp, and I am not about to let you blow this for me, okay? So, just remember that you owe me, and remember that you and Ciara wouldn't be together at all if it weren't for our little deal," Claire said before ending the call -- and realizing that Ciara had heard everything.

Claire tried to do damage control, but Ciara didn't buy any of it. "I saw you and Ben shaking hands that day [in the square], and I knew something was up. [Now, look, you said] you wanted a truce, so tell me what's going on right now...or all bets are off, [and] we're through as friends," Ciara said with finality. "Fine. The truth is...Ben and I plotted to break up you and Tripp," Claire reluctantly admitted.

"All I did was arrange for you and Ben to spend some time together. It was absolutely harmless," Claire quickly elaborated in an effort to lessen Ciara's outrage. "Harmless?" Ciara incredulously repeated, still livid. "You were lying and manipulating, Claire! Oh, my God, I can't believe I actually tried giving you a second chance! You just proved that you could never be trusted!" Ciara added with a growl of frustration.

Just then, someone knocked on the apartment door. "Hey. I was hoping we could talk," Ben said when Ciara opened it. "I think that's a great idea," Ciara agreed. Claire left after begging Ciara not to say anything to Tripp. Once the coast was clear, Ben curiously wondered what Claire wanted Ciara to keep from Tripp. "[The fact that] you and Claire conspired to come between us," Ciara explained, glaring at Ben. "How could you?" Ciara asked.

At the Horton Town Square, J.J. ran into Gabi, who immediately tried to rush off in the opposite direction to avoid having to listen to yet another lecture about the horrible things she had done to his sister. "What you did was horrible...but you didn't just do it to my sister; you did it to me, [too]," he said with obvious disappointment, stopping her at once.

"I never wanted you to be involved," Gabi insisted, prompting J.J. to incredulously point out that it was impossible to hurt someone without also hurting that person's loved ones by extension. "I believed in you, [so] I bought your lies...and I betrayed my own sister [in the process]," he added with a regretful shake of the head. She tried to explain the reasoning behind her revenge scheme, but he wasn't interested in hearing any excuses. "You wrecked my family. We may never fully recover," he pointed out. "Why didn't you come to me? [I mean], I could have helped you," he added. "Because I was ashamed," she replied with a shrug.

"I don't believe that. I do believe that you didn't tell me because somewhere, deep down, you didn't want me to stop you," J.J. said to Gabi, who admitted that was probably true. "You saved my life, Gabi, and you know what? I could have saved yours. But now it's too late," he sadly noted. "[And] I'm thankful, for Ari's sake, that [you're not] going back to prison, but I do [have] a feeling you're gonna be in a prison of your own making," he added. "I know," she quietly conceded. "Please, just don't give up on me," she begged. "I'll always be grateful to you...but I don't think I can ever forgive you," he replied before rushing off.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Sonny ducked into the living room to take a phone call from Will. "You're not supposed to be calling me," Sonny quietly pointed out, despite clearly being happy to hear from Will. "I know, but the last time we spoke, you said Leo has an Achilles' heel...and then you left me hanging!" Will replied in a teasingly accusatory tone. "I know, and I'm sorry," Sonny stressed with a sigh. "Uncle Vic's been watching me like a hawk. And Leo is always here, [so] I have to be careful, [because] I can't let him know that we're still talking," Sonny explained. "Too late, lover," Leo said, joining Sonny in the living room.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd think my husband was going behind my back," Leo suspiciously added. "I gotta go," Sonny told Will. "That was --" Sonny began to explain after ending the call. "Will," Leo knowingly concluded.

"Do I need to remind you that you are my husband, and you vowed not to have any contact with him?" Leo asked. "We share a daughter, Leo, all right? We were coordinating plans for Ari," Sonny claimed. "Oh, don't pull the 'kid' card on me. I saw the look on your face while you were talking to him. You don't look at me that way," Leo countered. "Maybe it's because you don't trust me," Sonny suggested. "You have to earn that trust," Leo insisted. "I would hate to send my new husband off to prison. It's hard enough on Ari that her mother was there. And I..." Leo began to add before stopping abruptly.

"Hel-lo," Leo appreciatively muttered, staring past Sonny in wide-eyed, open-mouthed awe. "What?" Sonny asked, confused. "Sorry -- I'm just admiring a piece of art," Leo explained, still staring past Sonny, who eventually turned to see what Leo was ogling -- just as Xander stopped in front of the bar, wearing only a pair of blue Speedos.

"I heard you were back," Sonny said tiredly. "Don't look so excited," Xander replied. "Sonny, aren't you going to introduce me?" Leo interjected. "Leo, this is my cousin Xander Cook," Sonny began. "I prefer Kiriakis," Xander clarified. "[And this is] Leo Stark," Sonny continued. "I prefer Kiriakis, too," Leo insisted, flashing Xander a smile.

Xander extended a hand, but Leo seized a tight hug instead -- and practically melted in Xander's arms. "So, it's true -- you married the guy who was suing you for sexual harassment," Xander said to Sonny while pulling away from Leo, who had just started pawing Xander's back muscles. "Water under the bridge," Leo claimed, waving a hand dismissively.

"What's your deal, Leo Stark?" Xander asked curiously. "It is a very long and complicated story," Sonny warned. "Ah. Pass. I have a date with the hot tub," Xander announced. "I'll join you!" Leo excitedly declared before rushing off to change into swimwear. "Never thought I would say this, but I owe you one," Sonny told Xander before exiting the mansion.

Seconds later, Victor joined Xander in the living room. Xander assumed that Victor was ready to make a deal, but Victor clarified that Xander's offer had just lost most of its appeal. "There's nothing I'd like more than to see Stefano DiMera's empire crumble...but, as it turns out, his son Stefan was let go by the board and replaced by Chad. [And besides], Titan needs a CEO with some savvy; someone who knows the ins and outs of the market; someone with brains, not brawn... [So], my answer to you is, 'Hell no!'" Victor said. Xander confidently claimed to have brains and brawn.

Meanwhile, Leo headed back to the living room in search of Xander, wearing only a pair of board shorts. "You certainly are sure of yourself, aren't you?" Victor said to Xander just then. Curious, Leo paused in the foyer to eavesdrop. "I need to see the rest of the information before I make a decision," Victor insisted. "Not a chance. Once you see the info, you'll toss me out again. Make me CEO, and then I'll share," Xander countered. "What kind of a fool do you think I am? I don't even know that there is any more information!" Victor protested. "It appears that we have reached a stalemate," Xander concluded with a shrug.

Victor walked away, refusing to budge. "You ready to hit the hot tub, X-man?" Leo flirtatiously asked Xander once the coast was clear. "Why don't we, uh, have a quick drink together [first and] get to know each other a little better," Xander suggested, deciding to take advantage of Leo's obvious interest. "I want to hear everything about you -- [like how you went] from accuser to Real Househusband of Salem overnight, [because] I know for a fact that my cousin still has it bad for his ex Will Horton, [and] there's no way he'd turn his back on all that, even for someone as...irresistible as you," Xander dryly added while pouring a drink for Leo.

"I'm gonna assume that you're blackmailing him, but the sexual harassment story was already out there, so you must have something else," Xander guessed. "Nothing but love, sweetheart. Sonny and I are meant to be together," Leo claimed. "You and I both know you're lying, so why don't you just tell me what you have, and we'll see if we can help each other," Xander suggested.

"Why is it so important to you?" Leo wondered. "[Maybe because of] the conversation I just heard between you and your Uncle Victor?" Leo guessed. "You were eavesdropping on my conversation? You're a naughty boy, aren't you?" Xander replied. "I try," Leo proudly admitted. "[Anyway], I'm assuming you think [that] if you knew what I had on Sonny, [then] it would strengthen your position," Leo added. "Well, aren't you the clever one..." Xander grumbled. "Again...I try," Leo repeated, giving Xander a wink. "So, are you gonna help me?" Xander asked impatiently. "That depends. What's in it for me?" Leo replied before starting to paw Xander's chest.

Xander frowned and pushed Leo's hands away. "What's the matter? You're not a prude, are you?" Leo asked. "You're married to my cousin. We're practically family," Xander pointed out. "And you would never betray family," Leo sarcastically guessed. "Sorry to disappoint you, but, uh, I don't swing that way," Xander explained. "Don't knock it 'til you try it," Leo advised. "Not my thing," Xander maintained. "Have you ever heard of the term 'gay for pay'?" Leo asked. "Each of us has something the other wants...or needs... [So], think about it. My room's on the second floor -- fourth door on the left -- and it's always open," Leo added before rushing off.

At the Brady Pub, Roman greeted Will, who wanted a drink after the earlier conversation with Sonny.

"Sonny being married to Leo -- that's, uh...that's gotta be awful," Roman sympathetically guessed. "Yeah. I was just on the phone with Sonny, and...Leo came in, and Sonny had to hang up on me. I can't even see him," Will sadly revealed. "Hopefully the stock at Titan will bounce back, and Victor will let Sonny drop this crazy charade," Roman optimistically suggested. "Leo's not gonna go away without a fight," Will fretted. "If Victor offers him enough money, he will," Roman predicted. "I don't know. He's clearly very comfortable being Mr. Sonny Kiriakis. I don't know if money is gonna be enough. There's gotta be, uh, some other way to make Leo disappear," Will replied. Roman served Will a glass of beer then stepped into the kitchen.

A short time later, Sonny entered the pub and sneaked up behind Will, who was staring sadly at the glass of beer. "Is this seat taken?" Sonny asked, causing Will to perk up at once.

Sonny explained to Will that Xander had moved into the Kiriakis mansion and was proving to be a major distraction for Leo. Will was surprised to hear that Xander was alive and well. "Last time I saw Leo, he was following Xander to the hot tub like a little puppy dog," Sonny revealed. "Well, with any luck, it'll boil 'em both," Will joked, and Sonny laughed right along with Will. "I almost forgot what your smile was like," Sonny mused. "It's been a while," Will noted. "Too long," Sonny insisted. "I think I'd never stop smiling if we could figure out a way to make Leo go away," Will admitted. "That's all I think about -- well, that...and you," Sonny said.

Sonny and Will soon headed off in opposite directions to avoid being seen together, planning to meet back up in the park to discuss Leo's weakness.

A short time later, Tripp arrived to see Roman, who revealed that Stefan had been arrested for treason. Tripp was thrilled to hear about Stefan's misfortune, knowing that it was good news for Steve. Roman thanked Tripp for having been so supportive of Kayla during such a difficult time. Roman also thanked Tripp for having always been supportive of Ciara -- and Tripp seized the opportunity to assure Roman that Ben might not be an issue for much longer. Roman wondered if Tripp still had feelings for Ciara. "I will always care for Ciara as a friend, but...she's moved on, and I'm trying to, too," Tripp replied. "With Claire," Roman guessed. Tripp insisted that Claire was just a friend, but Roman wasn't convinced.

Sonny found Will in the park and immediately seized a kiss. "Hey -- we can't," Will reluctantly protested, pulling away from Sonny. "I know..." Sonny conceded with a sigh while staring at Will longingly.

Will changed the subject, asking Sonny about Leo's weakness. "We were talking about mothers, and I hit a nerve when I asked about his. He clammed up and got super defensive," Sonny explained. "So, if we can track down Leo's 'Mommie Dearest,' then we can put that monster back in his box," Will excitedly concluded. Sonny suggested that John might be able to find out who had raised the boy who had once been known as Matthew Cooper, but Will didn't feel right about going to Paul's father for help. Unaware of any other private investigators who could safely be trusted, Will ultimately decided to check the Spectator database for answers.

"I have to admit, this is kind of hot, isn't it? Like, sneaking around on a mission, trying to take down the bad gay -- I mean, the bad guy," Sonny joked. "Yes, [and] we have to, because, uh, this time, the good gays, uh, need to win," Will agreed between chuckles. "Just please be careful. We can't let Leo know we're digging around," Sonny stressed. "I know," Will assured Sonny.

"We're gonna find out who Leo really is, and then we're gonna nail him to the wall," Will confidently declared. "Before he nails us," Sonny added before seizing another kiss from Will. "I love you. We're gonna beat him," Will stressed after Sonny pulled away. "I love you, too. And we're gonna be together soon -- I know it," Sonny replied. Sonny stole one more kiss from Will then reluctantly walked away.

Will headed off to the Spectator office -- and spotted Gabi while passing through the town square. She seized a hug from him and broke down in his arms.

^ back to the top

by Mike

While on duty at the hospital, J.J. received a phone call from Chad, who wanted J.J. to play a role in the mission that Julie had already agreed to participate in -- the mission to win Abigail back. "You might want to rethink that. I'm not exactly [Abigail's] favorite person at the moment," J.J. pointed out. "Join the club," Chad replied before forging ahead, still convinced that J.J. needed to be involved in the mission.

"That's a great plan, but..." J.J. began after Chad outlined each step of the mission. "I know -- the chances of her coming back to me are...one in a billion," Chad conceded with a sigh. "But you're going for it, anyway," J.J. guessed. "Well, I'm an optimist," Chad explained. "Will you help?" Chad asked hopefully. "I'm feeling kind of optimistic myself, [so]...yeah, count me in," J.J. replied before ending the call.

Just then, Haley rounded a corner and approached J.J. "Working?" J.J. asked. "Meeting. [With your] Aunt Kayla. [It was] rescheduled from earlier. [You know], the big talk about the 'incident,'" Haley clarified. "How'd it go?" J.J. wondered. "Well, turns out the administration really frowns on staff who try to off themselves on hospital property -- as if that's what I did," Haley grumbled. "Right -- it was an 'accident,'" J.J. skeptically agreed. "Totally," Haley maintained. "That I used meds that didn't belong to me kind of made it worse," Haley added. "But here's the part you'll like -- I'm getting counseling," Haley announced with a scoff.

J.J. was pleased to hear that Haley was finally ready to get help. "I don't need 'help.' If I didn't agree to see a therapist, Dr. Johnson was ready to suspend me -- or worse -- and I can't afford to lose this job," Haley clarified. "Whatever gets you in the door," J.J. reasoned with a shrug. "[Anyway], I already have an appointment -- with a 'Dr. Evans,'" Haley continued. "Marlena. Yeah, yeah -- she's, uh...she's the best. She's helped so many people, including me. She's really easy to talk to, and...someone you can trust," J.J. raved. "As long as it means I get to keep my job, I'll tell her anything she wants to hear," Haley dismissively replied.

"Like what you're keeping from Kayla?" J.J. asked. "How the hell do you know about that?" Haley quietly demanded to know before pulling J.J. into an unoccupied room and shutting the door.

"What is it with you, huh? Always up in my business and blabbing it to the world?" Haley snapped. "I haven't blabbed anything. I heard you on the phone earlier," J.J. clarified. "So, you eavesdropped," Haley concluded, failing to see how that made things any better. "I happened to walk by, okay? I don't mean to pry. I'm just concerned. I want to help," J.J. stressed. "And what's your idea of 'help,' hmm? Running to your aunt with something you don't know anything about?" Haley asked. "I could have gone straight to Kayla after you tried to kill yourself, but I didn't -- I kept [that] secret, and I'm going to keep this one, [too]," J.J. promised.

"You're a pain in the ass!" Haley grumbled. "It's a gift," J.J. explained with a shrug. "But I also happen to be a damn good friend," J.J. added. "This isn't some twisted thing where you think I'll be so grateful for your constant and unwanted attention [that] I'll fall into bed with you...?" Haley began to wonder, eyeing J.J. suspiciously. "There's no agenda with me," J.J. assured Haley.

"I'm just trying to pay it forward, [because] people were really good to me when I screwed up...and I'm not trying to say that you screwed up as much as I did, but I'm just trying to do the same for you. I just -- I just want you to know that I do understand. And I'd like to understand even more...[but] I can't unless you tell me," J.J. continued.

"I definitely messed up -- big-time," Haley eventually began to admit while fighting back tears -- but just then, J.J. was called away to deal with a work matter. "I'll be right back, okay?" J.J. promised Haley before rushing off.

Shortly after J.J. left, Haley received a phone call from someone. "What?" Haley irritably asked the caller in lieu of a proper greeting. "Yes, I know! Stop pressuring me!" Haley snapped.

While passing through Horton Town Square, Eve spotted Brady and Chloe, who were sharing an embrace. "Well, well -- aren't you two cozy...again," Eve bitterly observed. "Oh, my -- look at the time. I've gotta get to work," Chloe quickly announced, not wanting to deal with Eve. "If you need some help, send me a smoke signal or something," Chloe told Brady before rushing off.

"She is such a clever one, isn't she?" Eve mused with obvious sarcasm and a fake laugh. "Thought you said that you two weren't together," Eve added. "We are friends," Brady reiterated, but Eve wasn't convinced, arguing that Brady and Chloe's tight embrace suggested otherwise. Brady clarified that Chloe had simply been offering some friendly comfort and support. "Not that I owe you any explanation, but I've been a little upset because I just got back from seeing my boy," Brady elaborated. "Well, how is my nephew?" Eve wondered. "He's great," Brady reported.

"Which makes it that much harder to be away from him," Brady added with a sigh. "And that's all big, bad Eve's fault," Eve concluded for Brady. "I didn't say that," Brady protested. "You didn't have to," Eve countered. "No, I didn't," Brady agreed. "Well, not to rehash, but I only did what I did because I was trying to help you...[and], lucky for me, there are people out there that do appreciate my help, [like] the dashing Jack Deveraux, [who's] waiting right now to have dinner with me," Eve pointedly bragged. "Probably with lots of, uh...I don't know, candles and wine, so..." Eve added before starting to rush off.

"Why are you doing this?" Brady asked, stopping Eve. "Why are you torturing [Jennifer] like this? I mean, if you want to be mad at me, that's fine -- I understand that -- but she doesn't deserve this," Brady added. "Why does everybody always come to her defense?" Eve grumbled. "She destroyed your relationship with your brother, [and] she destroyed my relationship with you, [so] you tell me why I should give a damn about her!" Eve challenged Brady. "I'm not telling you to give a damn about her; I'm telling you to do the right thing, Eve," Brady clarified.

"You walked into that New Year's Eve party and made an announcement that you had a 'wrecking ball' for Jennifer, [so] don't you pretend like this is anything other than punishment. [And] look at you -- I mean, look at how proud you are! [Meanwhile], where is Jack? Is he reunited with his family? Is he trying to make amends with his wife? No, he's in your hotel room, getting ready to have some cozy dinner with candles -- and you'll probably be hanging all over him; you'll probably ask him to dance you 'to the moon and back,' huh? Isn't that your line?" Brady continued with a hint of bitterness.

"You aren't upset about little ol' Jenny; you are jealous, Brady Black!" Eve happily concluded. Brady admitted that it wasn't particularly fun to see Eve with Jack. "But that's not what this is about; this is about you, [and] right now, you are not the Eve that I know [or] that I --" Brady added before stopping abruptly. "My son -- he asks about you," Brady continued, producing a cell phone. "He drew a picture -- not for you but of you," Brady explained, showing Eve an image on the device. "He thinks you'd make one heck of a mermaid. [See], he remembers how kind you were to him," Brady concluded.

"And what has kindness gotten me, Brady, hmm? Absolutely nothing. I lost you, my business -- everything. And you know what? I am tired of losing. I want to win. And this time, I will," Eve vowed. Brady didn't think that taking advantage of an amnesiac's vulnerability in an effort to turn that amnesiac against family members was much of a victory, but Eve argued that the value of revenge could not be overstated. "You're better than this," Brady insisted. "Well, you know...we [can't all] be mermaids, can we?" Eve countered with a shrug. "Now, if you'll excuse me...Dashing Jack is waiting," Eve added before walking away.

When Eve returned to the Salem Inn, Jack was nowhere to be found.

At Doug's Place, Chloe discovered that Julie had canceled every reservation that had been made for that evening. "I rented out the entire restaurant to Chad DiMera. He's trying to woo Abigail back again, [and] I'm going to give him the perfect setting to do it in," Julie excitedly revealed when Chloe demanded an explanation. "Ah. Definitely a grand gesture..." Chloe conceded with the wistful sigh of a fellow romantic. "[But] next time you rent out the restaurant as a grand gesture when we almost have a full house, you have to let me know. If there's anything that drives me crazy, it's being left out of the loop about things that directly concern me," Chloe added.

Sarah went to Eric's apartment with a special companion in tow -- Holly, whom Eric was thrilled to see. "You didn't happen to mention this little field trip to Maggie or Chloe, did you?" Eric asked. "I...left my mom a note..." Sarah somewhat mischievously replied, adding that Maggie had been busy exercising earlier. "Yeah, well, if you'd mentioned it to either one of them, they probably would have just said no," Eric guessed. "That is not true...exactly..." Sarah weakly protested. "Also, you have to admit, I'm not exactly Chloe's favorite person on the planet, so I just figured I'd let my mom talk to her," Sarah continued, shrugging.

Brady went to Doug's Place to talk to Chloe about Eve -- and was surprised to see that the club was otherwise unoccupied. Chloe explained what was going on, prompting Brady to spontaneously suggest that, with Chloe no longer needed at the club that evening, it was the perfect time for them to have dinner together. Chloe apologetically admitted to being more interested in hanging out with Parker and Holly for the rest of the evening. Brady thought that was understandable. Chloe promised to have dinner with Brady some other time. After Brady left, Chloe contacted Maggie to explain the change of plans. "Holly's where?" Chloe asked Maggie, livid.

Chloe stormed over to Eric's apartment to get Holly, who was in the middle of a nap at that time. "We can bring her back to you when she wakes up," Sarah offered. "I want her now," Chloe demanded. "You're being unreasonable!" Sarah insisted. "You took her without my permission!" Chloe countered. "It's not like I'm a stranger! I'm her aunt!" Sarah pointed out.

"All right -- enough, please. We can't keep doing this. We need to do what's best for Holly. I've made a decision about her custody," Eric suddenly announced.

At the Horton house, Abigail received a visit from Trask, who wasn't ready to give up on prosecuting Gabi. "It's not a good time," Abigail insisted. "Well, then, I can come back tomorrow -- and the day after that, and the day after that..." Trask sweetly replied. Abigail sighed and reluctantly agreed to hear Trask out. "[But] I was very clear at the police station. I have no intention of pressing charges against Gabi. I want this over," Abigail stressed.

Undeterred, Trask argued that Gabi needed to be punished for having tried to ruin Abigail's life. "Gabi has to live with what she's done, and that is punishment enough," Abigail countered. "I'm sure that sentiment is a comfort to you, but that's not how our justice system works. Gabi committed multiple crimes, and she needs to pay for what she did," Trask maintained, but Abigail wasn't swayed. "Gabi and I have both lost more than either of us ever imagined or deserved, and our children have suffered in the process, so it needs to end. [She and I have already] hurt each other enough. We're even," Abigail insisted with finality, adding that Trask needed to move on.

"You have no idea how wrongheaded this decision is," Trask grumbled. "Well, it's my decision to make," Abigail pointed out, shrugging. "Then you leave me no choice. Crimes have been committed, and justice will be served -- one way or the other. If you're not gonna help me prosecute Gabi, I'm gonna prosecute Chad DiMera instead. [After all, he kidnapped] you from your home and held you hostage at your family's cabin," Trask countered. "You would need my testimony in order to charge Chad," Abigail coolly reminded Trask. "[And] I will not put the father of my children behind bars," Abigail insisted, again with finality.

Trask couldn't believe that Abigail wasn't willing to cooperate -- if only to make amends. "I sent an innocent woman to prison for murder -- because of you! I have guilty people that I can't prosecute -- because of you! I have worked too hard to build my career..." Trask snapped before stopping abruptly -- but it was already too late. "And there it is -- this isn't about justice; this is about you getting a win," Abigail summarized with a shake of the head. "[Well], I'm not gonna help you do it, so you can just get the hell out of my house," Abigail tiredly demanded. Trask scowled at Abigail then reluctantly exited the house and slammed the door shut.

Later, Julie entered the house and greeted Abigail. "Hey! What are you doing here? I thought that you were working tonight," Abigail cheerfully said to Julie. "No, Doug and I have a much better plan -- we are gonna babysit Charlotte," Julie announced. "That's really sweet of you, but, um...I'm not going anywhere tonight..." Abigail clarified, confused. "Oh, yes, you are!" Julie excitedly insisted.

Julie tried to keep things vague, telling Abigail only that a surprise was waiting at Doug's Place, but Abigail eventually deduced that Julie was conspiring with Chad. "Call him and tell him I'm not going," Abigail insisted. Julie shamelessly argued that Abigail owed a favor to the person who had figured out Charlotte's true paternity, but Abigail refused to be emotionally blackmailed into going on a date with Chad. "I love you so much, and I do owe you, but having a dinner with Chad isn't gonna change what he did to me," Abigail reasoned. Julie couldn't believe that Abigail seemed more willing to forgive Gabi than Chad.

"Not giving Chad a chance to make everything up to you -- that's not like you," Julie noted. "Well, maybe I've learned [that I have to] protect myself, even against the man who swears that he loves me," Abigail explained with a shrug. "Sweetheart, love is never perfect. Doug and I hurt each other many times through the years -- sometimes so badly I thought we could never get over the pain -- but we did, because we forgave. [And] because of the forgiveness, we were blessed with this long, wonderful life -- a life of sharing love, and laughter, and adventures, [and] joy. That's all I want for you and Chad," Julie passionately argued.

Abigail walked away in silence. Julie was disappointed at first -- but Abigail returned a short time later, wearing clothes that were more suitable for a dinner date. "I'm only going along with this because you are relentless...but I want you to know that this isn't going to change my mind," Abigail stressed. "We'll see," Julie skeptically replied. As Abigail left the house, Julie excitedly composed a text message for Chad: "IT'S A GO!!"

At the loft apartment, Ben admitted to having conspired with Claire to break up Ciara and Tripp. "I should have known something was up that day at the square, [when] you and Claire [were] all chummy, [but] I asked, and what did you say -- [that] you were just thanking her for trying to help you get a job? What bull!" Ciara snapped. "I didn't want to lie to you," Ben stressed. "But you did," Ciara countered.

"Why?" Ciara wondered. "Because I wanted to be with you...so much...[and] I thought it was the only way I'd actually have a chance with you," Ben admitted with a shrug. "For what it's worth, our little 'conspiracy' was nothing more than Claire trying to push you and me together so she could have alone time with Tripp," Ben quickly added. "That is so not the point!" Ciara insisted.

"You know, I expected this from Claire, but from you? After everything we'd been through at the cabin, I just -- I thought that I could trust you," Ciara added with a shake of the head. "Is this really what you're upset about? Or are you just looking for an excuse to end things?" Ben wondered. "I'm mad because you lied to me," Ciara maintained.

"Just go. Get out of here. I'm sure Stefan probably has a bunch more people for you to kidnap," Ciara bitterly added, turning away from Ben. "I don't work for Stefan anymore," Ben revealed. "You quit?" Ciara asked while turning to face Ben again, having softened at once. "Stefan was arrested for treason. Your buddy Chad is back in charge of DiMera. And his first act as CEO was to fire me," Ben elaborated. "So, if Stefan were still free, you'd still be working for him," Ciara concluded, upset again. "You don't understand --" Ben tried to clarify. "I understand completely," Ciara snapped, fighting back tears of disappointment.

"Why don't you let me explain why I'm here --" Ben again tried to clarify. "What is there to explain, Ben? You know how I feel about you working for a slime like Stefan! I don't want to give you some ultimatum -- I mean, we're just dating -- [but] I so wanted you to make the right choice...[and] you didn't. It was made for you. Which means that you weren't gonna do the right thing. Which means that you really didn't care about me at all," Ciara summarized for Ben, who was clearly hurt. "Well, I can see that you've made up your mind already, so I won't waste your time, Ciara. I guess this is goodbye," Ben said with a sigh before starting to exit the apartment.

"Wait! You're twisting what I said!" Ciara protested. "I'm not 'twisting' anything, Ciara; I'm being honest with myself -- finally. 'Cause I was crazy to think that we would actually end up together -- that we could be together, that I'm gonna escape my past... It's never gonna happen. Everybody's always gonna think the worst of Ben Weston -- including you," Ben replied. "And I get it -- my God, I get it," Ben stressed, unable to blame anyone for having such doubts. "That's just the way it is," Ben concluded with a shrug before exiting the apartment with a sigh of defeat. Stunned, Ciara spontaneously decided to fly to South Africa to visit Theo.

At the hospital, J.J. realized that Haley had bolted. Meanwhile, in the park, Haley met with the person who had called earlier -- Trask.

"At least you're on time for once. How was your meeting with Dr. Johnson?" Trask asked coldly. "I guess it went as well as could be expected," Haley replied. "Well, I hope to hell you kept your mouth shut," Trask snapped.

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by Spalding

Abigail arrived for her dinner with Chad at Doug's Place, and she found a note. The note said that Chad would not be able to attend the dinner. "Unbelievable. He is standing me up!" Abigail complained. The letter also mentioned that Abigail should work things out with her family.

"I know that you are as angry with your mom and J.J. as you are with me. But now your dad is back, so you guys need each other. You need to talk things through. Your mom and J.J. and I weren't there when you needed us to believe in you. But none of us stopped loving you for a single second," the letter read. Jennifer walked into the restaurant.

"Chad called me at work. He feels like he is the reason you have resentment toward J.J. and me, so he planned this dinner. So, maybe we can just sit and talk," Jennifer said. J.J. walked in. "Without telling me?" Abigail grumbled. "He was afraid you wouldn't come if you knew it was us," J.J. insisted.

"Three of you against me. Nothing has changed, huh?" Abigail asked. Abigail was furious that Jennifer and J.J. had tricked her into a dinner. When J.J. asked Abigail to calm down, Abigail growled that she never wanted to hear J.J. say that to her again. J.J. pleaded with Abigail to sit down to dinner with him and Jennifer. Jennifer added that she wanted to sit down to a meal, just the three of them.

"Three? I was told that this would be a party of four," Jack said as he walked into the restaurant. Jack suggested that they sit down to eat. "Why are you here?" Jennifer asked. Jack explained that Chad had convinced him to eat dinner with Jennifer, J.J., and Abigail.

"He said he would write me a check for $10,000," Jack explained. "The only reason you would have dinner with your family is that Chad would pay you $10,000?" J.J. asked indignantly. "Take it easy on the old man. The fact is I don't know any of you from Adam," Jack countered. Jennifer asked Jack if he had ever been curious about his history in the past six years.

"I was putting all my energy into fighting my way back from the brink of death," Jack said. Abigail asked Jack if the money was compensation for his suffering. "The way I see it, what kind of man would I be if I continue to sponge off of Eve," Jack said. Jack took off his jacket and sat down to dinner. Jennifer, J.J., and Abigail joined Jack at the table. Jack asked Abigail about his grandchildren.

"Maybe I could come see them sometime soon," Jack suggested. "What would you charge for that, Dad?" J.J. asked sullenly. Jennifer quickly changed the topic to their granddaughter, Charlotte. When Jennifer noted that Charlotte was starting to look like a Deveraux, Jack chuckled and noted that neither of his children looked like him.

"Jack, they are yours," Jennifer said firmly. J.J. looked at his phone, and Jack asked J.J. if he was bored. J.J. explained that he was worried about a friend. When J.J. noted that his friend had run off during an important conversation, Abigail suggested that J.J. look for his friend instead staying at the restaurant.

"This is important, too. Chad went to a lot of trouble to bring us together," J.J. said. "I'm sensing some friction between you two," Jack said. J.J. explained that he had been preoccupied with his own problems and had not been there for his sister when she had needed him. "I want you to know, Abigail, that I'm sorry about that, and I'm here now," J.J. said.

"It couldn't have been easy for you, at your age to suddenly be the man of the family," Jack said. "It wasn't easy for either of your children to get over you. And it wasn't for me, either," Jennifer said. With a chuckle, Jennifer asked Jack, "When's the wedding?" Confused, Jack said he was not getting married.

"Well, you should tell that to Eve, because she said she wasn't going to stop until she was Mrs. Jack Deveraux," Jennifer said. Jack spit out his water. J.J. warned Jack to beware of Eve. "Eve has a way of getting what she wants, and what she wants is sticking it to [Jennifer]," J.J. said. Jack promised to set Eve straight.

"I thought that this dinner was supposed to be about bringing Abigail back into the family?" Jack asked. "We should make sure that Chad gets his money's worth, right?" Abigail countered. Jack asked what they had been like as a family. Jack suggested that they talk about another dinner they had had together.

"I know what we are going to talk about! When we went to visit J.J. in London at boarding school," Jennifer chimed in. Jennifer, J.J., and Abigail started to happily chat about the memory of going to see the play Romeo and Juliet on the trip to England. Jack looked at each of the faces of his family as they chatted and laughed. Jack smiled.

"And you know what I liked most about [the play]? It was that I looked down the row at the three of you just loving this production, and in that very moment, I was so grateful for my family," Jennifer said. Jennifer recited a speech from the play from memory, a twinkle in her eye. When Jennifer stopped, Jack jumped in and continued quoting the play.

"Jack, you remember?" Jennifer asked. "No. Not the night. But the verse? It just sort of popped into my head," Jack said. Jack raised a glass and toasted to Shakespeare. When the conversation grew quiet again, Abigail noted that she needed to check on her kids. Abigail added that J.J. should check on his friend. Catching the hint, J.J. agreed with Abigail.

"Tonight was good. I hope we can talk again," J.J. said. After J.J. left, Abigail told Jack to ask J.J. why he did not trust Eve. Jack nodded yes. "I know I'm not in a position to give you advice, but maybe you should be careful of men who try to buy your attention," Jack said.

"You know what? You're right. You're not in any position to give me advice. I'm an adult, and Chad and I have been through a lot. I know we have our stuff, and yes, he does throw his money around like a DiMera sometimes, but he does have a good heart," Abigail said. Abigail told Jack that after Jack had "died," Chad had obtained a copy of Jack's book before it had been released so that Abigail could read it first.

"[Chad] did that because he understood how important my father was to me then. And he understands how important my father is to me now," Abigail said. With a nod, Abigail started to leave then stopped. Abigail kissed Jack on the cheek then left.

Chad went to Eve's hotel room to make her an offer. Chad explained that the board at DiMera Enterprises had appointed him CEO. "How would you like a job?" Chad asked. Eve reminded Chad that Stefan had liquidated Basic Black. Chad noted that Stefan was terrible at business.

"One of his worst decisions was letting you go. I think you would be an asset to the company," Chad said. Chad opened up his briefcase and pulled out a contract for Senior VP at DiMera Enterprises. As Eve leafed through the contract, her mouth fell open. "You serious about this salary?" Eve asked. Chad confirmed the offer was legitimate. With a sigh, Eve pointed out that the job was in the Paris office, not Salem.

"I can't leave Salem now. I have too many irons in the fire," Eve said. "The only iron you have in the fire is Jack Deveraux," Chad countered. Eve told Chad that he did not know the situation. "I know that you told Jennifer that you came back to Salem with revenge in your heart," Chad argued. With a chuckle, Eve asked Chad if he wanted her to give up on Jack so he could score points with Abigail.

"You could have a fresh start in a beautiful new city with no bad memories," Chad said. Eve threw the contract down on the desk. Chad urged Eve to think about his offer then he left. Eve looked over the contract that Chad had left behind.

At Doug's Place, Jennifer thanked Jack for having dinner with the family. "I know Chad paid you to be here, but I don't know, I feel like a part of you really enjoyed being with us," Jennifer said. "I know it meant a lot to our kids," Jennifer added. Jack asked Jennifer what the evening had meant to her.

"Tonight? I think it really got to me, Jack, because I never imagined the four of us sitting around the same table again," Jennifer said. Jack said he wished he could remember his life. "But we made a sweet memory tonight," Jennifer said with a grin.

"You don't need to remember the past. It wasn't idyllic. I'm so glad that there are things you don't remember. I wish I could forget," Jennifer said. Jack raised a quizzical eyebrow. Jennifer encouraged Jack to ask her anything. "It seems that I was a lousy husband most of the time," Jack said. "No. Just some of the time," Jennifer said with a smile.

"What were we like?" Jack asked. "We were like a sea. Nourished with loving tears. A madness most discreet," Jennifer said quoting Romeo and Juliet. Jack joined Jennifer and they recited the quote. "A choking gall, a preserving sweet," Jack and Jennifer said together.

"There's a reason we both remember that speech, I guess," Jack said. "It was hard sometimes, and there was a lot of pain, Jack, but I really believe, in spite of that, we built a most wonderful life together," Jennifer said.

In the Kiriakis living room, Brady yelled at Maggie for allowing Sarah to take Holly to visit Eric without Chloe's permission. Maggie calmly noted that Chloe had been in favor of Holly spending time with Eric. Maggie added that she had not given her approval and that Sarah had taken Holly and left a note.

"Sarah took Holly without Chloe's permission or telling you in advance? And she left a note? You don't think that is pushing it just a little bit, Maggie?" Brady asked. Maggie said she had noticed that Brady was protective of Chloe. Maggie cautioned Brady not to get involved with Chloe so soon after his breakup with Eve.

"Eve already let me have it about Chloe. I thought you would be a little more understanding, Maggie," Brady said. Maggie reminded Brady that he had a rocky history with Chloe. Defensive, Brady said that Chloe was the only person he could talk to about losing custody of Tate. Brady added that when he had broken up with Eve, Chloe had let him vent to her.

"Chloe's my friend," Brady said. Maggie asked about Brady's conversation with Eve. Brady told Maggie that he had known that Eve was upset, but he had been surprised that Eve wanted to take all her anger out on Jennifer. "Do you have any idea how Eve found out Jack was alive?" Maggie asked. Brady shook his head no.

"All I do know is she plans to put her hooks into Jack and not let go," Brady said. Maggie asked Brady if he still had feelings for Eve. "I tried to find the woman that she had changed into, but she just swatted me away. I swear, I don't even recognize the woman that I used to love," Brady said.

At Eric's apartment, Eric told Chloe not to blame Sarah for his visit with Holly. "I wish you would have asked me first," Chloe argued. "Having Holly here, spending time with her, made me see what is really best for her," Eric said. Chloe groaned and asked Eric if he was planning to take her to court.

"If you're looking for a fight, I'm ready for it!" Chloe said as she squared her shoulders. "You were in on this weren't you?" Chloe said accusingly at Sarah. Angry, Chloe asked Sarah if she was involving herself in the matter because she was upset about Rex's child. Sarah countered that Chloe was using Holly to fill the void in her life after Lucas had dumped Chloe. Eric cautioned both women to calm down.

"What I was going to say was I decided not to file for custody," Eric said. Chloe's eyes went wide in surprise, and she asked what had changed. Eric noted that Holly appeared to be doing well with Chloe. "I don't want to disrupt her life any more than it's already been," Eric said.

"I'm glad that you feel that way. And thank you," Chloe said. Chloe apologized to Sarah and Eric. With a nod, Chloe added that she wanted Eric to continue to be a part of Holly's life, but she requested that Eric ask her in advance about a visit. "I'm not trying to be a gatekeeper. I just want to keep her safe," Chloe explained. Eric said he understood.

After Chloe left, Sarah apologized to Eric for fighting with Chloe. "And I probably shouldn't have done what I did," Sarah added. Eric thanked Sarah for her support. As Eric smiled, he noticed Holly's favorite stuffed animal lying on the floor. Eric picked it up and frowned.

"Are you sure you are okay with letting Holly go?" Sarah asked. "I was looking forward to raising a child. Especially Nicole's. But it was a hard decision that I know in my heart was right for Holly," Eric said. "Chloe was right. This was none of my business," Sarah said. Sarah explained that she had butted in because she knew that Eric would be a great role model in Holly's life. As Sarah turned to leave, Eric asked her to stay for dinner.

As Sarah and Eric cooked dinner, Sarah accidentally ran into Eric, causing him to spill tomato sauce on his shirt. Eric playfully flicked sauce onto Sarah's shirt. Sarah laughed. After changing shirts, Sarah and Eric sat down to dinner. Eric lamented that Chloe had mentioned Rex, but Sarah countered that she regretted that she had mentioned Lucas in return.

"I think she hit a nerve. I was really sure that I was going to spend the rest of my life with your brother. I guess you don't really know," Sarah said. Eric called Rex an idiot. After dinner, Eric thanked Sarah for staying and making him laugh. "Finding Nicole and losing her again, your friendship really kept me going," Eric said. "My life fell apart in front of a roomful of people, and you kept me going," Sarah said. As Eric and Sarah stared at one another, there was a knock at the door. It was Rex.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Chloe walked into the living room as Maggie and Brady were talking. Chloe thanked Maggie for watching Parker for her while she was out. When Brady asked about Holly, Chloe explained that Holly had fallen asleep in the car, and Henderson was watching her. Maggie offered to get Holly ready for bed.

After Maggie left, Brady asked how things had gone with Eric. "Eric's willing to let me have full custody," Chloe said with a smile. Brady asked Chloe if Eric had been serious about the offer. Chloe said she was certain. Elated, Brady told Chloe he was happy for her and Holly. Chloe thanked Brady for backing her up.

"This has been a rotten time for me. I don't know if I would have gotten through it without your support," Brady said. "I guess, no matter what happens, it seems like you and I can count on each other," Chloe countered. Brady said he hoped that would always be the case. Brady hugged Chloe, then lingered near her lips as he pulled away. Chloe and Brady awkwardly both said it was late. Chloe headed upstairs to check on the children. Brady sighed.

In the park, Haley met with Melinda Trask. "I didn't tell Kayla Johnson anything," Haley promised Melinda. "You better be straight with me," Melinda warned. Haley swore again that she had not said anything to Kayla. "I've worked too long and too hard. My life is not going down the tubes because of my screwed-up little sister!" Melinda barked.

"You and your big secret could undo everything I worked so hard to build," Melinda said. "Don't you think I know that? Why do you think I tried to off myself?" Haley asked defiantly. Upset, Haley started to leave. Melinda relaxed and asked Haley not to go. Melinda explained that her anger was because of Abigail Deveraux, not Haley.

"Any relation to J.J. Deveraux?" Haley asked. "J.J. is her brother. How do you know him?" Melinda asked. Haley explained that J.J. was an EMT who frequented the hospital on runs. Suspicious, Melinda noted that Haley was not telling the whole story. Haley explained that J.J. had saved her life.

When Haley noted that J.J. had continued to check on her, Melinda asked Haley, "When are you going to learn to stop trusting people like him?" Melinda warned Haley that J.J. had broken a lot of hearts. Haley stressed that she was only friends with J.J. "He told me he came close to taking his own life last year," Haley confided. "I didn't know that," Melinda said.

"[J.J.] was just reaching out. Trying to find out why I did it," Haley said. "You didn't tell him, did you?" Melinda asked. "You know that's something I can't tell anybody," Haley said. Changing the subject, Melinda asked Haley to move out, but she promised to help Haley with her rent in the transition. Melinda explained that she had set plans in motion that necessitated distancing herself from Haley.

"What are these plans?" Haley asked. "I can't say. But no one can know that you and I are related," Melinda said. J.J. walked around the corner into the clearing.

At the DiMera mansion, Chad sat in the living room with a drink and looked at the painting of his father. Chad confessed aloud to Stefano that he had offered Eve a chunk of money to leave town. "Here is to hoping that it worked and that Abby had a wonderful night with her family," Chad said. Abigail walked in.

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