Max was sitting in his room looking at Trent's wallet when Stephanie walked in. She could tell he was upset, and she asked what was wrong with him. Max said he found Trent's wallet in Stephanie's purse. Stephanie asked Max where he found the wallet, and she asked him where he found it. Stephanie said she didn't know how the wallet got in her purse, and she was upset that Max seemed to be accusing her of hiding it from him. Max asked her if there was any time when her purse was left alone, and Stephanie remembered that when they were at the police station she set her purse down and that Max's sister, Melanie, was there.
Max refused to believe his sister would put Trent's wallet in Stephanie's purse. Melanie wasn't capable of that, Max said. Stephanie said Max thought Stephanie was capable of that, and Max said he never accused Stephanie of it. Max didn't accuse her outright, Stephanie said, but she knew that was what he was thinking. Stephanie said Max disappeared after finding the wallet in her purse, and once he found out that Melanie put the wallet there, he didn't want to believe it. Stephanie accused Melanie of taking advantage of Max.
Max didn't want to hear Stephanie's accusations, and Stephanie said she understood how he felt. Stephanie said Max needed to consider Melanie's past actions and realize that Melanie was using him. She said that she understood that Melanie had a rough life, but Melanie was a liar and a user. Max admitted overlooking Melanie's faults. Stephanie suggested that the only way Melanie got Trent's wallet was to take it when Trent was murdered. Then Stephanie accused Melanie of killing Trent.
Max refused to believe that Melanie killed Trent and said that everyone in Salem had a motive. Not everyone was walking around with Trent's wallet, Stephanie said. Max said he knew for a fact that Melanie didn't kill Trent, and Stephanie realized the only way Max could have known that for sure was if he killed Trent himself.
At the cemetery, Philip questioned Melanie about why she had her father's wallet, and she claimed Trent gave it to her. Philip didn't believe that Trent just gave Melanie his wallet. She said that Trent threw his wallet at her the night he was murdered. Melanie explained to Philip what had happened, that Trent had asked her to meet him at the cemetery to convince her to sleep with Claude to get Claude off his back. Melanie said she had refused and told Trent she never wanted to see him again, then ran off.
Philip didn't believe her story and threatened to call Bo at the police station, so Melanie decided to come clean. She told him how she pulled a knife during the confrontation with her father. Melanie realized that Philip thought she'd killed Trent, but she asked him to think about why she would have asked for his help finding the real killer if she were the killer. Philip's theory was that Melanie did it to cast suspicion elsewhere. Philip said he wasn't buying Melanie's dimwitted routine, because he was more cynical that everyone else.
Philip urged Melanie to tell the truth about what happened the night that Trent was murdered or he would go to the police. Melanie insisted she didn't kill her father. Philip said he liked Melanie and didn't want to see anything happen to her, but Melanie needed to tell Philip what happened, because Melanie seemed to be the prime suspect in Trent's murder. Philip asked Melanie if she killed Trent, and she said she didn't know.
At the DiMera mansion, Sami overheard Nicole tell E.J. that Nicole was pregnant with E.J.'s baby. E.J. was at a loss for words. John - who was also in the room - decided to leave so E.J. could talk to Nicole alone. Nicole asked E.J. what he was feeling about her news. E.J. was shocked to hear about the pregnancy, and he asked Nicole why she didn't tell him sooner, since they'd slept together months earlier. Nicole said she didn't tell him sooner, because she knew he would react the way he did.
At the hospital, Marlena received word that she could not get a divorce unless both parties signed the divorce petition. John found Marlena at the hospital and wondered why she didn't return his phone calls. John said he had talked to E.J. and realized that Marlena had been talking to E.J. about John. Marlena said she thought E.J. would be able to talk some sense into John, but it clearly didn't work. E.J. had accused John of being selfish, John said, and John wondered if Marlena thought of him that way, too. Marlena said all she saw was a stranger when she looked at John.
John said nothing he did was good enough for Marlena. Marlena said John could be more like the man she fell in love with - kind, generous, and an honest humanitarian. John said he was trying to change back to the man she fell in love with. Marlena asked for the proof that John was trying to change, and John told Marlena about Nicole's pregnancy and how he convinced Nicole to do the right thing and tell E.J. about the baby.
All of a sudden, Sami burst into the room and accused Nicole of lying about being pregnant. Nicole couldn't be pregnant, Sami said. Sami accused Nicole of trying to trap E.J. into marriage. Sami told E.J. that Nicole was barren and couldn't have kids. E.J. asked Nicole if that was true, and Nicole confirmed it. E.J. assumed Nicole was lying to him about being pregnant, but Nicole said that in spite of her prior medical diagnosis, the doctor she had seen confirmed her pregnancy and said that there was some medical reason for it.
Sami didn't believe it. Nicole started to leave, and Sami told her if she wanted E.J. to believe she was really pregnant, she'd have to stop drinking. During their argument, Nicole felt the baby kick, and Sami asked to feel to call Nicole's bluff, so Sami lifted up Nicole's shirt and noticed her baby bump. E.J. kicked Sami out of the room to talk to Nicole alone, and Sami stormed off furious that E.J. had impregnated both of them.
Nicole asked E.J. not to look at her like she made him sad, and he said he didn't know how to feel. Nicole asked E.J. not to put any pressure on her because she was feeling "ultra fragile." E.J. asked if it was true that she was carrying his child, and Nicole said it was. E.J. wondered what to do next, and Nicole suggested they talk about things, make plans, and maybe celebrate. E.J. admitted he was overwhelmed by the news. Nicole said she'd always wanted to be a mother and felt jealous when she saw other mothers playing with their children.
Nicole said she felt like the pregnancy was the universe's way of giving her a chance to do something great, and she didn't intend to mess it up. Nicole considered her baby a miracle. Nicole poured her heart out to E.J., but he was still processing the news. Nicole asked E.J. if he was happy that she was pregnant. He said he was, but he needed proof that the baby was his.
While Marlena and John were talking, Sami ran up and urgently needed to speak to Marlena. Sami told Marlena about Nicole's pregnancy, but Marlena said she already knew because John had just told her. Sami said she was upset about Nicole's pregnancy because of her track record with men. Marlena asked Sami if she thought Nicole was after E.J. for his money. Sami confirmed that it was her theory, and Marlena said it didn't make sense given how hard it was to raise a DiMera heir.
Sami said just because she knew how hard it was to raise a DiMera heir didn't mean she shouldn't be resentful that Nicole was pregnant and would try to ruin E.J.'s life. Sami said it wasn't about Stefano, but Marlena said it was always about Stefano-and as long as Stefano was around, there would be no peace in Salem. Sami asked if Marlena was happy for Nicole, and Marlena said she wasn't happy for Nicole - she was just happy it wasn't Sami that was pregnant.
Chelsea found Kate shopping for new clothes and told Kate off. Kate was confused about what Chelsea was talking about, and Chelsea said that Daniel convinced Chelsea to track down Kate because she checked herself out of the hospital. Chelsea assumed that Daniel did it to get her and Kate in the same room. Chelsea told Kate that she didn't want to see her again after that day.
While they were talking, Kate got a text message from Daniel saying the test results weren't back yet. Kate told Chelsea that she was waiting on the results of her medical tests to find out why she'd been coughing, and Chelsea felt bad that she tore into Kate about Daniel. Kate said if she and Chelsea had an honest conversation about Kate and Daniel, they could put the issue to rest. Chelsea said she wouldn't be able to put it past them - she only felt guilty about assuming Kate and Daniel slept together again.
After Chelsea had her say, Kate told her she'd had it with Chelsea's self-pity, anger, and resentment. She said it was unfair for Chelsea to continue to judge Kate for sleeping with Daniel, and even though Chelsea had every right to feel hurt, what Kate and Daniel did was not wrong. Kate said life was too short to be angry. Chelsea said she wasn't angry anymore, but she couldn't forgive Kate and get over her sleeping with Daniel. Kate said she felt sorry for Chelsea because one day Chelsea would regret it. Chelsea said she already did regret it.
At the Brady Pub, Nick was sipping a beer when Melanie came downstairs and questioned his choice of breakfast foods in light of his recent DUI. Nick flirted with Melanie and claimed that the beer was not a big deal but was instead just a way to calm his nerves after the bad stuff that had happened in his life recently. Melanie immediately noted that Nick's bad luck began when he met her in France, but smiling, Nick denied that any of his misfortune was her fault. Pushing him away, Melanie barked, "Stay the hell away from me." Not buying Melanie's exclamation, Nick chuckled and cooed at her, "I'm drawn to you like a moth to a flame." This made Melanie giggle and tell him that his joke was lame, but that she liked that about him. After telling Nick that he was cute and sexy, Melanie claimed that she wanted to thank him again and leaned in and kissed Nick.
At Salem Hospital, Nicole and E.J. walked down the hallway discussing the baby. E.J. apologized for demanding a paternity test and offending Nicole but, noting Sami's past deeds, said, "After what she put me through with those twins, I need to know that I'm the father." "I am not Sami Brady," Nicole announced firmly. E.J. cocked his head and said that they were a lot alike and that worried him. Angry, Nicole remarked that E.J. was selfish and only cared about his own life.
In the exam room nearby, Bo chitchatted with Kayla until he noticed a grim-faced Nicole and E.J. walking down the hallway. Bo walked over and asked Nicole if she had any information on Trent's murder, but Nicole claimed she had no information to tell. After Bo headed back to the station, Kayla sent Nicole into the exam room to prepare for her ultrasound while E.J. reminded Kayla that they needed to do a paternity test, as well. E.J. excused himself to take a call on his cell phone, and Kayla went in and asked Nicole, "Does Stefano know about this baby?"
Just as the ultrasound was underway, an emotionless E.J. returned. Nicole's face lit up as she looked at her baby moving on the monitor, but E.J. showed no facial expression and instead simply reminded Kayla again about the paternity test. Kayla described the new non-invasive procedure they would use to establish paternity, and then she set off to run the test. E.J. apologized again for upsetting Nicole with the request, but Nicole said she was eager to show that she was not like Sami and that he could "trust the mother of your child."
At the Horton cabin, Sami paced around the living room until Lucas woke up, and then she excitedly told him the news about Nicole's pregnancy. Lucas was amazed, but then laughed when Sami noted that E.J. impregnated both Sami and Nicole at the same time. When Lucas saw how quiet Sami was, he reminded her again that she needed to tell E.J. that she was pregnant. Lucas argued that lying to E.J. would mean lying to the baby and, by extension, lying to the baby's siblings, Allie and Johnny. Changing tactics, Lucas asked what Sami's parents had to say about her pregnancy, but noting Sami's body language, Lucas guessed that she had not said anything yet. Sami filled Lucas in on the conversation she had with Marlena in which Marlena had concluded on hearing about Nicole's pregnancy, "Thank God it's not you." Lucas reasoned that lying to E.J. meant that Sami could lose him to Nicole, but Sami countered, "I'd sacrifice anything, including my feelings, to make sure I don't raise another DiMera baby." Sami begged Lucas to keep her secret, and he reluctantly agreed to stay quiet for a little bit. With Lucas taken care of temporarily, Sami wondered aloud if there was anything she could do. "Maybe there is," Sami said.
In Max's apartment, Stephanie examined Trent's wallet when Max exited the bathroom and caught her in the act. Stephanie warned Max that the wallet implicated Melanie, since she planted it in Stephanie's purse, but Max continued to argue that Melanie was innocent. Gently touching his arm, Stephanie urged Max to give the evidence to the police so that it could help free Caroline. Seeming to realize the truth to Stephanie's statement, Max finally agreed to take the evidence to Bo.
Down at the police station, Max gave Trent's wallet to Bo, and Stephanie explained that she believed Melanie had planted it in her purse when she was standing next to her the day before. Bo dusted the wallet for prints, but unfortunately, the only prints on the wallet were those of Stephanie and Max.
In the park, Theo sat on a blanket and played quietly while Lexie sat nearby and watched his every movement. The babysitter, Lacey, arrived and Lexie fired her. In disbelief, Lacey argued that Theo ran away and that it was not her fault. Lacey begged for Lexie to reconsider because she was desperate for the money, but Lexie resolutely declined to change her mind. Abe arrived with Lacey's severance check, but distraught, Lacey stormed off and met up with Mayor Marino.
At Chez Rouge, Abe prepared to announce his mayoral candidacy and told Evan, "Nothing is gonna stop me from winning this race." Evan introduced Abe as "Honest Abe" while a bitter-faced Lacey stood at the back of the restaurant and stewed. Lexie looked worried as she noticed Lacey at the back, but stood quietly off to the side as Abe took the podium and began his speech. No sooner had he started to speak than Lacey yelled out that Salem did not want "a man who blames innocent people for his own stupidity. Who lets his pushy wife walk all over him." Furious, Maggie demanded that Lacey leave, but Abe interrupted and begged Lacey to leave their personal issues out of the campaign. Lacey refused to keep quiet and rattled off a list of problems with Theo and argued that she spent more time with him than his parents. As the media circled around her, Lacey yelled out that she had been disgusted by Abe lecherously leering at her. This prompted Abe to immediately deny the outrageous charges.
As the news conference drew to a close, an angry Abe vowed to Evan that he would fight Marino for putting Lacey up to making those allegations. With fear all over her face, Lexie pleaded with Abe to back down because she could not stand to hear any more lies spread about her son.
Kate was on the phone with her assistant, relaxing by the Kiriakis pool, when Daniel suddenly emerged from the water, startling her. She explained that she'd thought she was alone, and that Victor was trying to assuage his worry over her illness by allowing her to use his pool. Daniel asked Kate if she were feeling better. She said that she was, and that made her very optimistic about her biopsy results. Daniel stressed that she should be prepared for the worst, as well. Kate agreed, but said she'd prefer to just enjoy the beautiful, Indian summer day. Daniel offered to get a bottle of wine from the cellar for them to share, but as he was leaving to retrieve it, the lab called his cell phone with Kate's biopsy results.
When he hung up, he informed Kate that the results were inconclusive, but there had been no sign of malignancy. Kate was relieved, but Daniel reminded her that it didn't necessarily mean she didn't have lung cancer. He then started for the wine cellar again, but Kate stopped him. She said that facing her own mortality had made her see things more clearly. As she moved closer to Daniel, she added that she didn't want to waste a chance for happiness or pleasure. He agreed, and the two began kissing passionately.
After they had made love, Kate lay in Daniel's arms in a lounge chair. Daniel reassured her, "When it seems like you're alone, like you can't do it by yourself, you remember this moment, and know that I am with you every step of the way."
As they arrived at the DiMera mansion, Nicole announced that, since E.J. hadn't answered her question about what they were going to do, she and Pookie would be moving in. When she began lightheartedly making note of which things could stay and which she'd get rid of, E.J. misconstrued her interest in the expensive bric-a-brac to mean that she was only after him for his money. Angered by the presumption, Nicole started for the door, but E.J. stopped her and apologized. He admitted that he was rattled, and that he felt like Nicole had ambushed him, pointing out how her marriage to Victor had been solely about money. Nicole was hurt and angry, and stormed out despite E.J.'s feeble protests.
At the Horton cabin, Sami was trying on clothes, searching for something to wear that concealed her pregnancy. Lucas was warning her that she wouldn't be able to hide it for long just as Chloe walked in the front door and overheard. To Sami's great relief, Chloe just thought they were discussing how much weight Sami had gained.
Once Sami had gone into the other room to give them some privacy, Lucas gave Chloe a sexy hello kiss. When Chloe asked him to get rid of Sami so they could be alone, he informed her that Sami had moved in temporarily. Chloe was livid that Lucas hadn't taken her feelings into consideration-or even asked her before agreeing to it. Lucas argued that Sami was an important part of his life and had needed a hand, but Chloe just became angrier and left in a huff.
After Nicole had gone, a dejected E.J. dialed Sami and announced that he was coming to the island to visit Johnny. Sami tried to stop him, but he hung up before she could get a word out. Sami then pleaded with Lucas to help her distract E.J., but he left to try to find Chloe.
When E.J. arrived, Sami told him that Johnny was napping and so he should just go. E.J. was peeved at first, then admitted that he needed a friend. Sami was a bit taken aback that he meant her, but listened as he confided that Nicole's pregnancy had completely thrown him. Sami congratulated him when he confirmed that the baby was his, and pointed out that having a baby would bond him and Nicole forever. He was clearly flustered when she added that it meant he and Nicole were fated to be together, but before he could initiate a discussion about their own relationship, she feigned sudden fatigue and asked him to leave so she could lie down.
Later, Sami held Johnny and apologized for not letting him see his daddy. She explained that she'd done it to protect his little brother- or sister-to-be. "Sometimes, to protect the people that we love, we have to make tough choices," she added, choking back tears.
Chloe went to visit Nicole in her suite at the Salem Inn, where Nicole ushered her in and offered her a drink. When Chloe sat down, she immediately found the printout from Nicole's ultrasound on the table. Knowing Nicole didn't think she could have children, Chloe asked if Nicole were pulling a con, but Nicole assured her that she was really carrying E.J.'s baby. The two women were comparing notes on their recent dust-ups with the men in their lives when Lucas and E.J. showed up to apologize.
Lucas pulled Chloe into the hallway and acknowledged that he should have asked before agreeing to let Sami stay at the cabin. Chloe reluctantly conceded that Sami could stay as long as she didn't cause problems. Lucas kissed her and assured her that she was the only woman he wanted.
Meanwhile, a skeptical Nicole wanted to know what had caused E.J.'s change of heart. He admitted her pregnancy had taken him aback at first, but reassured her that he wanted to be part of their child's life-and hers. He then suggested that they finally go on that date they'd been talking about.
At the Brady Pub, Abe's campaign manager warned him that the mayor was about to expose Lexie's past infidelities.
Lexie was watching Theo play with his trucks in the park, where Chelsea joined them. Theo ran up and gave her a very enthusiastic hug, and Lexie thanked her for having a "play date" with Theo outside of work. The two women talked about how the mayor had likely put Lacy up to her attack on Abe at the press conference the day before. Lexie admitted that although she didn't want Abe to drop out of the mayoral race, she'd had enough when Theo had been dragged into it.
The talk turned to Chelsea and Daniel's relationship, and Chelsea admitted she still couldn't forgive Daniel or Kate for their betrayal. Lexie urged her to try, because Chelsea would only end up hurting herself in the long run if she held onto her anger.
After Chelsea took Theo to play on the swings, a man with a video camera approached Lexie and introduced himself as Eric Lee. With the camera running, he asked if she would go on record for his online news site about her affairs with Tek Kramer and Brandon Walker. Lexie was ordering him to turn off the camera when Abe and Evan arrived and Chelsea and Theo returned. Lexie stopped Abe when he started to tell the guy off, and declared that she would talk on camera. "I refuse to comment on my past," she began, "but I do have a few things to say about my future." She continued that the election wasn't about her, her infidelities, or her family, but about her husband, who had already done a great deal for Salem as police commissioner and would continue to make a difference as its mayor. She added that they refused to stoop to the mayor's level of mudslinging, and that she would continue to stand proudly by her husband during his campaign.
Back at the Brady Pub, Lexie told Abe that Chelsea had helped change her mind about his running for mayor, and that she believed in him with all her heart. Grinning, a grateful Abe hugged his wife and told her he loved her.
Mayor Marino showed up at the DiMera mansion to discuss Abe's mayoral campaign with Stefano. Stefano pointed out that Abe was his son-in-law. "That's touching," Marino replied sarcastically. "But I doubt you'll be able to buy Abe the way you bought me." Stefano declared that he'd already done plenty to support the mayor, but agreed to help Marino beat Abe on one condition: leave Alexandra and Theodore out of it.
E.J. stopped by Nicole's hotel room to take her out on a date. At first, Nicole thought he was the hotel manager stopping by to pick up her rent check. E.J. had planned to take Nicole out to dinner at her favorite restaurant in Chicago. Nicole agreed to E.J.'s invitation and went to the bathroom to get ready. While she was getting changed, the hotel manager stopped by with an eviction notice, giving Nicole until one o'clock to move out or be put out.
E.J. had the bellhops pack up all of Nicole's things while she was changing, and when she was dressed, Nicole asked E.J. what was going on. He told her about the eviction and offered to move her into the DiMera mansion. Nicole said when she'd mentioned moving into the mansion the day before, E.J. had accused her of being a gold digger. Nicole was resistant to E.J.'s invitation at first and asked about Sami. E.J. said he and Sami were over and there would never be anything between them. Nicole agreed to move with E.J. after he said her dog could move in with them. Nicole was concerned about Stefano, but E.J. told her to leave Stefano up to him.
John informed Stefano that John was giving up his claim on the DiMera empire. Stefano was confused at first, but John told him he was relinquishing control of the empire immediately and planned to move out by the end of the week. Stefano seemed disappointed by the news at first, but he told John that he was happy John decided to give up and that John had made a wise decision. Stefano wondered what made John change his mind, and John said he did it for Marlena.
At the DiMera mansion, after John left, Nicole told Stefano that she was moving in. Stefano was furious that E.J. had asked Nicole to move in without his permission. Nicole told E.J. to tell Stefano about her pregnancy. Then she decided Stefano would take the news better if he heard it from her. Nicole told Stefano she was pregnant with E.J.'s baby, much to Stefano's delight. Stefano offered Nicole the suite overlooking the pool and planned to tell the cook to prepare her favorite foods.
Stefano asked when the baby was due, and E.J. said he wanted to get Nicole settled in. Nicole felt the baby kick and noticed it was stronger than the first time. E.J. put his hand on Nicole's stomach but didn't feel anything, so she asked Stefano to feel. Stefano felt the baby kick and bonded with Nicole. Stefano poured some champagne and sparkling cider to celebrate.
Chloe went to see Marlena at the hospital to ask her for advice on Lucas. Chloe said it was more about her lack of judgment when it came to men. She told Marlena that she didn't want to make the same mistakes that she'd made in the past and that she suspected Lucas of cheating on her with Sami. Chloe said she wasn't there to get information from Marlena. She just felt vulnerable since she'd been burned before. Marlena said even if she knew whether Lucas was cheating with Sami, she couldn't tell Chloe. Chloe realized she should have gone to Lucas with her concerns and left Marlena's office.
Then John showed up and told Marlena how he planned to give up control of DiMera Enterprises. John said E.J. gave him good advice - that he should take action or lose Marlena for good. John said he gave up control of the DiMera empire for her. John told Marlena that he planned to move out of the DiMera mansion, and Marlena said she was proud of him. She offered to grab a cup of coffee with him and talk, but John wanted to hurry up and move out of the mansion. Before he left, he gave Marlena the signed divorce papers. Marlena was surprised to see he'd signed the papers, and it seemed she was having second thoughts. John told her he did everything she'd asked and the ball was in her court.
At the Horton cabin, Sami told Lucas that she'd said goodbye to E.J. Lucas got so fed up with Sami hiding the truth about her pregnancy from E.J. that Lucas told her she was on her own. Sami thought about going away for nine months to have the baby, thinking E.J. wouldn't suspect anything, but Lucas said E.J. would figure out that the baby was his. Lucas said although E.J. had been a jerk, he was caring and would protect Sami's baby. However, Sami thought three DiMera children would be too much for E.J. to try to protect. Lucas said Stefano and E.J. would be furious at Sami for trying to keep her pregnancy a secret. And then Sami came up with the idea for Lucas to pose as the father of her baby, to keep E.J. from learning that he had fathered the baby.
Lucas was furious at Sami's idea and refused to play along. Sami thought that E.J. would believe that Lucas and Sami slept together after he'd caught Sami and E.J. in bed together. Sami said that passing her baby off as Lucas' would be the only chance of giving the baby a normal life. Lucas said he couldn't do it, which made Sami cry. She said Lucas promised her he would keep her safe, but Lucas reminded her that he had nothing to do with the situation Sami had made for herself. Sami accused Lucas of putting his sex life above her child's life. Lucas called Sami selfish, and Sami said she was at her wit's end. Lucas stood firm on his decision not to be a part of her scheme.
After Lucas left, Sami circled the name of a clinic in the phone book and called for an appointment. When Lucas got back to the cabin, he tried to call Sami and left her a message to come back to the cabin so they could talk. He noticed the name of the clinic she'd gone to and assumed she'd gone to get an abortion, so he rushed off after her.
At the clinic, Sami was eager for the doctor to see her. The nurse asked Sami if there was someone waiting for her, but Sami said she was there alone and was just eager to get it over with. Lucas showed up looking for her, but the nurse said she couldn't give out any information. Lucas lied and said he was her husband, so the nurse agreed to see what she could do. While he was waiting, Chloe called Lucas and asked to see him. She overheard the nurse answer the clinic phone and asked Lucas what he was doing at the clinic.
Lucas told Chloe he couldn't talk, and the nurse said she'd found Lucas' wife. Lucas rushed Chloe off the phone, and Chloe was angry at hearing the nurse refer to Sami as his wife. The nurse let Lucas into the exam room where Sami was crying. Lucas assumed he'd gotten there too late.
Max and Stephanie went to the Brady Pub, which was closed for a private luncheon, to tell Caroline that she was no longer the prime suspect in Trent Robbins' murder. They explained that someone had planted Trent's wallet in Stephanie's purse, but the police had found only Max and Stephanie's prints on it. Caroline was appalled. She was just asking who could have done such a thing when Melanie walked in. Caroline excused herself to tend to Sami's twins, whom she was babysitting, and when Melanie saw the looks on Max and Stephanie's faces, she tried to leave as well. But Stephanie grabbed her by the arm and ordered her to admit what she'd done, and the two of them sniped at each other until Max intervened.
Max asked how Trent's wallet had gotten into Stephanie's purse. Melanie feigned shock and accused Stephanie of killing Trent, which turned into another war of words between the women. Max declared that he just wanted the truth, but Melanie swore she hadn't planted the wallet, and suggested they have it dusted for prints. Max grudgingly admitted they already had and that Melanie's prints weren't on it. Melanie smugly said Stephanie owed her an apology, and Stephanie lost it. Furious, she grabbed Melanie and threw her onto a table, then yanked her back up by the hair. Max stepped between them as they continued to swing at each other, and finally pulled Stephanie aside. He asked her to let him talk to Melanie alone. Stephanie left after agreeing only reluctantly.
Max asked Melanie what was going on, and she began, her voice trembling, "The last time I got in a fight where it was physical like that..." When her voice trailed off, Max asked if she'd fought with Trent the night he was killed and had gotten the wallet then, and planted it on Stephanie to deflect suspicion. She denied it vehemently at first, but finally admitted it, claiming she'd done it to get his mom off the hook. Max told her irritably that he couldn't help her if she weren't honest with him. Melanie told him she didn't think he could handle the truth, because she couldn't. When he asked her to clarify, she replied, "You want to know what everyone else wants to know: Did I kill our father?" Her voice quivering again, she concluded, "Maybe I did."
When Lucas found Sami crying in an exam room at the Brookville clinic, he immediately assumed she'd had an abortion. Sami asked the doctor to give them some privacy, and then told Lucas she could never have an abortion, but she understood how he could have reached that conclusion. She explained that she'd been crying because she'd decided she had to tell E.J. the truth. She then asked Lucas to give her until the end of the day, because there was someone she had to tell before she told E.J., and she didn't want him to find out from anyone else. Though Lucas wanted more details, he agreed. Sami hugged him and thanked him for understanding.
Chloe rushed in the front door of the clinic and lied that she'd just gotten an urgent message to meet her friend there, and asked where Sami Brady was. The doctor refused to tell her anything, and ordered her to wait outside. After he had gone, Chloe tiptoed over and snooped until she found Sami's chart outside an exam room door, then ducked out of sight when she heard someone coming.
As Sami and Lucas exited the exam room, Chloe emerged from the shadows, frowning at seeing them together. She grabbed Sami's chart, and her mouth fell open as she read it. When a staffer caught her, she hid the file and pretended to be a pharmaceutical rep.
Sami found Caroline playing in the park with the twins. When Sami sat down, Caroline handed Johnny off, and indicated that Allie was sound asleep in the stroller. Sami asked about her grandmother's case, and they agreed that the sooner Trent's real killer was found, the better. When Caroline went to buy the twins some balloons from a nearby vendor, Sami talked to an oblivious Johnny about his new baby brother or sister and how scared she was to tell his daddy the news. She went on that she was terrified that she couldn't protect both Johnny and the new baby from Stefano, but she believed telling the truth was the right thing to do.
Chloe stormed into the cabin and strode over to Lucas. She slapped his face and called him a bastard, then declared that she knew Sami was pregnant. Lucas realized she had followed him to the clinic, and although that angered him, he stopped her as she tried to storm back out again, and told her the baby wasn't his. Chloe wanted to know why Lucas wouldn't just tell her that Sami was pregnant. Lucas replied that he'd promised not to tell anyone until Sami could tell the father. Chloe quickly deduced that E.J. was the baby's father, so Lucas cautioned her to keep it quiet for the time being.
When Lexie rang the bell, E.J. escorted her into the DiMera living room, where Stefano and Nicole were celebrating the impending birth of the next DiMera heir. E.J. and Nicole left to give them some privacy, and Stefano started filling Lexie in about the baby, but she wanted to talk about another of Stefano's heirs: her son, Theo. She explained that Mayor Marino had gotten Theo's former babysitter, Lacey, to spread malicious lies about her family. Stefano tried to excuse it as something that came with the territory in politics, but Lexie angrily related how Marino had claimed that she and Abe were unfit parents, even dredging up her past infidelities. Stefano sighed and expressed his sympathy for what she was going through. Lexie declared that she would help Abe in his campaign against the mayor, and demanded that Stefano end his association with Marino. Though Stefano tried to feign ignorance, Lexie vowed never to let him see Theo again unless he complied. She told Stefano to call her when he'd made his decision, and as she left the mansion, Stefano cursed Marino's stupidity.
E.J. showed Nicole the bedroom next to hers, and told her they could turn it into a nursery for the baby. She was thrilled and thanked him for all he'd done to make her feel so welcome. He then cautioned her to keep her distance from Stefano, and when she got defensive, he explained that Stefano was obsessed with perpetuating the DiMera legacy. E.J. continued that Stefano was manipulating her in order to be a part of his grandchild's life, which had been the main reason E.J. and Sami's relationship hadn't worked. Nicole was furious that E.J. had managed to work Sami into yet another conversation. E.J. explained that it was only because he regretted that he, Sami, and Johnny had never been able to be a family because of Stefano. Nicole pointed out that it didn't have to be that way with her—but only if he could let go of Sami.
Nicole returned to the living room, where Stefano enthusiastically told her the cook would be available to satisfy her cravings whenever she liked. E.J. came in and asked Stefano to leave him and Nicole alone, which Stefano was more than happy to do. Nicole tried to leave as well, but E.J. implored her to stay and hear him out. He vowed that he would always be there for their child and for her. Nicole wanted to know if he were sincere, since he'd always run after Sami in the past. E.J. countered that Nicole had done nothing but push him away at first, so she reminded him that it had only been because of Trent, and he could no longer threaten her.
Mayor Marino was at Chez Rouge, celebrating the demise of Abe Carver's campaign with one of his minions, when Lexie found him and warned him that it would be his own campaign that went down in flames. The mayor apologized unctuously but maintained that the public deserved to know the truth. Lexie agreed and vowed to expose the truth about how Stefano DiMera was his main benefactor. Marino pretended not to know what she was talking about, but Lexie pointed out that she was Stefano's family, and as such, had far more influence over him than anyone. With an icy smile, she wished the mayor and his toady a nice day and then strode out.
Marino immediately dialed Stefano, who growled that he'd warned Marino to stay away from his family. Marino claimed that it was only politics, but Stefano argued that it was no longer about politics for him but about family. "You understand what I'm saying to you? Famiglia," Stefano spat, and declared that their affiliation was over effective immediately. He hung up while Mayor Marino was pleading ineffectually to discuss it further.
A little later, Nicole remarked that, without Stefano, Sami, or Trent between them, they could take the time to get to know each other, to see if they had anything in common besides the baby. E.J. agreed, and they began to kiss. Their kisses quickly grew more passionate, and they started to undress one another.
As E.J. and Nicole began to make love, Sami arrived at the front door and, because she'd forgotten her key, rang the bell. When no one answered, she stomped around to the side entrance, irritated because she could see E.J.'s car outside, but stopped abruptly when she spied a naked E.J. and Nicole through the French doors. Angry tears welling up in her eyes, she fled back toward the front of the house.
Meanwhile, May or Marino had shown up and was pounding on the front door, shouting for Stefano to let him in. Suddenly, a man appeared and fired two bullets into the mayor—which no one heard, thanks to the silencer on the gun. As the assassin was checking Marino's pulse to make sure he was dead, Sami returned. Startled at first, her eyes widened in horror as she realized what she was seeing.
