E.J. called and left a message for Arianna to find out what she had been trying to tell him about how to get his children back. He looked at pictures of his kids and thought about how Sami had vowed that he would never see his kids again. He pledged that he would get his kids back. E.J. called Arianna again, and she answered. He asked what she needed to tell him, but she didn't want to talk about it over the phone.

At the Brady Pub, Bo and Carly were ready to pick Ciara up to take her to school, but Ciara pretended to be sick so that she could skip school and see Hope. Bo tried to warn Ciara about Hope being in jail, but she didn't care -- she wanted to see her mother.

The warden asked Lee how things had gone with Hope, and Lee assured the warden that she had it covered. Hope walked in and got suspicious. Hope asked what they had been talking about, and the warden said they had been talking about her. The warden said that Lee had discovered that another trustee had found out Hope was a cop and had been planning an attack on her. That trustee had been transferred to another section to protect Hope.

Hope asked about April and why she had died. The warden didn't know the details, but she said that April had died when her appendix burst. Hope wanted an investigation into why April had not been operated on sooner. Hope offered to have Bo investigate, but the warden said an independent investigator needed to look into it. The warden received a call. It was Bo, who asked if he could take Ciara to visit Hope. The warden gave her approval and said "the sooner the better."

Ciara visited Hope in jail, and Hope was glad to see her. Hope hugged her daughter. Then she realized that she couldn't have physical contact with her visitors. Ciara told Hope about how much Ciara had grown. Hope realized that Ciara should have been in school, and Bo explained that Ciara didn't want to go to school. Hope told Ciara that she was lucky to go to school with Ciara's best friend, Theo. Ciara asked if Hope had a best friend in jail, but Hope said no.

Ciara asked if someone had been bullying Hope, and Hope told Ciara not to worry about her. Hope said she dealt with it by learning to accept help from those who were willing to help her. Ciara showed Hope pictures of her as a ballerina. Hope told Ciara that she loved her, and Ciara said she loved Hope too. Ciara held Hope's hand. Ciara didn't want to leave when visiting hours were over, and Hope assured her that they would see each other again. Hope said that they would be together in their hearts.

The warden asked Lee if Hope had asked any more questions about April. Lee said that she had played dumb with Hope. The warden was worried that Hope had suspected something, and they couldn't have that.

Rafe woke Sami up and surprised her with news that he had dropped off the kids at preschool so that she could sleep in. Rafe had also put Sydney down for her nap, and he had fixed Sami breakfast in bed. Sami was impressed. Sami felt guilty that Rafe had to think about a new career because he had sacrificed his own for her. Sami worried that she would jinx herself like she had done in the past. Rafe didn't believe in that. He thought that if something didn't work out, it wasn't meant to be.

Rafe asked her to resolve not to talk about it anymore. Rafe assured her that the only people who knew about her shooting E.J. were Rafe, her, and Will. They made love and fell asleep but were later awakened by the doorbell ringing. It was Arianna, who was there to speak to Rafe. Arianna was surprised when Sami walked in. Sami asked what was going on, but Arianna tried to rush off. Sami told her to stay and offered to give them time alone.

Arianna told Rafe that Sami had shot E.J. Arianna explained that she had overheard Sami and Will talking about no one being able to prove that Sami was guilty of shooting E.J. Rafe accused Arianna of reading into what Sami had said and said that there was no confession. Arianna urged Rafe to accept that Sami had tried to kill the father of her children.

Rafe accused Arianna of trying to convince him not to marry Sami, and Arianna said she didn't want him to marry a killer. He said that Sami hadn't killed anyone. "Not for lack of trying," Arianna said. Rafe said that he had been with Sami all night. Arianna told Rafe that E.J. believed Rafe had probably made up Sami's alibi, and Rafe asked if Arianna thought that he was lying to her. Rafe reminded Arianna that E.J. wasn't Arianna's family. Rafe called E.J. a psychopath, and he wondered why Arianna was defending him. Rafe said that E.J. had a magic spell on Arianna, and she said Sami might have a magic spell on Rafe.

Arianna questioned why Rafe would lie. She said she knew him and knew that he was lying. Rafe told her to get out. She realized that Rafe already knew that Sami had shot E.J. Rafe told Arianna to let it go. He pointed out that Sami had children. "And those children have fathers, one of which has been denied his children," Arianna said. Rafe said that E.J. was not a decent guy, but instead a "low-life criminal." Rafe said that E.J. had done "horrible" things to "countless people" and would do it again. Rafe said nothing that Arianna had said could leave the room.

Dr. Ben Walters had called E.J. to the hospital, and E.J. wanted to know why. He reminded Ben that the DiMeras had built part of the hospital. Ben joked with Nathan behind E.J.'s back about how nasty E.J.'s attitude was. Carly and Ben looked at E.J.'s test results and decided that E.J. was recovering well.

Sami took Sydney to the hospital for her checkup, and Lexie was excited to see her niece. Lexie offered to watch Sydney so that Sami could return a call to Caroline. E.J. saw Lexie and Sydney in the hallway, and picked Sydney up. Lexie got worried, and she reminded him about the court order, but he ignored Lexie. Sami walked up and saw him with Sydney, and she ordered him to get his hands off her daughter.

E.J. told Sami that she was scaring Sydney. Lexie offered to take Sydney while Sami and E.J. talked. Sami argued with E.J. about what he had done to Sydney, and E.J. claimed that Sami had damaged Sydney. Sami didn't know what he was talking about. E.J. reminded her that she had kept Sydney from him, and he asked what she thought he was talking about. Sami thought about how she had shot E.J. She said she had tried to protect Sydney from "the sadistic maniac who put her bloody clothes in the river to make me think that she was dead."

E.J. said he had tried to protect Sydney from Sami and reminded her that Sydney wouldn't even have known that she had a father "if fate hadn't intervened." Sami accused E.J. of shifting the blame. Then she said that E.J. deserved everything that had happened to him and more. E.J. told her to "go to hell," and she said, "You first." Lexie returned with Sydney, and E.J. stopped mid-sentence.

Sami told Sydney to say goodbye to E.J. When he tried to hold her and say goodbye, Sami pulled away from him. So instead, he leaned down and said they would be together soon. Lexie apologized to Sami for letting E.J. have contact with Sydney. After Sami left, E.J. assured Lexie that he would get his children back -- "whatever it takes," he said under his breath. He believed that Arianna would help him.

Back at the apartment Arianna asked if Rafe was telling her to lie for Sami. "I'm asking you to curb your suspicions," Rafe said. He reminded her that Sami wasn't the bad guy -- E.J. was. Arianna reminded him that he was always the good guy who did everything right. Arianna was always the problem child. "Now you're lying to protect your psychotic fiancée, and it goes against everything that you believe in," Arianna said. She asked why he was protecting Sami and what Sami had done to him. Sami walked in and overheard Arianna. "Go on, Rafe. Tell her," Sami said.

Ben consoled the wife of a patient who had died, and he told her that she was doing the right thing by donating his organs. Carly was impressed with how Ben had handled the situation. Nathan called Ben away to speak to Ben's patient. Nathan asked Carly how Melanie was doing, and Carly told him to ask Melanie. Carly thought about her conversation with Chloe and how she had suspected that Chloe had cheated with Nathan. Carly told Nathan to stay away from Melanie. Nathan wondered what he had done to alienate Carly.

Nathan left, and when Ben returned from tending to his patient, Ben asked Carly out on a date. Carly turned Ben down and said she had a boyfriend -- Bo.

Asleep, Vivian lay in the coffin giggling while she dreamed. Vivian imagined a snake was slithering across her body, and shook herself awake out of the vision of the snake. Worried about her sanity, Vivian cried out for help. Vivian frantically grabbed the remote and called out Gus's name. Victor wandered into the mausoleum and called out, "Hello?" Thrilled, Vivian smiled and screamed Victor's name.

Victor found one of the remotes on the floor and when he picked it up, he heard Vivian's voice. Vivian informed Victor that she was in the sarcophagus. "My God, you're not in there with Isabella are you?" Victor asked worriedly. When Vivian explained that Isabella was not in the sarcophagus, Victor demanded answers. Vivian promised to tell Victor the story after he got her out of the sarcophagus. Putting the pieces together, Victor asked Vivian how she had become entombed in a sarcophagus with a remote control that allowed her to speak to the outside world.

Vivian explained that Brady had locked her in the sarcophagus, but unwilling to believe Vivian's accusation, Victor started to leave the mausoleum. Vivian called out to Victor, noting that Nicole had been involved in the scheme to entomb her and had corrupted Brady. "You and Nicole don't know each other well enough to hate each other. Why would she want to see you entombed?" Victor queried. Vivian suggested that Nicole was jealous of Vivian's money, and that she did not know exactly why Nicole had hurt her. Vivian instructed Victor to pull the lever on the back of the sarcophagus.

Victor walked around to the back of the sarcophagus, but he was unable to move the lever to unlock the lid to the sarcophagus. Unable to help Vivian on his own, Victor left to get help. While Vivian waited for Victor to return, she fantasized about interrupting Victor and Maggie's wedding by informing Maggie that Brady and Victor had held her hostage in the sarcophagus. In Vivian's fantasy, Maggie walked out on Victor. Back in reality, Vivian smiled to herself and said, "Maggie will be surprised."

At the Brady Pub, Nicole looked at photos from Chloe's wedding while she had a drink with Brady. "Do you think we'll have a happy ending too?" Nicole asked with curiosity. When Nicole explained that she was wondering whether marriage was in their future, Brady informed Nicole that the idea was premature. Brady confided that he was preoccupied with Vivian and whether they would be caught. Nicole assured Brady that things would work out.

As Nicole scrolled through the photos on her phone, she talked about Chloe's "miracle baby." Nicole wondered aloud whether she would be able to have her own "miracle baby" herself. "When you want something badly enough, anything is possible," Nicole whispered. When Brady started to disagree with Nicole, she begged him not to discount children. Brady worried that he did not have the temperament to be a father. Noting Nicole's criminal record, Brady explained that adoption would be unlikely.

When Nicole said that her pregnancy had been the happiest time of her life, Brady cautioned her that "I don't see children in my future." Fighting back tears, Nicole nodded and said that they could have a life of travel instead. Brady urged Nicole not to think about the future and instead concentrate on what to do with Vivian. After Brady left for the mansion, Nicole clutched her stomach and sniffled.

After Nicole stopped crying, she started to leave the pub but had difficulty finding her keys. Nicole dropped her purse on the ground and was digging through it when Caroline arrived at the pub with Sydney. When Nicole looked up, she smiled in delight and said hello. Nicole reached out to Sydney, but Caroline clutched Sydney's hand tighter and guided her inside the pub. "We don't want to catch any disease," Caroline muttered as she went inside with Sydney.

When Brady walked into the Kiriakis living room, he found a sour-faced Victor waiting for him. Brady asked Victor how his day was and he calmly responded, "Kind of mundane. Read the paper, got a haircut, found Vivian locked in Isabella's coffin." Stunned, Brady asked Victor to repeat what he had said. Victor informed Brady that he had not let Vivian out of the sarcophagus yet, but that she had told him that Nicole had trapped Vivian inside of it. Brady corrected Vivian's account, noting that he had locked Vivian in the sarcophagus, and Nicole and learned about it after the fact.

Smirking, Victor told Brady that he had figured Brady would take the blame. Brady explained that Vivian had never intended to inter Isabella in the sarcophagus but instead had planned to use it to torture Maggie. Brady explained that the sarcophagus was outfitted with a monitor, a food tube, and fresh air intake, and he had realized it was intended for a living person. Gritting his teeth, Brady told Victor that he had forced Vivian to confess that the sarcophagus had been intended for Maggie.

"I knew she was up to something. Damn! Back to burying people alive again," Victor cursed. When Brady started to tell Victor about where Vivian had dumped Isabella's remains, a shaken Victor rushed to a chair to sit down. "She had her remains reburied in a pet cemetery," Brady said. "Damn that evil, bitch!" Victor barked.

Brady assured Victor that he'd had Isabella's remains re-interred in her original coffin. As Victor stared off into the distance, stunned, Brady told Victor that he had snapped when he'd heard about the pet cemetery and had shoved Vivian into the sarcophagus, without thinking. When Nicole entered the Kiriakis mansion living room, Brady said that Victor "knows everything."

E.J. paced the DiMera living room while he left a message on Arianna's voicemail, begging her to call him. In frustration, E.J. threw his phone on the couch as Chad walked in. "How did you get in here?" E.J. asked angrily. E.J. ordered Chad to leave. Chad refused because he was waiting to talk to Stefano. Right on cue, Stefano entered the living room and asked why Chad was looking for him. When Chad explained that he wanted to talk to Stefano about a paid internship, Stefano argued that he was not aware of the position.

"The other day at the hospital when I said I was praying for your son, you seemed offended," Chad said. With a nervous laugh, E.J. asked Chad why he was praying for him. Chad noted that he was attempting to be nice. "You were right. It's a family matter. It's none of my business," Chad said. When Chad continued to push Stefano about the internship, E.J. became gruff. "You watch your tone with me, sunshine, all right?" E.J. said. Rebuffed, Chad apologized and asked Stefano about the internship.

Stefano said that he would get back to Chad after he dealt with some family problems. "Forget it. There's obviously been some kind of mistake," Chad said. Stefano promised to talk to Kate, but Chad declined the offer. "I've lost interest," Chad said, then left the mansion. Once Chad was gone, E.J. joked that he did not understand why Stefano put up with Chad. Smiling broadly, Stefano asked, "Why does he seem to remind me so much of you?"

E.J. told Stefano that Arianna had information about the shooting, but that he was not able to find her. With a chuckle, Stefano told E.J. that when he'd learned that E.J. was going to "recruit" Arianna to their side, he'd had his employee Mitch follow Arianna. Stefano summoned Mitch, who informed Stefano and E.J. that Arianna had visited Rafe. Once Mitch was dismissed, E.J. and Stefano theorized that Arianna was telling Rafe about the evidence she had discovered. "If she does that, he's gonna do everything he can to get her to keep her mouth shut! We cannot allow that!" E.J. bellowed.

Frantic, E.J. worried aloud whether Rafe could persuade Arianna to keep quiet. Shrugging, Stefano noted that Arianna and Rafe were family and would likely stick together. "We're not finished. If she has proof Will or Samantha shot me, we will find it. By any means necessary, we will find it," E.J. said.

At the loft, Arianna asked Rafe whether he was asking her to lie for Sami. Rafe countered that Arianna was suspicious of Sami but that she had no proof that Sami had shot E.J. Worried for her brother, Arianna asked Rafe why he was protecting Sami. "What has Sami done to you?" Arianna asked as Sami returned home to the loft. "Go on, Rafe. Tell her," Sami said.

"Ever since you walked into my brother's life, you've done nothing but cause pain and misery. You drag him into one mess after another," Arianna huffed. Rafe disagreed with Arianna's assessment, and Sami swore that she did not want hurt Rafe because she loved him. Frustrated, Arianna accused Sami of loving no one but herself. Rafe intervened and ordered Arianna to apologize or leave. "For what? For knowing the truth?" Arianna asked. "She's a homicidal maniac. Hey, Sami, I know what you did. I know you shot E.J.," Arianna screamed.

Arianna told Sami what she had overheard down on the pier when Sami had been talking to Will. When Rafe noted that Arianna had no evidence, Arianna's jaw dropped open. "I don't know what is worse here. The fact that she shot E.J. or the fact that you're lying your ass off to protect her," Arianna argued. "He's compromising his integrity for you," Arianna added. Rafe asked Arianna not to belittle Sami in his house. Nodding, Arianna said that she was going to file a report at the police station.

Sami stepped in front of Arianna, blocking her exit. When Sami argued that Arianna's past as a drug dealer meant that she could not judge Sami, Arianna countered that unlike Sami, she had paid for her crimes by going to prison. "Why are you defending E.J.? Do you know what he has done to everyone in this town? Most recently that he made me think that my daughter was dead?" Sami cried out. Unfazed, Arianna charged Sami with causing all the trouble by lying to E.J. about his daughter.

"I see what's happening here. You think I'm manipulating Rafe, when you are being manipulated by E.J. And look, I get that you can't see that right now. I have been in your shoes, but he is a master manipulator. He has you wrapped around his little finger," Sami warned. Arianna denied the charge and promised to put Sami behind bars. When Rafe warned Arianna that she had no proof, Arianna admitted that Rafe was right. As Arianna started to leave, Rafe asked his sister where she was going.

"To tell the truth. Someone has to," Arianna said before slamming the door. Worried, Sami started to pursue Arianna. Rafe gently held Sami back and offered to stop Arianna. Rafe followed Arianna out the door, and Sami stayed behind to clean up the loft.

When Will arrived home, Sami informed him that Arianna had overheard their conversation at the pier and was on her way to tell E.J. Worried, Will suggested that they leave town with the kids. Sami apologized for "screwing up," but Will disagreed and noted that he understood why Sami had shot E.J. Will was furious that Arianna was taking E.J.'s side, but Sami theorized aloud that Arianna appeared to have a crush on E.J. "No one is going to be able to change her mind. She is going to believe that E.J. walks on water until he turns on her," Sami said.

Sami asked Will to go to the pub and check on the twins for her. Once he was outside the loft, out of earshot, he muttered that he needed to find a way to protect his mother. Inside the loft, Sami proclaimed, "There is absolutely no way I'm going to let Arianna Hernandez ruin this family. I've got to do something."

At the pier, Rafe caught up with Arianna and begged her not to tell E.J. what she'd heard Sami say. "You're signing her death warrant. You know what kind of people the DiMeras are," Rafe pleaded. Not swayed by Rafe's argument, Arianna insisted that Sami needed to "be brought to justice" for shooting E.J. When Rafe stressed that the DiMeras would use their own brand of justice against Sami, Arianna quipped that Sami should have taken that possibility into consideration before shooting a DiMera. When Arianna insisted on telling the truth despite Rafe's arguments, Rafe admitted that Sami had shot E.J.

Rafe explained that he was covering for Sami because he had witnessed the damage that E.J. had inflicted on Sami. Arianna stressed that Sami should not have "taken the law into her own hands" and should have let the judicial system punish E.J. for what he did. Rafe informed Arianna that Sami had learned that E.J. was going to take the kids and leave town rather than face the police. "He was gonna kidnap her children! Again!" Rafe said.

"Sami was trying to protect her family. And now I have to protect mine. And the sooner she is put away, the sooner you are out of her web," Arianna said. Rafe reminded Arianna that he had visited her in prison. "I stood by you in the same way that I am standing by Sami," Rafe reasoned.

Rafe pleaded with Arianna to understand that he wanted to protect Sami and her children because they were his family. Rafe told Arianna that if she turned in Sami, Arianna would be destroying her brother's life as well. "I have to tell the truth," Arianna said. "No you're not. I'm not gonna let you," Rafe countered.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Nicole asked how Victor felt about Brady having entombed Vivian in the sarcophagus. After a moment's reflection, Victor declared, "I think locking Vivian in a coffin that she bought herself is just... Just a stroke of genius! By golly, you are a chip off the old block, after all!" Brady and Nicole exchanged a look of shocked disbelief.

Brady wanted to know whether Victor was going to let Vivian out of the crypt. Victor pointed out that if he did, Brady and Nicole would be arrested, and Victor and Vivian would have to return to their "charade of a marriage," so Victor didn't want to free Vivian-yet. When Brady asked what they were going to do about Vivian, Victor replied, "Just leave her to me." Brady gave his grandfather the Bluetooth earpiece with which to communicate with Vivian, and then Victor left.

Nicole declared that the stunning turn of events called for a celebration, but quickly found that they had run out of vodka. She left to pick up some more.

After Nicole had gone, a vision of Isabella appeared to Brady. "You think you've gotten away with this-and you're happy about that? What's the matter with you?" Isabella asked her astonished son. "I promised you that I would always be with you. It seems you've stopped believing in that." Brady admitted that he didn't know what to believe anymore, because Vivian had abused his and Victor's love for Isabella.

"It was inexcusable-I snapped, Mom!" Brady explained, adding that the only way he had been able to deal with her loss was his belief that she was at peace. "And you're not, and it's because of her!" Isabella asserted, "No, it's because of you." She pointed out that Brady could have gone to the police, but he had taken the law into his own hands. "No wonder my father is so proud of you," she declared. "You've turned into him."

Brady denied it, so Isabella demanded to know why he had locked Vivian in a coffin. "She buried you in a pet cemetery, Mother!" Brady shouted. Isabella made Brady realize that Victor would never let Vivian out of the sarcophagus. "He's used to having blood on his hands, but you're not," Isabella asserted. "So what are you going to do now?"

As Brady was pleading with his mother to tell him what to do, Nicole returned home and heard him from the foyer. She went into the parlor, and when she saw that Brady was alone, asked to whom he had been talking. Brady's gaze shifted nervously back and forth between Nicole and the apparition of Isabella. "It, uh, doesn't matter," he replied. Nicole asked if he were okay. "No, I'm not okay," Brady replied. "Nicole, we've done a really, really terrible thing. We need to let Vivian out of that tomb."

Inside the sarcophagus, Vivian fretted because she thought Victor was taking too long to get help to free her. She was relieved when Victor finally showed up, until he informed her that he had learned the truth: that Vivian had bought the sarcophagus for Maggie, not Isabella. "My dear, you have only just begun to pay," he snarled.

Vivian pleaded with Victor to let her out, and promised that in exchange, she would divorce him and not ask him for a penny-and she would even leave Salem. "Just get me out of here before these fumes kill me!" she implored. "Fumes? What fumes?" Victor demanded. "What else have you planned for Maggie?"

Vivian tried to cover, but Victor badgered the truth out of her. She admitted that there was toxic paint on the inside of the coffin-but not enough to kill Maggie. "You are a lunatic," a disgusted Victor pronounced. Vivian wanted to know what Victor planned to do with her, and, coughing, reminded him that the fumes were toxic. "You should know-you picked it!" Victor retorted. "Then you believe me?" Vivian asked. "Yes, for once, I believe you," Victor replied.

Bo dropped by the loft to talk to Sami about E.J. He wanted to know why she hadn't reported it to him or Roman when E.J. had violated the restraining order, which was supposed to keep him away from the kids. Sami somewhat sheepishly maintained that it hadn't been a big deal, because E.J. had only held Sydney for a few minutes. Bo pointed out that E.J. could just as easily have taken Sydney from her-again. Sami admitted that she was scared, because E.J. was still trying to get his hands on her kids. "The son of a bitch thinks he's above the law," Bo declared. "I'm gonna do something about it." He left.

At the DiMera mansion, E.J. asserted that Arianna had to have proof that either Sami or Will had shot him. "What other information would help me get my children back?" he mused to Stefano. Stefano warned his son that Arianna could change her mind about telling E.J. what she knew, out of loyalty to her brother.

Stefano hinted that E.J. should take the children and leave the country, but E.J. didn't want his kids to have to spend the rest of their lives on the run. "If I can get Rafe's sister to prove that Samantha was involved in my shooting, then I'm home free," E.J. declared. Two uniformed police officers then showed up to arrest E.J.

When E.J. arrived at the police station, Bo was waiting for him. E.J. refused to talk without his lawyer, so Bo offered to do the talking. "I hear from witnesses that you violated a restraining order against you," Bo stated. E.J. countered that it had merely been a coincidence that he, Sami, and Sydney had been at the hospital at the same time, and he had acted instinctively when he'd seen his daughter. Bo didn't buy any of it.

E.J. maintained that the children were in far more danger from Samantha than from him, but Bo reminded him that Sami had an alibi for the night of the shooting. E.J. pointed out that Sami's alibi was Rafe, a man who was in love with her. "Where was Will during all of this?" E.J. wondered. Bo scoffed that Will was not a killer-and E.J. had kidnapped his own child, and hidden the truth from Sami.

"Who had a stronger reason to want me dead?" E.J. reasoned, noting that Samantha had possessed the means, motive, and opportunity to try to kill him. "I think you need to consider Samantha your number-one suspect," E.J. declared. "Since you've done nine-tenths of my job for me, do me a favor," Bo replied. "Finish it off: Tell me, how do I prove this?"

Back at the mansion, Stefano called his lawyer, and ordered him to get E.J. out of jail immediately.

On the pier, Rafe pleaded with Arianna not to tell anyone that Sami had shot E.J. Arianna was incredulous that her brother still wanted to marry a woman who had shot her kids' father in the head. "She tried to destroy E.J.'s life, Rafe. She is gonna do the same thing to you!" Arianna maintained, then added, "I'm sorry; I'm not gonna let her get away with this."

Rafe tried to warn her that Stefano and E.J. would have Sami killed. Although not entirely convinced, Arianna conceded that she would go to the police with her information instead. Rafe pointed out that she had no proof. "It's hearsay," he stated. "It's basically going to be your word against hers-and mine." Arianna was appalled that her own brother would lie-and accuse her of lying-to protect Sami.

Arianna pointed out that of all the bad things she had done in her life, "I never would have given anyone a pass when I knew for a fact that they actually shot someone!" Rafe acknowledged that he had obviously disappointed her, but the situation wasn't what she believed it was. "I don't even know you anymore, Rafe," Arianna cried. "And thanks to that Sami Brady, the brother I knew is gone!" She stormed off.

Rafe called Sami to caution her that he hadn't been able to get through to Arianna. Sami told him about her conversation with Bo-and that Bo was going after E.J. Rafe promised to talk to Will about keeping quiet, and explained, "That way if Arianna does say something, it's just gonna look like she's got an axe to grind."

After she hung up with Rafe, Sami muttered to herself, "First Will and now Rafe. Everyone I love is lying for me-and I can't let it go on." She then called Arianna, who was not happy to hear from Sami. "I have something I want to say to you," Sami stated. "We may not be friends, but we both love Rafe. Will you please just come here and listen?" Arianna grudgingly agreed.

Rafe found Will at the Brady Pub, and informed him that Arianna was still planning to talk to E.J. or the police. Will freaked out, so Rafe tried to calm him down. Rafe reminded Will that no matter what Arianna said, there was no proof against Sami. He instructed Will to just stay cool if Arianna started talking, and to accuse her of having a grudge against the Brady family because of what had happened with Hope.

"Never get intimidated; never get defensive," Rafe advised. Will knew that even if Sami got away with shooting E.J., he would never stop trying to get the kids. Rafe agreed, but urged Will to try not to worry.

When Arianna arrived at the loft, she stated that she had no choice but to turn Sami in. "I know that you shot E.J.," she explained. Sami countered, "But you don't know why." Arianna carefully placed her purse on a side table, and then Sami described how Rafe had stopped her from marrying E.J. She asked Arianna to think about how Sami had felt-to have been minutes away from marrying the man who had kidnapped her daughter.

"It must have been horrible for you," Arianna acknowledged. Sami emphasized that she had been walking away from the situation-until Kate had called to tell her about E.J.'s plans to flee with the kids. While an apparently sympathetic Arianna listened, Sami detailed the rest of the events of that night. She explained that upon finding E.J. passed out with the gun in his hand, she had intended to leave, but suddenly the memories had rushed back to her of all of the terrible things he had done to her and her family.

Sami began to cry as she maintained that she was to blame for Sydney's kidnapping, because she had allowed E.J. back into their lives. "I just knew I was never going to be able to stop him from hurting me, from hurting our children-and I just couldn't let it go on. I had to stop him," Sami cried softly. "And the next thing I knew, I had that gun in my hand, and I pulled the trigger. I shot him-and now you know why. I mean, you have to see why, right?"

Arianna asked if Sami had been horrified when she'd realized what she had done. Sami admitted that she hadn't really processed it right away, and then suddenly she'd been on the pier with a gun in her hand. She'd thrown the gun in the river, and had run back to Rafe's. Arianna guessed that Sami had confessed to Rafe immediately. Sami stressed that she had never wanted anyone to know, but Will had figured it out, and then Rafe had begun to suspect Will, so only then had Sami told Rafe that she had done it. "So now you understand, right?" Sami repeated.

"Yeah, I understand perfectly," Arianna replied coolly. "You shot a defenseless man in the head. You lied to my brother. You made your teenage son cover for you. You're some piece of work, lady. How do you even live with yourself?" Furious that Arianna had played her, Sami argued that all she had to do was remember how E.J. had tortured her by kidnapping her daughter and making her believe Sydney was dead-and he had been planning to do it again.

Arianna started to leave, but Sami urged her to think it through before she went to the police, because Will and Rafe would be charged as accessories. Unmoved, Arianna was determined to turn Sami in-and give her brother a wake-up call about his fiancée. "It's not going to work. You take this to the police, and it is just your word against mine," Sami asserted.

"No, Sami. The words, they are all yours," Arianna countered smugly. She pulled a video camera out of her purse, and declared, "This is the proof that you shot E.J.-on video, in your words. The truth is coming out."

Arianna and Sami argued about Sami shooting E.J. Sami told Arianna that she didn't have proof, and Arianna revealed that she had recorded Sami's confession on a video camera. Sami fought with Arianna for the video camera.

Will promised Rafe that he wouldn't say anything to anyone about Sami's guilt. Rafe said as long as Sami and Will kept quiet, nothing Arianna had said would stand up in court. Gabi overheard Rafe saying that he needed to reach Arianna, and she asked why. Rafe said it was because Arianna was about to make a "huge mistake." Rafe told Gabi that he needed to use her phone to reach Arianna, because Arianna was upset with him and probably wouldn't pick up the phone if she knew it was him calling. Gabi asked if Rafe's dilemma had to do with Sami. Rafe said it was about all of them. He was afraid that Arianna thought she was doing the right thing.

Kayla planned to see Sister Anne about Chloe's paternity results, but she needed to run an errand first. Stephanie was confident that Daniel was the father of Chloe's baby. Stephanie called Sister Anne to tell her that Kayla would be delayed. Then, she ran into Ian, who asked if everything was okay. Stephanie said that things were almost perfect. Stephanie told Ian about Kayla's theory that the hospital had recorded the results wrong at first and then corrected the error when they realized the mistake, meaning that the baby was Daniel's. Ian theorized that Kayla was wrong, and someone had switched the results.

Sister Anne saw a picture of Daniel and Chloe on their wedding day and recognized Chloe as the patient that Carly had taken in for a paternity test.

Kayla walked into Sami's apartment as Sami and Arianna wrestled each other for the camera. Arianna threatened to tell Kayla what Sami had done. Kayla tried to defend Sami to Arianna, but Arianna rushed toward the door. Sami pushed Kayla out of the way to get to Arianna, saying she could not to let Arianna ruin her life.

Victor told Vivian that he knew that she had planned to lock Maggie in the sarcophagus. Victor reminded Vivian that he had warned her that Maggie was off-limits. He was angry that she had defied him, and he said that people who had defied him had lived to regret it. Vivian suggested that Victor let her out and torture her in some other way, but Victor felt that the punishment had fit the crime.

Vivian claimed that she had planned to bury Maggie for Victor's sake, to spare him from the pain of knowing that Maggie didn't love him. Victor told Vivian to pray while she was still sane. Vivian thought that deep down, Victor wouldn't let Vivian die, but Victor said deep down, he would enjoy watching. Victor brought up what Vivian had done to Isabella.

After Victor left, Vivian tried to keep from thinking about her circumstances. Then she pledged to herself that she would never try to bury someone alive again, because it had backfired on her. Vivian told herself that she was the woman that Victor wanted and needed, and she hoped that he would realize that before she was dead.

Nicole walked in on Brady talking to Isabella's ghost, and he told Nicole that they needed to let Vivian out of the coffin. Isabella reminded Brady of what he needed to do for Isabella's sake. Nicole wondered why Brady had experienced a change of heart. Brady didn't want to tell her, because she would think he was crazy. Brady said he had realized that he had a conscience after all. Nicole suggested Brady have a drink to keep him from doing something he might regret, "like the right thing," but Brady was already having regrets.

Nicole warned Brady that Victor wouldn't let Vivian's plans for Maggie slide, nor would he forget what she had done with Isabella's remains. Brady wasn't willing to let Vivian die in a coffin. Nicole reminded him that if they let Vivian go, Nicole and Brady would pay. Brady assured Nicole that he would swear that Nicole had not been responsible, but Nicole said they were in it together. Nicole urged Brady not to let Vivian out. Victor returned to the mansion, and he told Brady that he planned to keep Vivian in the sarcophagus.

Brady started to leave, and Victor told Brady to think twice about "shoving people into coffins" if Brady couldn't face the consequences. Victor thanked Nicole for helping Brady. Victor and Nicole both wanted the best for Brady, and Victor wanted Nicole to agree that no one could ever find out what Brady had done to Vivian. As Nicole started to leave, Victor told her there was "one other thing." Nicole realized that he had thanked her because he wanted something. Victor asked her to do something right away concerning Maggie.

Brady saw Isabella's ghost outside and told her that there was no turning back.

Carly stopped by Maggie's house to talk to her about Melanie, but Melanie told Carly that she didn't want to see Carly. Melanie wanted Carly to leave, but Maggie encouraged Melanie to listen to her mother. Melanie was upset that Daniel had "married a cheater" and that Carly and Chloe had decided that he didn't need to know about it. Melanie felt like she didn't know Carly at all. Carly defended her reason for lying to Daniel about Chloe's infidelity.

Melanie expressed how hurt she was that while Carly was lying to her about Chloe, Melanie was telling Sister Anne how happy she was for knowing Carly and Daniel. Carly understood why Melanie didn't think she could trust Carly, and Carly said she hadn't lied to hurt Melanie. Sister Anne called Carly and demanded to see her right away at University Hospital. After Carly left, Melanie told Maggie that she didn't think Melanie and Carly would ever work things out.

Melanie admitted to Maggie that she was procrastinating about packing, because she wasn't eager to move out of Maggie's house. She said every place seemed crazy except for Maggie's house. Melanie had doubts that Carly really loved her, and she couldn't figure out why she had such a problem realizing that Carly wasn't perfect. Maggie thought that Melanie had reacted that way because Carly was Melanie's mother. Maggie said that Carly never wanted to hurt Melanie. Melanie thought that she didn't need Carly, because in her heart, Maggie was Melanie's real mother.

E.J. told Bo it was obvious that Sami's alibi was shaky, since Rafe was in love with her. He said that Sami had also had motive and opportunity. Bo asked E.J. to prove E.J.'s theory. He called E.J.'s accusation "unsubstantiated," pointing out that E.J. had been drunk at the time of the shooting and had a personal vendetta against Sami. E.J. accused Bo of covering for Sami, and Bo reminded E.J. that E.J. had tried to use the police for his own means.

E.J. warned Bo that he didn't need the police to prove who had shot E.J. Bo ordered E.J. to comply with the court order and stay away from Sydney and Johnny. E.J. was amused at Bo's "Brady bravado." He said the "House of Brady" was falling in, beginning with Hope and ending with Sami. E.J.'s lawyer showed up with E.J.'s release papers, and Bo predicted that he would see E.J. again when E.J. got arrested for kidnapping Sydney.

Kayla ran into Bo and told him about Sami and Arianna's confrontation. Sami found Rafe and warned him that Arianna had recorded her confessing to E.J.'s shooting. Sami explained that she had thought she could convince Arianna to see reason. Rafe held out hope that it wasn't too late to convince Arianna to keep quiet, and he tried to call her again.

Bo stopped by Sami and Rafe's apartment, saw the broken table, and asked Sami what had happened. Sami made up an excuse. Bo said Kayla had told him about Sami saying something about Arianna ruining Sami's life. Before he could interrogate Sami further, Bo got a phone call and had to leave.

Meanwhile, E.J. called and left a message for Arianna, and Will did the same. Arianna called E.J. back, asking him to meet her as soon as possible. Will saw Arianna outside the Brady Pub, and he begged her not to tell E.J. He said E.J. would destroy Sami and Rafe. Arianna assured him that she would make sure that Will and Rafe were left out of it, but Will said that she couldn't, because it was all connected.

Will said that Rafe would never forgive Arianna, and Rafe and Will both would go to jail. Arianna tried to leave, but Will demanded that she hear him out. Will tried to convince Arianna that E.J. stood in the way of Sami and Rafe's happiness and could prevent the kids from having parents that loved them. Arianna got upset, and when E.J. showed up, she ran into the street and got hit by a car.

Gabi stopped by Sami and Rafe's apartment to tell Rafe that Arianna was outside the pub with Will.

At the hospital, Sister Anne asked Kayla to give her a minute while she met with someone else. When Carly arrived, Sister Anne showed Carly the photo of Daniel and Chloe, and she chided Carly for lying to her. Carly tried to explain, but Sister Anne didn't want to hear it. Kayla overheard them talking.

In the park, Carly begged an irate Sister Anne to let her explain why she had lied when she had taken Chloe to St. Mary's for the paternity test. "What is there to say, Dr. Manning?" Sister Anne argued. "You ordered a major medical test under false pretenses, using a false name and identification!" The nun threatened to tell Dr. Jonas everything, but Carly begged her not to, at least not until she'd heard Carly out.

Carly revealed that Chloe had slept with another man because someone had manipulated her into believing that Carly and Daniel were having an affair—to get back at Carly. "I couldn't live with the idea that Daniel and Chloe were going to be hurt because of me," Carly explained. "So I agreed to help Chloe get the paternity test done in secret."

Kayla, who had seen part of Carly and Sister Anne's confrontation at the hospital, followed them to the park. She arrived just as Carly was imploring Sister Anne, "I am begging you, do not tell Daniel." Kayla hid behind a tree to eavesdrop. Sister Anne maintained that what Carly had done was unethical, immoral, and illegal, and she refused to help Carly cover it up. Sister Anne acknowledged that Carly had done a great deal to help St. Mary's, but the nun needed time to think about how to proceed.

Carly urged Sister Anne to consider the "sweet, innocent little baby" while she was making her decision. Sister Anne was annoyed that Carly would manipulate her by using her love of children. Carly apologized again for having deceived Sister Anne, and then left.

Kayla emerged from her hiding place, startling Sister Anne, and asked if it were a good time for them to have their meeting. Sister Anne admitted that she was upset, and asked Kayla to call the office the next day to reschedule. After the nun left, Kayla wondered if the reason Sister Anne was so angry could be that she'd found out Carly had changed the paternity test results.

Nathan signed out after his shift at the hospital, and asked Nurse Maxine when Melanie was scheduled to work. Maxine informed him that Melanie wasn't due in until the next day. Nathan muttered to himself in frustration that Melanie had been ignoring his phone calls, when all he wanted to do was apologize to her. "Fine; I'm done," he declared.

Melanie went to Nathan and Stephanie's apartment, because she wanted to ask Stephanie for a favor. Stephanie grudgingly let Melanie in. Melanie explained that Daniel would be heartbroken if he ever found out that Chloe had cheated on him. Stephanie irritably urged her to get to the point. "Just—please never tell anybody," Melanie implored her earnestly.

Stephanie reassured Melanie that she would never want to hurt Daniel or Chloe—especially since they were expecting a baby. Melanie asserted somewhat apprehensively that the baby was definitely Daniel's, because Chloe had taken a paternity test. Stephanie acknowledged that it had been difficult for Melanie to ask for a favor. "But you did it for your father, and I think it's really sweet," Stephanie added.

Melanie admitted that she hadn't known how Stephanie would react, and she was relieved that Stephanie had been so nice about it. Stephanie replied that she didn't see the point of torturing Melanie, when it would only hurt Daniel and Chloe. Melanie asked how Stephanie and Nathan were doing, and Stephanie declared that they had never been happier.

Melanie was trying to insist that she was glad for the two of them, when Nathan arrived. Not seeing Melanie, he greeted Stephanie with a passionate kiss. "What are you doing here?" Nathan asked with dismay when he spotted Melanie. Melanie hesitantly stated that she wanted to talk to Nathan, too, so Stephanie went into the bedroom to give them some privacy.

An annoyed Nathan assumed that Melanie only wanted to tell him off again for keeping Chloe's secret. Melanie quietly explained that she wanted to apologize. She admitted that she had reacted with anger toward him initially, but then realized that she was actually hurt. Nathan assured her that he'd only kept quiet because he'd been trying to protect her. Melanie understood, because she was doing the same thing, keeping Chloe's secret so Daniel didn't get hurt. She asked if Nathan were going to tell anyone else, and he said he wouldn't.

"I'll never hurt you," Nathan promised Melanie sincerely, just as Stephanie emerged from the bedroom. "Everything okay?" Stephanie asked. Melanie insisted everything was fine, and then left in a hurry. Nathan admitted to Stephanie that he felt bad for hurting Melanie. "What kind of a jerk keeps a secret for somebody he barely knows, and hurts a friend who should have been told?" Stephanie declared that she completely understood why he hadn't told Melanie the truth.

At the loft, Gabi reported to Rafe and Sami that Will and Arianna were outside the Brady Pub. When she saw their surprised reactions, Gabi demanded, "What is going on? Why are you guys tripping about Will being with Ari?" Rafe promised to explain later, so Gabi left. Sami immediately tried to reach Will on his cell phone.

Outside the Brady Pub, Will tried to convince Arianna not to tell the police or to E.J. that Sami had confessed to shooting E.J. When E.J. arrived, Arianna became even more upset, and fled into the street. As E.J. and Will watched in horror, a car hit Arianna, and then drove off. While E.J. ran out to check on Arianna, a terrified Will dialed 9-1-1.

While the paramedics tended to Arianna, Bo questioned Will and E.J. about why Arianna had run into the street. "I don't know!" Will replied shakily. "I was trying to talk to her, and she suddenly just shoved me away and took off. And this guy came—he barely had time to hit the brakes." E.J. added that the driver had paused for a second, but then he had driven away. Will tried to give Bo a description of the car.

Once Arianna was strapped onto the gurney, E.J. spoke to her softly, trying to reassure her that she would be all right. She struggled to talk, but he urged her to wait until they got to the hospital. Sami called Will just as the paramedics were loading Arianna into the ambulance. Will told his mom what had happened, and a shocked Sami immediately told Rafe. Rafe took the phone from Sami, and Will told him that they were taking Arianna to University Hospital.

Rafe and Will each arrived at the hospital just as the ambulance arrived with Arianna. The paramedics informed Dr. Walters that Arianna had lost consciousness in the ambulance, and her left lung had collapsed. Dr. Walters instructed Maxine about what blood work he wanted, while Lexie phoned to get an operating room ready immediately. E.J. showed up as Lexie was promising to let Rafe know as soon as they had determined the extent of Arianna's injuries.

When Sami arrived, she found Rafe and Will sitting anxiously in the waiting area. Rafe filled her in on what little he knew about Arianna's condition. As Rafe walked away to take a call from Gabi, Will confided to his mom that he felt terrible about what had happened, because he had been trying to talk Arianna out of telling E.J. the truth when the accident had occurred. Sami tried to reassure him that it hadn't been his fault. She told him about how Arianna had recorded their conversation, and had planned to show it to E.J. Will divulged that E.J. had shown up at the pub right before Arianna had run into the street—and E.J. was giving his statement to Bo at that very moment.

In a private waiting room, E.J. explained to Bo that Arianna had asked him to meet her at the pub because she had something to show him, but when he had arrived, she had been arguing with Will. Sami and Will walked in just as Bo asked what the argument had been about. "I'd ask him," E.J. replied. "I'm sure he'll give you a good answer—or a quick lie."

Sami retorted indignantly, "How dare you make unfounded accusations against my son!" E.J. and Sami exchanged heated words until Bo shut them up. Bo was about to question Will about the argument, but Maxine interrupted to tell them that Arianna was out of surgery and on her way to a room.

Rafe was telling a distressed Gabi about the accident, when the group exited from the waiting room and Lexie returned from surgery. Lexie informed everyone, "The surgery was more complicated than we anticipated, but it went well. Arianna is in her room now, recovering." She continued that several of Arianna's ribs were cracked or broken, and one of them had punctured her lung, but they had repaired it in surgery.

"Dr. Walters and I are cautiously optimistic," Lexie concluded. E.J., Rafe, and Bo all asked to see Arianna, but Lexie cautioned them that she could only allow immediate family members until Arianna's condition improved. As Gabi and Rafe went into Arianna's room, E.J. advised Bo to station a police officer outside the door to protect Arianna from Sami and Will.

Sami was incredulous, but E.J. maintained, "It would be very convenient for the two of you if she didn't recover from her injuries, and she wasn't able to show me the evidence that she has." Bo wasn't interested in E.J.'s conspiracy theories, and asked Sami and Will to follow him into the waiting room. E.J. grabbed Will roughly by the arm as Will trailed behind Sami and Bo. "She will get better, and when she does, she's going to tell me everything," E.J. snarled.

In Arianna's room, Rafe and Gabi held their sister's hand, and encouraged her to hurry and get better. "We were so worried, Ari," Gabi fretted. "But Lexie says you're doing okay now, thank God," Rafe declared. "We love you so much." Rafe coached Gabi about how to break the news to their mother, and then she left to make the call. A guilt-ridden Rafe quietly urged Arianna, "You hang in there. You're gonna make it through this—somehow."

In the waiting room, Bo asked Sami what she and Arianna had argued about earlier that day. "It's personal," Sami replied evasively. "I'm marrying her brother; she's gonna be my sister-in-law. You know, that kind of thing." Unconvinced, Bo asked Will about his argument with Arianna. Will claimed that he'd only been sticking up for his mom after her fight with Arianna. "I warned Arianna to lay off," Will explained. "And she got upset, and then she just ran off." Bo cautioned them that he was going to interview Arianna as soon as she woke up.

After Bo had gone, Sami ruefully told Will, "I'm sorry that you had to lie to Uncle Bo for me." Will vowed to stick to his story no matter what Arianna said. They were both relieved that Arianna was going to be all right. "Let's just hope that no one finds that camera, you know, that has the confession with me saying that I shot E.J.," Sami stated worriedly.

As Sami and Will left the waiting room, they saw Officer Perkins arrive to give Arianna's purse to Bo. Bo instructed her to leave it with the head nurse, and then Bo left to check out the accident scene again. Sami whispered to Will that the camera was in Arianna's purse. They watched with interest as Officer Perkins handed the bag over to Maxine, who stashed it under the desk at the nurses' station.

When Lexie emerged from Arianna's room, E.J. pulled her aside and begged her to let him see Arianna. "She had some information that she wanted to give to me," he explained. "Now, I'm positive that that will tell me if it was Samantha or Will who shot me." An appalled Lexie agreed to talk to Dr. Walters about clearing E.J. to visit.

Will approached Maxine, and asked her for an ice pack for a muscle he had pulled during cross-country practice. As the two of them left, Sami ducked behind the desk and grabbed Arianna's purse—just as Perkins rounded the corner. "What are you doing with that?" she demanded. Sami claimed that she only wanted to keep the purse safe for her fiancé's sister.

Maxine returned with Will, and Sami that the hospital couldn't release patients' belongings without their consent, since it was legally responsible for them. Sami apologized and put the purse down, then walked toward the waiting area with Will. "Hope everything got put back in there," Officer Perkins remarked to Maxine. "Her stuff was scattered all over the place after the accident."

When Carly arrived outside the pub, Bo informed her about the hit-and-run on Arianna. Carly was shocked, but she could tell that something more than the accident was upsetting Bo. He reluctantly told her that Sami and Will were somehow involved, but he hadn't figured out yet exactly what was going on.

Sami told Will that she was going back to the pub to see if she could find the camera. She instructed him, "You stay here and see if you can have a look inside her purse, see if the camera is there. Don't take any unnecessary risks, but if the opportunity presents itself..." When Rafe exited Arianna's room, Sami told him that she was going to the pub to check on the kids.

After Sami had gone, Dr. Walters took Rafe into the waiting room so they could talk privately. Walters warned Rafe that Arianna would be in a great deal of pain once the nerve block from surgery wore off. "She could wake up any time now, but we need to make sure she stays quiet. Her condition isn't stable enough just yet," Walters added.

E.J. watched until Rafe and Dr. Walters were gone, and then crept into Arianna's room. "Arianna? Hey, it's E.J. Can you hear me?" he asked quietly. Arianna's eyes opened slowly. "You gave us quite a scare," a relieved E.J. told her. "How are you feeling?" With great effort, Arianna managed to croak, "I...have to tell you...something...."