Vivian dreamed about stabbing Maggie in the back after Victor declared his love for Maggie. Vivian apologized for saying that Maggie couldn't love someone like him. She said she knew she would lose him to Maggie. Victor said that Vivian had never had him, and the only reason he had agreed to marry Vivian was because Bo had threatened to kill Vivian if he didn't, and Victor didn't want to see Bo go to jail.
Vivian said she'd had a lot of time to think. She tried to convince Victor to let her out of the sarcophagus by saying that if Maggie found out what he had done, Maggie's romance with Victor would be over. Vivian tried to convince Victor that she wouldn't go to the police about what Brady had done because Victor would tell them what Vivian had planned to do to Maggie. She said she had as much to lose as Victor, Brady, and Nicole. Vivian said if he let her out, she would pretend that she had returned from the trip that Brady had lied about and would move back into the mansion with Victor.
Victor wondered why Vivian wanted to go back to a loveless marriage, and she said she was willing to settle for his company if she couldn't have his love. Vivian also insisted that Victor couldn't flirt with Maggie. In return, she said she would protect Victor and Brady, but Victor doubted her. Vivian pointed out that if she went against her word, Victor would put Vivian back in the coffin. She said that he couldn't be happy with Maggie because that possibility had ended when Brady had put Vivian in the coffin and Victor had kept Brady's secret.
Victor asked Nicole to speak to Maggie about him and said that Nicole was supposed to influence Maggie to love Victor in return. Nicole said she was supposed to make up a sob story about Victor to make Maggie go to the mansion to check on him. Nicole said Victor seemed different, like he had lost his edge. Nicole said that Victor had been spending a lot of time at the mausoleum, talking to Isabella's casket. Nicole said Victor probably wished that Isabella were alive and living in the mansion with the rest of the family.
Nicole told Victor over the phone that she had told Maggie a sob story about Victor grieving about Isabella again and that Maggie had gotten in her car after Nicole left. She assumed that Maggie was on her way to Victor's house.
After Victor got off the phone, he agreed with Vivian that he couldn't keep Vivian's imprisonment a secret. Vivian wondered if that meant that he planned to let her out. Then Maggie walked in. Maggie said that Nicole's sob story had caused Maggie to worry, and "anyone who would send Nicole on a mission like that must have a screw loose." Maggie assumed that Victor was able to cover up the fact that he was in pain over his daughter. Victor apologized for getting Nicole involved because Maggie was right, and there was "no way that this could work." He told Maggie to leave and never return.
Vivian was enjoying Victor's decision, but Maggie refused to leave Victor. He accused her of treating him like an old man, and she said she was treating him like a grieving father. Victor said the worst thing about losing Isabella was the disappointment she had felt toward him. Victor was glad that Isabella wasn't around to see what he had become. Maggie asked what he meant and what he had done.
Victor reminded Maggie that he didn't like the man that he had been the day that Maggie had seen him engage in a face-to-face with Stefano. He said Isabella hadn't like that Victor, either, and he hadn't liked the look in Isabella's eyes when that man had shown up. He also didn't like the look in Maggie's eyes. Maggie wondered if Victor was upset that he had disappointed Isabella in that way, and she said that Isabella would have loved Victor anyway.
"You could be as cold as ice, and there isn't a sentimental bone in that whole body of yours, but then there is that warm and loving heart. That's what makes you so damn complicated," Maggie said. Victor wondered how Maggie always knew the right thing to say. Vivian cried upon watching Maggie and Victor connect.
Lexie met Abe and Theo in the park, and she reported that Arianna had made it through surgery. Abe sensed that Lexie looked sad and asked why. Lexie said that Arianna's accident reminded her how precious life was, and she didn't know what she would do if anything had happened to Abe or Theo.
At the Brady Pub, Kinsey offered to take Sydney to the pumpkin patch so that Caroline could go to Sami's apartment to pick up a change of clothes for the little girl. Caroline explained that Kinsey couldn't let E.J. get anywhere near Sydney. Kinsey and Sydney ran into Nicole at the park. Nicole was amazed at how much Sydney had grown and how beautiful she was. Kinsey said Sydney had looked at Nicole as if she had missed Nicole too.
Kinsey said that Sydney had known Nicole since she was a baby, while Sami had so many kids, she didn't even take care of them. Kinsey said that Caroline had the kids because Sami was too fragile. Nicole was glad that Kinsey was on her side. Nicole asked Kinsey not to tell anyone that she had run into Nicole. Kinsey said that if the weather were nice, she would take Sydney back to the park in the morning. "Wave bye-bye to Mo ... I mean Nicole," Kinsey said to Sydney.
Nicole looked at a picture of Sydney and cried. She reminded herself that Sydney wasn't her child anymore and never would be. She said she had to "keep on truckin'" and forget about Sydney's "sweet cheeks and that beautiful smile." Nicole wondered how she was supposed to stop loving Sydney and forget about her.
Ben told Rafe that Arianna had made it through surgery and would need to be closely monitored. He said that she might experience some memory loss. Rafe said that memory loss might be the best thing for them. Ben asked what Rafe meant, and he said he meant that he and Arianna weren't getting along well, and he hoped that she did not remember that.
E.J. visited Arianna in her hospital room, and she tried to tell him about the evidence she had that proved that Sami was his shooter. Before Arianna could tell him, Rafe walked in and demanded to know why E.J. was there. Ben overheard Rafe arguing and demanded that they stop. Rafe warned Arianna not to talk to E.J. and to focus on getting better, but she said no. Rafe ordered E.J. to get out. Arianna went into cardiac arrest.
In the hallway outside Arianna's room, E.J. argued with Rafe about how calm Rafe was while Arianna was in distress. Rafe said the doctors were trying to save Arianna's life. E.J. said things had worked out well for Rafe and Sami. Rafe warned E.J. to watch what he said to Rafe. E.J. told Rafe that Arianna had called him, saying she had proof about who E.J.'s shooter was, and it was either Sami or Will.
Rafe played dumb, but he accused E.J. of not caring how Arianna felt, because all E.J. wanted was information. E.J. said he was the only person who cared how Arianna felt. E.J. said that Rafe was so busy trying to "curry favor" with Sami that Rafe had forgotten about his sister. E.J. said if Arianna died, it would be on Rafe's conscience.
Rafe grabbed E.J. around the neck and slammed him into the counter. They started to fight, and security guards had to break them up. Lexie ordered them to stop fighting and reminded E.J. that he had a head injury. Rafe said that Arianna had gone into cardiac arrest. Lexie went into Arianna's room to check on her and told security to keep an eye on the men. Rafe pulled out his cell phone, and E.J. told Rafe that it wouldn't do Rafe any good if he planned to call Sami to warn her. "I'm calling our mother, you jackass," Rafe said.
E.J. said that Arianna was a fighter, and she would survive and would tell E.J. what she knew about his shooting. E.J. promised that Sami or Will would "get what's coming to them." Ben told Rafe that he'd stopped the defibrillation, but the chest trauma had taken a toll on Arianna's lungs. Ben said he could put Arianna on life support, but he would never be able to wean her off of it. Arianna's lungs were too weak for a transplant, Ben said, and it was just a matter of time before Arianna died.
Will told a nurse about a suspicious woman outside of the maternity ward, so the nurse went to check it out while Will looked behind the desk for Arianna's purse. Gabi caught him with the purse and questioned him. She wondered why Arianna's purse was at the nurse's station, and he said that Arianna might want it when she woke up. Will suggested that they get some fresh air.
At the Brady Pub, Caroline told Gabi that she was praying for Arianna. Gabi got upset after seeing the yellow tape in the street where Arianna had been hit. Will consoled Gabi and assured her that Arianna would be okay. Will talked himself into looking through Arianna's purse. He pretended to knock it off the table, and when he searched through it, he realized that the camera wasn't in it.
At the mausoleum, Maggie took Victor's hand and tried to reassure him that Isabella would have loved him in spite of her disappointment in him. "You can be as cold as ice, and there isn't a sentimental bone in your whole body," she declared gently, "but then there's that warm and loving heart. That's what makes you so damn complicated!" Smiling, Victor wondered how Maggie always knew the right thing to say. From inside the sarcophagus, a dismayed Vivian watched on her monitor.
Maggie asked Victor if the veiled references he'd been making about something he'd done had to do with Vivian. Victor refused to discuss Vivian and would only admit, "All I can tell you is that I'm dealing with a situation -- and I'm dealing with it my way, not the Maggie Horton way." Maggie then asked if Victor had married Vivian because of someone in his family.
As Victor was trying again to evade the question, Brady entered. Vivian was relieved to see the "neurotic, drunken fool," and hoped that Brady would tell Maggie everything. After an exchange of pleasantries, Maggie said goodbye and left. Brady apologized to Victor for interrupting then noted that the "old" Victor could probably keep Vivian entombed indefinitely, "But the guy you turn into when Maggie's around? I'm not so sure about him."
Brady asserted that Victor could never be with Maggie while Vivian was locked up, so it was time to let Vivian out. Victor disagreed, explaining what Vivian's terms upon her release would be "She comes back from her trip and resumes her position as my wife -- either that, or she goes public with what we've done to her. In which case, we put off Maggie permanently, the two of us." Disgusted that everything seemed to revolve around Maggie, Vivian vowed to herself that the minute she got out, she would get even with Maggie.
After Brady had gone, Victor turned on the headset that allowed Vivian to talk to him. She wondered if Victor could handle all of Maggie's questions about Vivian, in addition to the "loose cannon" Nicole and the "wavering" Brady. Vivian asserted that Maggie would never give Victor the time of day when she learned what he'd done. "Well, then, I'll just have to make sure she doesn't find out, won't I?" Victor replied. Vivian was determined to make sure that Maggie did find out.
After Victor left, Vivian tried to amuse herself by singing "99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall," to no avail. Out of boredom, she turned her monitor back on and was relieved to see Nicole.
At the DiMera mansion, Kate was taken aback when Stefano told her about Arianna's accident. They agreed that no matter how they felt about Rafe, they still felt bad for what he and the rest of Arianna's family were going through. When Chad rang the doorbell, Kate tried to get rid of him, but Stefano persuaded her to let Chad in.
Chad thanked Kate for the job offer and apologized to Stefano for having been rude the last time they had seen each other -- but Chad was still turning the job down. Chuckling, Stefano advised Chad to let them know if he changed his mind then left to meet E.J. at the hospital.
Chad started to leave, as well, but Kate demanded to know why he had rejected her offer after she had stuck her neck out for him. Chad replied, "Because you weren't doing it for me; you were doing it for Mr. DiMera. And you wouldn't tell me why." Kate denied it and pointed out that Chad had repeatedly misread her intentions.
Kate maintained that she had only been trying to help Chad because he had recently lost his mother and become estranged from his father. "You want to stick to that story, that's fine," Chad retorted, "but if I can make it without a mother or a father, surely I can make it without your help." He left somewhat abruptly.
"You little fool," Kate muttered to herself, "you need me more than you know." After donning gloves, she took out Chad's birth certificate and contemplated it. She decided that she couldn't keep the late Madeline's secret anymore. "Chad knows that something is up, and I can't have him getting me into trouble," she said. Addressing Madeline, Kate added, "Anyway, sweetie, if you didn't want your secret to come out, you shouldn't have put Stefano's name on the birth certificate." She slid the document into a large envelope.
"Chad deserves a better role model than that moron D.A. that you pawned off as his dad," Kate continued, "and if things don't go smoothly, at least you won't be around to say who told the kid." She phoned her assistant, Chris, and asked him to arrange a delivery for her -- but she wanted to make absolutely certain first that she couldn't be traced to it.
A little while later, Kate had just placed the envelope on a hall table when a deliveryman rang the doorbell. She removed her gloves to answer the door. She played dumb about what the man was supposed to pick up but pointed to the envelope. The man took the envelope off the table himself then left.
At the hospital, Dr. Walters told Rafe that Arianna wasn't a good candidate for a lung transplant, and if they put her on a respirator, they would never be able to wean her off of it. While E.J. listened in from the nurses' station, Walters sadly advised Rafe that it was time to call a priest if that was what he wanted. E.J. looked devastated.
Rafe walked numbly into Arianna's room and took his unconscious sister's hand as he sat by the bed. He reminded her of the time she had rescued the "sickest, scrawniest cat" he'd ever seen and nursed it until it became the toughest cat in the neighborhood, despite Rafe's warnings that the cat would never make it. Arianna had told Rafe that she was sure God had said "okay" when she'd asked Him for a miracle.
"You think you could ask God for another one of those miracles?" Rafe asked mournfully, "because He doesn't seem to be listening to me right now... You tell Him that I will do anything, just as long as He'll say 'okay' just one more time."
While Rafe was talking to Arianna, E.J. watched through the window and urged her to keep fighting. "You're the only person I can count on," he whispered, "the only person who can help me figure out what happened." E.J. asked a nurse at the desk if he could use Arianna's phone to call some of her friends and inform them of what had happened. The nurse looked around the desk for Arianna's purse, but it had disappeared since the police had given it to the nurses to keep for Arianna.
Rafe phone Father Matt and asked him to get to the hospital quickly. Dr. Walters tried to sympathize with what Rafe was going through.
At the Brady Pub, Will pretended to accidentally knock Arianna's purse off the table, so he could look through its contents for her video camera. When he didn't find it, he was dismayed -- as was Gabi when she returned and found him with Arianna's purse. Will apologized and claimed that he'd knocked it over accidentally. He tried in vain to comfort Gabi, who was worried about her sister. Gabi carefully put everything back in Arianna's bag and lamented how Arianna's life had started to fall apart just when she'd gotten it together.
Rafe called Gabi just then to tell her that Arianna had taken a turn for the worse. When Gabi hung up and cried, "It's really bad," Will rushed over to put his arm around her. Gabi ran to the ladies' room to make sure she looked all right before she returned to the hospital because she knew it might be the last time she saw her sister. Will then left a message for his mom to tell her that Arianna's camera hadn't been in her purse, and he urged her to call Rafe right away.
Rafe apologized to Arianna for having been so hard on her about her friendship with E.J. and for having been so focused on protecting Sami and the kids from E.J. that he hadn't realized that she needed him. "Big brothers are supposed to watch out for their little sisters," Rafe cried, "I wasn't there for you. I'm so sorry."
When Stefano arrived at the hospital, E.J. filled him in about Arianna's grim prognosis -- and about how she knew who had shot him and had been planning to tell him. He expressed his gratitude and regret that she had been such a true friend to him. Stefano surmised that Arianna had found proof of who had shot E.J. and wondered where the evidence was at that moment. E.J. told him about the purse's disappearance from the nurses' station.
Stefano wanted to find out whether Will had been to the hospital since the purse had been left there. "We owe it to Arianna to find out what it is that she wanted to show us," Stefano asserted. E.J. blamed himself for Arianna's accident, because he had encouraged her to help him -- and he knew that she never would have been able to help him in the first place if she had still been involved with Brady Black. "I just thought of something," E.J. declared suddenly, "there is still something that I can do for her."
While Gabi spent some time with Arianna, Will and Rafe waited outside the room. "This is all my fault!" Will exclaimed, stating, "If I hadn't been arguing with her..." Rafe cut him off gently: "Trust me; there's plenty of blame to go around." Rafe added that he hoped Arianna forgave him for calling her a liar the last time they'd seen each other.
After Father Matt arrived, he summoned Gabi and Rafe to Arianna's bedside. He administered last rites to Arianna then stated, "I'm sure that Arianna is now in a state of grace." Gabi burst into hysterical tears and ran from the room. Rafe chased after her. Outside, he told Will that Gabi shouldn't be alone, so Will followed her out of the hospital.
E.J. called Brady to tell him about Arianna's accident. He urged Brady to get to the hospital quickly if he wanted to be able to say goodbye. After E.J. and Brady hung up, E.J. contended to Stefano that Arianna's life had never been the same after Nicole had framed her for the muggings. E.J. was determined to get justice for Arianna, and for himself, by finding out what information she had been planning to share with him.
Will caught up to Gabi on the pier and told her how sorry he was about Arianna. "She could die!" Gabi wailed. She said, "My sister -- she could be gone forever!" Will reassured her, "Gabi, I never meant --" He stopped himself but then explained miserably, "I was just trying to get through to her. And I don't know why she had to run away from me." It dawned on Gabi that Arianna had run into the street because of Will. "If she dies, it'll be all your fault!" she shouted angrily.
When Brady got to the hospital, he was taken aback by Arianna's condition. He expressed his sympathy to Rafe and asked for a few minutes alone with Arianna. After Rafe left, Brady took Arianna's hand and talked to her about all the plans they'd had for their future. "I was so happy with you," he said ruefully, "even when we decided to separate, I told myself that everything was going to be okay, because I would have you in my life somehow. And this happens to you. Why the hell did it have to turn out this way?"
Kate entered Arianna's room just then, but Brady didn't hear her. He assured Arianna that he still cared about her but acknowledged, "I've been too damn preoccupied with torturing some disgusting old woman. I'm sorry, Ari; that seems to be the man I've become."
E.J. found Rafe pacing despondently outside Arianna's room. Rafe wasn't in the mood to deal with E.J., but E.J. stated gravely, "Your sister was rather desperate to tell me something. She knew something, and she was going to tell me. Don't you think it's about time you told me the truth, Rafe?"
In the sarcophagus, Vivian restlessly flipped through the channels on her closed circuit television until she saw Nicole standing in her bedroom. When Nicole put the earpiece in her ear, Vivian offered her a deal. Before Vivian could explain the offer, she informed Nicole that she had been watching Brady when he'd learned the news about Arianna. "I'm not so sure he's gonna get over the guilt he feels leaving her for you," Vivian advised.
Less than pleased to hear Vivian's zinger, Nicole rolled her eyes. Sensing she was losing her audience, Vivian informed Nicole that she had received a deed to some land that contained oil fields. Vivian continued that she had no heir for the property and that its weekly profit was around five million dollars. "If you let me out of here, you can live the life you've always dreamed of," Vivian purred. Nicole noted that she did not trust Vivian to hand over the deed after she was released from the sarcophagus rather than go directly to the police. With a smirk, Nicole declined Vivian's offer, turned off the monitor, and threw the earpiece on the table.
Alone, Vivian worried that if Nicole could so easily turn down her offer of millions, she was unlikely to find someone to get her out of the sarcophagus. "If you can't count on that woman's greed, what can you count on?" Vivian wondered about Nicole. Desperate, Vivian prayed for someone to rescue her.
Down at the pier, Gabi blamed Will for Arianna's critical condition. As Gabi ran off in tears, Sami arrived and cautioned Will not to run after Gabi. Will informed Sami that Arianna was not expected to live. Will blamed himself for Arianna's injuries, but Sami cautioned Will not to place blame. When Will asked about the camera with Sami's confession, Sami shook her head and announced that she had not found it yet. Worried, Sami took Will's hand and left for the hospital.
Brady sat at Arianna's bedside in the hospital as she lay unconscious. While Brady confessed to Arianna that he was "torturing that evil woman," Kate entered the hospital room and overheard Brady. "For weeks, I've done nothing but center my life around that disgusting Vivian Alamain," Brady whispered. Concerned, Kate slipped out of the room, unnoticed by Brady. Brady apologized to Arianna for the things he'd said to her, and slowly, Arianna awoke. "I was wrong," Arianna said softly before falling unconscious again.
When Arianna failed to respond to his voice again, Brady pulled his mother's rosary out of his pocket and put it in Arianna's hand. Brady advised Arianna that she would have someone special looking out for her. Brady tenderly kissed Arianna's forehead and apologized. Gabi entered the room, and Brady updated her on Arianna's condition. When Gabi worried that she had been awful to her sister, Brady assured Gabi that Arianna loved her and knew that Gabi felt the same way. Brady encouraged Gabi to talk to her sister, and wiping away tears, Gabi did.
As Kate walked down the hospital hallway, she spotted Melanie at the nurse's station and asked her about her plans to move into the Kiriakis mansion. When Melanie mentioned that Vivian was no longer living in the mansion, Kate asked whether Vivian was gone for good. "She fell off the face of the earth," Melanie quipped. Raising an eyebrow, Kate noted that she had just seen Brady with Arianna. "Brady and Arianna? Are they back together?" Melanie asked excitedly. Surprised by Melanie's question, Kate somberly told Melanie that Arianna was dying.
In the lounge at the hospital, E.J. approached Rafe and asked him to tell the truth. "Arianna knew the right thing to do. What you're doing now, you're denying your sister her dying wish," E.J. said firmly. Angry, Rafe started to walk away. E.J. closed the door, preventing Rafe's exit, and he informed Rafe that he had watched Will badger Arianna, causing her to run into traffic.
"Samantha recruited her son to aid in her cover-up. You consider that to be a good mother? Do you think that's the kind of mother that I want looking after my children?" E.J. asked. E.J. cautioned Rafe that Arianna had been attempting to save her brother from Sami by telling the truth about the shooting. Frustrated, Rafe asked E.J. to walk away so Rafe could spend some time with his sister before she died. "Whether you want to believe it or not, I'm truly sorry. But we both know whose fault that is," E.J. said as Sami entered the lounge.
Furious, Sami unleashed her anger on E.J. and asked him to look at who he had become. "There is nothing to be gained. You're just making things worse right now," Sami said. When Sami noted that Rafe would back off if E.J. was watching his sister die, E.J. nodded and backed out of the room. Sami hugged Rafe tightly, and E.J. watched from the hallway then walked away. As Rafe gripped Sami, a code blue was announced for Arianna's room. Frightened, Rafe and Sami rushed back to Arianna.
Down the hallway, Lexie saw Will crying in the waiting area and assured him that he was not to blame for Arianna's accident. "After everything that Rafe has done for my mom and my family, and I killed his sister," Will said as broke down in Lexie's arms. Will looked up and saw E.J. walking down the hallway. Shaken, Will asked Lexie to ask E.J. to leave. Concerned, Lexie nodded and approached E.J. When Lexie urged E.J. to leave, E.J. complained that he did not want to leave Arianna, since she had evidence of the shooter. Lexie told E.J. to be the bigger man and walk away, but he declined.
Melanie met up with Brady outside Arianna's room, and she offered her condolences. After Melanie gently pushed Brady, he admitted that he still loved Arianna. As Arianna's condition worsened, Lexie rushed into Arianna's room with Melanie. Losing her composure, Melanie started to grow teary-eyed as she read off Arianna's vital signs. While Lexie prepped the electric paddles to shock Arianna, Melanie stood at Arianna's side and pleaded with her to fight for her life.
In the hallway, Sami took Will aside to calm him. "It's not your fault," Sami said firmly, but emotional, Will walked away. Nearby, E.J. watched Sami. Across the hall, Lexie exited Arianna's room and told the friends and family waiting in the hallway that Arianna had been revived. "Her chances aren't very good," Lexie said quietly. While Rafe and Gabi went in to see their sister, Sami asked Brady how he was doing. Brady scowled at E.J. in the corner, and Sami offered to get rid of E.J. for Brady. Shaking his head, Brady noted that E.J. was the one that had called to tell him about Arianna.
When Sami wondered aloud why E.J. would call Brady, Brady asked Sami why she had not called him instead. Disregarding Brady's question, Sami theorized that E.J. was attempting to curry favor with Brady so that he would get information for E.J. Annoyed, Brady walked away without another word to Sami. She followed Brady down the hallway and apologized to him. Sami told Brady that he meant a lot to her, and he agreed that the feeling was mutual.
E.J. walked down the hallway and found Will in the lounge. As E.J. sat next to Will, he noted that he did not believe that Will had shot him. "I wish I had. I wouldn't have stopped at one bullet," Will said firmly. "Your mother, for all of her faults, is not going to let you pay for a crime you didn't commit. You didn't shoot me. Your mother shot me. You, like Arianna, know the truth," E.J. said calmly.
"You know what proof Arianna had, don't you?" E.J. demanded. Overhearing her brother's voice, Lexie entered the lounge and ordered E.J. to leave. E.J. agreed, but before he left, he warned Will that he would not stop. "You and your mother killed Arianna, and I'm going to make sure she doesn't die in vain," E.J. whispered viciously.
At Arianna's bedside, Gabi asked Rafe what had happened. Gabi noted that Will had been yelling at Arianna just before the crash. Sidestepping the question, Rafe assured Gabi that they were a family. Rafe noticed Sami at the doorway and asked her to join him at Arianna's side. As Rafe put his arm around Sami, Gabi shifted her eyes uncomfortably, and E.J. appeared in the doorway of Arianna's hospital room then backed away.
Rafe received a call from his mother on his cell phone, but due to bad reception, he retreated to the hallway with Gabi so they could talk to their mother more clearly. Alone with Arianna, Sami heard Arianna call out for her mother then watched her slowly open her eyes. When Arianna shifted her eyes, she was shocked to see Sami at her bedside. Sami started to get a nurse, but Arianna reached out and gripped her arm. "You won't get away with this," Arianna said weakly. "I have proof," Arianna added before falling unconscious again.
Rafe returned to the room with Gabi, and Sami told them that Arianna had woken up. When Gabi asked if she had said anything, Sami lied and said that Arianna had told her she loved them. Arianna's monitors started to beep wildly, and Lexie rushed in to examine Arianna. After a brief exam, Lexie turned to Rafe, Gabi, and Sami and said, "I'm sorry."
E.J. returned to the hospital with a bouquet of flowers for Arianna and saw Will and Sami exit Arianna's hospital room. As Sami comforted Will, she looked over and saw E.J. Seeing the look on Sami's face, E.J.'s shoulders slumped. Meanwhile, Rafe and Gabi comforted one another at Arianna's bedside.
Curious about Vivian, Kate rushed over to the Kiriakis mansion and told Henderson that she was there to meet Philip. Henderson noted that he was under strict orders to keep all DiMera family members out of the house. As Kate struggled to get past Henderson, Nicole appeared downstairs. With a smile, Nicole explained that she was living in the mansion. Kate pushed her way past Henderson, and Nicole and marched into the living room. When Nicole explained that she was back together with Brady and that Victor thought she was good for Brady, Kate's eyes grew wide in disbelief.
"Are you slipping him some of those pills that Hope was popping?" Kate joked. Sitting down, Kate announced that she was going to wait for Philip. When Kate mentioned that Brady was at the hospital with "the love of his life," Nicole scoffed at the notion. "What are you talking about?" Nicole asked. Kate explained that she had witnessed Brady with Arianna. Frustrated, Nicole left. Once Nicole was gone, Kate wondered aloud why Vivian was missing and why Victor was okay with Nicole living in the mansion.
Brady met up with Nicole down on the pier and updated her on Arianna's condition. "I saw the look on Lexie's face. I don't think she's gonna make it," Brady said sadly. Nicole urged Brady to stay with Arianna, but he declined, noting that her family was with her. "Arianna and I didn't get along, but I would never wish for this," Nicole said as Brady pulled her into a fierce hug.
Back at the Kiriakis mansion, Kate went upstairs and searched Vivian's room. From her sarcophagus, Vivian turned the closed circuit feed back on and saw Kate wandering around her bedroom. Frustrated, Vivian shouted at Kate to turn on the monitor. "I'm missing something. Something is not right," Kate said. Noticing the television, Kate reached for the remote. After turning the television on, Kate gasped, "It's you!"
Vivian used charades to instruct Kate to put on the earpiece. Spotting it on the desk, Kate put the phone in her ear and asked Vivian where she was. Vivian explained that she was stuck in Isabella's sarcophagus. When Kate asked if Brady had put Vivian in the crypt, Vivian gaped in surprise. "I have to say it's the most interesting thing the boy has ever done. Good for him," Kate commented. "No, Kate. Good for you," Vivian responded. Vivian noted that Kate could get revenge on Victor and Nicole by setting Vivian free.
Vivian waited impatiently for Kate to rescue her from the sarcophagus, and when Kate arrived at the mausoleum, Vivian tried to explain how Kate could get Vivian out. However, Kate asked what made Vivian think Kate had planned to let her out. Vivian reminded Kate that they had a lot in common -- they never forgot -- and they never forgave, Kate added.
Kate found it ironic that the person who'd discovered Vivian's plight loathed Vivian more than the person who had put Vivian in the sarcophagus. Vivian begged Kate. Kate asked why Isabella's sarcophagus was "outfitted with air vents and multimedia capabilities." Then she realized that Vivian had been up to her "old tricks" when the tables had been turned on her.
Kate asked who Vivian's intended victim had been. Vivian admitted that she had wanted to teach Maggie a lesson for throwing herself at Victor. "If throwing yourself at Victor merits a premature burial, what do you deserve for stealing my son? Because from where I stand, you're getting off damn easy," Kate said. Kate mocked Vivian's plight, and Vivian tried to make peace with Kate, saying that they'd had their "ups and downs." Kate reminded Vivian that Vivian had stolen Kate's fertilized egg, tried to steal Philip, and would have preferred it if Kate had drunk the poison on the plane.
Vivian reminded Kate that Kate had tried to kill Chloe and had gotten away with it. Vivian changed her tone and said that Kate should understand what it was like to have to deal with something "outside the box." Kate laughed at the irony of Vivian's statement. Vivian felt like giving up and told Kate to make her mad, crazy, and dead. Vivian couldn't stand another lineup of people telling her off. Kate admitted to feeling sorry for Vivian. She asked how to let Vivian out, and Vivian told her about the lever.
Bo stopped by the Kiriakis mansion to see Victor and deliver the message to Brady that Arianna had passed away. Victor was worried that Brady would start using drugs again. Bo told Victor that Hope had concerns about Ciara visiting her, but Bo had thought it was important for Ciara to visualize where Hope was. Victor thought that Ciara should visualize Hope at home, and he didn't understand why Bo and Hope had just given up.
Victor said that the governor should pardon Hope like he had done for Nicole, but Bo said that wasn't what Hope wanted. Victor didn't care, and he planned to call the governor and tell him that Titan news planned to do an exposé on the drug company that had ruined Hope's life and how much that company had contributed to the governor's campaign. Bo said that Hope didn't want that -- she wanted to go it alone. Victor asked whose fault that was, and Bo admitted that it was his fault and mocked Victor for his accusation.
Victor said that Hope deferred to Bo, and if Bo had pushed harder, she would have looked at things differently. Bo got upset, and Victor suspected that he had hit a nerve. Victor said that Bo's family was in big trouble, and Bo needed to do something about it. Bo realized that Victor was right.
Victor entered the mausoleum just before Kate let Vivian out of the sarcophagus, and he asked what Kate was doing there. Victor realized that Kate had the earpiece for the sarcophagus, and Kate admitted to knowing Victor's secret. Kate said she knew that Victor hadn't put Vivian in the coffin and that Brady had. She said that she had overheard Brady talking to Arianna about it. Victor explained that Brady had found out that Vivian had put Isabella's body in a pet cemetery and had planned to put Maggie in the coffin, so Brady had lost it.
Kate said that Brady was weak, and she had Victor "by the light of the silvery moon" because she could blow Brady out of the water. Victor asked Kate how much money she wanted. Kate asked if Victor thought he could get her to leave Vivian buried alive just by throwing money at her. Then they both laughed. Victor offered her some brandy, and they walked off. Vivian thought about how good it would be to drink some brandy.
Hope asked Lee about the investigation into April's death, but Lee didn't seem interested in talking about it. Hope was frustrated that no one had told her about the results of the investigation. Lee sent Hope on an errand while Lee called the warden to tell her that Hope had been asking more questions. When Hope returned, Lee said that the investigation might take months, and Hope said that was what bad cops did when they were trying to hide something. She said that if corners were cut, the warden would want to know about it.
The warden overheard Hope and asked what she was referring to. Hope said that she was referring to April's death, and the warden said that something bad had happened -- April had died. Hope asked if the warden wanted to know why. The warden said that the investigation confirmed that April had died of septic shock. Hope wondered why it had taken so long for April to get an operation. The warden said that the delay wasn't the issue, and she showed April's paperwork to Hope. She told Hope that there wasn't anything anyone could have done for April.
Hope looked at the paperwork and realized that April had been cremated already. The warden pointed out that those had been April's wishes. The warden got a call that Bo was there to visit Hope. When Hope met Bo, he delivered the news about Arianna's death. Hope was saddened by the news. She said she had written a letter to Arianna, asking for forgiveness. Bo said that Arianna had told him that she'd known it was the medication, and Hope had not deliberately set Arianna up. Hope realized that Arianna had forgiven her, and Bo said that it was time for Hope to forgive herself.
Hope said Arianna's forgiveness didn't change the way Hope felt about herself. She told Bo about the circumstances surrounding April's death and that she suspected a cover-up. She said they hadn't even done an autopsy. Bo volunteered to look into it, but Hope wanted to handle it. She said Bo wasn't on the inside like she was. Bo asked Hope to tell him if something else happened. He reminded her that she wasn't a cop anymore, so she wasn't protected.
At the hospital, E.J. kissed Arianna's hand, and he comforted Gabi. E.J. threw flowers at Sami and asked if she was "happy." Sami accused E.J. of being insensitive given Arianna's death. He reminded her that Arianna had died trying to make sure that justice was served and he got custody of his children. Sami said E.J. was being self-centered, and she said that he should feel guilty for using Arianna to get back at her. Sami said that she felt sad about Arianna's death.
E.J. said Sami was hoping that any proof that Arianna had possessed had died with her. He accused Sami of knowing what evidence Arianna had gotten, and he ordered her to tell him. Sami asked why she would tell him anything if that were true, and he said that if she didn't tell him, he would just find out from Will. E.J. predicted that Will would crack under the pressure of keeping Sami's secret. Will saw E.J. badgering his mother and pushed him away from Sami. Will ordered E.J. to get out, and Lexie backed Will up. "See what I mean?" E.J. said to Sami.
Lexie told Gabi and Rafe that Arianna was a registered organ donor and that there was a 15-year-old girl in ICU who needed a heart transplant; Arianna was a match. Lexie said she had run a cross-section after Arianna had coded the first time, but Lexie had prayed that she wouldn't have to have the conversation with them. Lexie felt that Arianna's family needed to make the decision. Gabi wanted to wait until their mother arrived to make the decision, but Rafe said they needed to okay the transplant, because that was what Arianna would have wanted. Lexie thanked Rafe.
Sami asked Will to go visit Lucas for a while, because he had been through enough, but Will refused to run away. Ben thanked Rafe and Gabi for okaying the transplant. Gabi ran out as they wheeled Arianna's body away. Rafe told Sami about the transplant operation and how Lexie had described the recipient as a good kid. He felt like it was meant to be and hoped that something good would result from Arianna's death. Rafe said he had pictured the parents of the recipient pleading with God for their daughter to live.
Sami said it was okay for Rafe not to be strong in his grief. Rafe said that Arianna had been good but had never been able tosee who E.J. really was. Rafe wasn't sure what he would do to E.J. the next time he saw E.J. Gabi told Rafe that she had tried to tell her mother about Arianna's death, but her mother had already known. Will felt guilty, but Sami said it wasn't his fault -- it was Sami's. Will said it was E.J.'s fault, and he pledged to do whatever it took to stop E.J. Sami warned Will to be prepared for a fight because E.J. wouldn't give up. Sami realized that Arianna had probably hidden the camera in her room.
Sami asked if Will had seen Arianna arrive at the pub, and Will said that she had been waiting outside when Will had gotten there. Sami theorized that Arianna might have had time to go up to her room and hide the camera before Will arrived. Sami realized that she needed to get to Arianna's room before E.J. did.
Rafe and Gabi talked about how Gabi couldn't face the next day, knowing that Arianna was gone. Rafe said Arianna wasn't gone -- she would be with them all the time.
At the DiMera mansion, Stefano comforted E.J. over Arianna's death. E.J. said that Arianna had been tough and had fought until the end. Stefano asked if E.J. had gotten a chance to talk to Arianna about the proof that she'd had, but E.J. said that Rafe hadn't let him near Arianna. E.J. was certain that it was Sami who had shot him and that Sami and Will knew what the proof was that Arianna had possessed.
Stefano said they might be able to persuade Sami to share it with them, but E.J. said no one was breaking. E.J. said that Will had defended Sami. Stefano said that Will was like Kate. E.J. didn't think he would ever get Arianna's proof, but Stefano asked his son to remain optimistic because Stefano might be able to help. Stefano said he had never trusted Arianna, so he'd had her followed right up until the accident. E.J. felt hopeful that he would get the proof he needed after all.
E.J. talked to Stefano's contact and said that Arianna had gone to Rafe's apartment then had given Stefano's guy the slip. E.J. was furious and frustrated. Later, E.J. found the lucky dollar that Arianna had given him and thought about how glad he was to have helped Arianna. E.J. told Stefano about the last time he had spoken to Arianna. He remembered that Arianna had been waiting for him at the pub, and he wondered how long she'd been there.
At the park, Nicole pretended to be surprised to run into Sydney and Kinsey, but Kinsey reminded her that they'd arranged it the previous day. Nicole was just happy to get to see Sydney. When Kinsey complained that she'd injured her arm, Nicole quickly volunteered to take Sydney to the playground, and scooped the little girl into her arms. As Nicole played with Sydney, she confided, "I miss you so much, munchkin. More than you'll ever know."
Kinsey decided that it was time to take Sydney back -- just as Caroline arrived. "What in the world do you think you are doing?" Caroline demanded furiously and ordered Kinsey to take Sydney home. After the girls had gone, Nicole gently asserted that Caroline was overreacting. Caroline warned Nicole never to go anywhere near Sydney again then left.
Nicole was gazing at a picture of Sydney later when Chloe showed up at the park. Nicole was thrilled to see her. Chloe raved about her and Daniel's honeymoon in New York and asked what was new with Nicole. Nicole replied that everything was new, explaining, "I finally realized what I have to have if I'm ever going to be happy: Sydney."
Chloe was immediately worried that Nicole would do something crazy and reminded her friend that Sydney was Sami's daughter, not Nicole's. Although Nicole insisted that Sydney still loved her, she promised not to do anything rash. Chloe then admitted she was still terrified that Melanie would blab the truth and destroy Chloe's life. Nicole pointed out that Melanie could have stopped the wedding but hadn't and urged Chloe not to worry about it.
Changing the subject, Chloe noted that she didn't really believe that Nicole could let things go where Sydney was concerned. Nicole became upset and emotional as she stated that Sydney would always be a part of her. "I held her in my arms from the moment she was born," she cried, "and I have tried to suppress those feelings, but I can't do it anymore! So you can call me crazy and deluded, and you can judge me until you're blue in the face, but it will happen. I don't know how and I don't know when, but I swear to you, I will get her back."
When Bo met Kayla at the Brady Pub, she told him that she needed to talk to him about Carly. Kayla wondered whether Bo really knew what Carly was capable of after they had been apart for so many years. Kayla hinted that Carly had made Bo "abandon" Hope. Bo became exasperated, declaring, "You have to accept reality: Carly is my future. Nothing you can say will change that."
Bo added that he would never turn his back on Hope, and he would do whatever he could to help and support her. "Ciara will see her mother as much as possible," he asserted, his voice breaking as he continued, "Hope will always be a part of my life, a part of my heart -- so please, don't diminish that." He left to take a phone call.
Carly showed up at Maggie's to express her sympathy to Melanie about Arianna's death, but Melanie didn't want to talk to her mom. Melanie contended that even if Daniel had not turned out to be the father of Chloe's baby, Carly still would not have told Daniel. Carly insisted that she never would have let Daniel believe another man's child was his. Believing that Melanie was determined to paint her in the worst possible light, Carly started for the door, but Melanie demanded to know whether Carly had told Bo about Chloe's "indiscretions" and how Carly had been lying to Daniel and Melanie for months.
Carly tearfully admitted that she'd kept things from Bo, but she had always put Melanie and Daniel's happiness before her own. "Why? Because you feel guilty for everything that happened to me when I was born?" Melanie demanded, adding, "You haven't made anything better! You haven't made anything right!" Carly replied in a strangled shout, "Don't you think I know that, sweetheart? Don't you think it haunts me every second of every day?" She turned and left, and Melanie broke down.
Carly was sitting miserably on a bench by the water later when Kayla approached. Although obviously upset and distracted, Carly suggested that they should get together for dinner before Kayla left town again. Kayla coldly replied that she was leaving that night then demanded, "How do you live with yourself?"
Carly assumed that Kayla was referring to Bo and Carly's relationship, which prevented Bo and Hope from living happily ever after, and angrily reminded Kayla that Bo and Hope had been apart before Bo had gotten involved with Carly. "Who Bo decides to love and spend his life with is not for you to decide!" Carly practically yelled, and she stormed off. Kayla told herself that she needed an ally, and left in the opposite direction.
Bo found a distressed Carly on the pier later and asked what was wrong. "Kayla thinks I broke up your marriage, and she'll never stop hating me for it," Carly explained.
Kayla returned to the Brady Pub and guessed when she saw her mother that something was bothering her. Caroline filled her in about the incident with Nicole and Sydney and admitted that she didn't know how to tell Sami about it. Kayla confided that she was in a similar situation, only she was about to destroy Bo's life. She swore her mother to secrecy then told her about Chloe's paternity test -- the results of which Kayla believed Carly had switched.
"Given everything that Bo has gone through with Hope," Kayla explained, "when Carly's actions come to light, not only could his job end, but it could ruin him emotionally." She asserted that Bo needed to know what Carly had done, but Caroline urged her not to tell him. "She didn't do it," Caroline declared, insisting, "Carly didn't switch the results." Kayla was puzzled. "How could you know that?" she asked.
Nathan and Stephanie were at home, discussing how they were going to spend their shared day off. They were planning to see her mom, but Stephanie informed Nathan that Kayla and Joe weren't leaving until that night. Nathan declared that he had something important to do before then.
After Stephanie went into the bedroom to get her coat, Philip dropped by to tell them that Arianna had died. Nathan's first instinct was to call Melanie, but Philip refused to let him. "Haven't you caused enough damage?" Philip demanded hotly, asserting that Nathan was no longer allowed to be Melanie's friend after making her lie to her father. Nathan argued that he hadn't forced Melanie to do anything, but Philip blamed Nathan for everything that had happened.
As Stephanie emerged from the bedroom, she heard them arguing. "Don't you dare put this on Nathan," she ordered. She added, "This isn't his fault, and you know it -- we both do." She maintained that Nathan should be able to offer his condolences to Melanie if he wished. "All that we want is for Daniel and Chloe to be happy. Nothing else matters," Stephanie declared, insisting, "everyone can have everything that they want if we just let each other be happy." Scowling, Philip left.
Nathan declared that after what Stephanie had just done, he couldn't wait for the romantic plans he'd made. He took her by both hands and told her how happy she made him and how lucky he felt to have such an amazing woman in his life. "You are my first thought in the morning, my last thought at night. I never want my time with you to end," he stated then took a deep breath, removed a ring box from his pocket, and dropped to his knee in front of her. As Stephanie gasped with surprise, a beaming Nathan opened the ring box, and asked, "Stephanie Johnson, will you marry me?"
As Melanie continued packing, she imagined Daniel coldly rejecting her if he ever found out that she'd known about Chloe's affair and hadn't told him.
When Philip got home, he could instantly tell that something was wrong, and Melanie admitted that Carly had been there. She added that she'd been thinking about Arianna and about Carly's lies and wondering if when Arianna had died, she'd had any regrets. Philip was admittedly confused. Melanie urged him to head to work because she wanted to be alone for a while. Philip held her for a moment then complied.
When Daniel showed up, Melanie rushed to her dad and threw her arms around him. He expressed his sympathy about Arianna, and Melanie expressed her regret that she hadn't spent more time with her best friend. Daniel assured her that Arianna had known how much Melanie had cared for her, and he was sorry that he hadn't been there for Melanie.
"No, you are always there for me," Melanie declared, stating, "it's about time somebody was there for you." Daniel wanted to know what she meant. "I keep going back and forth, trying to decide if I should tell you this or not," Melanie replied with obvious distress, "but I have to tell you this -- I have to tell you the truth about everything."
At the DiMera mansion, E.J. read Arianna's obituary online. He was determined to find the proof she'd had that Sami or Will had shot him.
Sami went to Arianna's room over the pub to look for Arianna's video camera. She began ransacking the place, flipping pillows off the bed and searching under the mattress. Will called his mom to check in and to tell her how sorry he was for what she was having to do. Sami reminded him that she had to find the camera with her confession on it and got off the phone quickly so she could resume her search.
In a dresser drawer, Sami found a locked jewelry box and assumed that had to be where Arianna had hidden the camera. She couldn't find a key, so she shoved the box in her purse and started to hurry out -- but found E.J. waiting for her in the hallway. Sami claimed that Rafe had sent her there to retrieve Arianna's rosary, but E.J. didn't buy it, pointing out the state of disarray that Sami had left the room in.
When Sami tried to push past E.J., he tried to grab her purse, and the jewelry box fell out onto the floor in the struggle. E.J. snatched up the box, but Sami merely maintained that the rosary was in it. They fought for the box; when it crashed to the floor, the lock broke, and the contents spilled onto the floor. Sami grabbed up as much of what had fallen out as she could and ran out the door.
It was E.J.'s turn to ransack the room, although he had no idea exactly what he was looking for. He presumed from the way Samantha had been acting that she hadn't found the evidence, either.
Sami returned to the loft and reported to Will that she had not found the camera -- but she asserted, "Believe me, if that camera had been in Arianna's room, I would have found it." An optimistic Will hoped that it might never matter.
A man rifled carefully through Arianna's desk, looking at her mail and some CDs -- and then he found her video camera.
