At the DiMera mansion, E.J. told Stefano that he had gone to the hospital chapel, and Sami had overheard E.J. bargaining with God to save Johnny's sight and in return E.J. would end his feud with Sami. E.J. said he planned to end all of his animosity with Sami and let her be a part of Johnny's and Sydney's lives. He said Sami had heard him make the promise to God, so he had to make good on it. Stefano asked how long E.J. planned on honoring his pact with God, and E.J. said he planned to keep his contract with God forever. Stefano asked about E.J.'s wedding to Nicole. E.J. said the wedding would be counterproductive because of his promise to God.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Victor noticed that Kate had an overnight bag when she was preparing to leave, and he asked if she was going out overnight because she had a date. Kate said she was going to Stefano's house, and Victor said, "I didn't know you needed money that much." Victor made a wisecrack about not knowing Kate's "going rate," and she told him not to joke.

Kate showed Victor the island that she and Brady had gotten Vivian and Gus stranded on. Victor thought it was the same concept as the sarcophagus but on a "grander scale." Victor suggested that Vivian might find solace in Gus's arms, and Kate was turned off by the thought. He told Kate to let Stefano know that Victor hoped for good news about Johnny.

Maggie stopped by the DiMera mansion to pick up Melanie's things. Victor said he liked Melanie and was sorry that Philip had hurt her. "When women deal with the men in your family, things usually don't turn out so well," she said. Maggie noticed the map on the table and asked if Victor was planning a trip or an exit strategy. Maggie said that Brady had filled her in on how Vivian had brought Victor to his knees. Victor said Vivian hadn't brought him to his knees, and he felt that Maggie was hitting below the belt. "Pointing out that you were bested by a woman is below the belt," she said.

Victor wondered why Maggie was on Vivian's side after what Vivian had done to her. Maggie said she was upset about what Philip had done to Melanie. Victor asked if there was anything he could do to help Melanie, but Maggie didn't think there was anything anyone could do. Maggie wanted to know if Vivian was upstairs, because Maggie didn't want to bump into her. Maggie asked where Vivian was, but Victor didn't answer.

Maggie felt it was out of character for Vivian to leave when she had the upper hand. Maggie asked again where Vivian had gone, and Victor said he didn't know. Maggie didn't think it sounded like Victor, because he always knew where his enemies were. Maggie noticed the map and the "V.A." on the map, then realized it had something to do with Vivian's absence. She asked what Victor had done to Vivian this time.

Stefano started to tell E.J. that Kate was going to spend the night at the mansion just as Kate walked in. Stefano explained that he was upset about Johnny and needed his wife. E.J. thanked Kate for taking care of Stefano. She asked if Stefano had tested his blood sugar, and she urged him to stay healthy for Johnny. After Stefano left the room, Kate thanked E.J. for giving her a nice welcome even though E.J. didn't mean it.

Kate said that while she was there to take care of Stefano, she planned to keep her distance from E.J., to save him from any more stress. E.J. didn't really care, because the things that had previously meant something to him had lost their importance. Kate said that kids had a way of reminding people what was important. E.J. didn't know what he would do if Johnny wasn't able to see.

On the deserted island, Vivian yelled at Gus for getting out of the tree when he was supposed to be on the lookout for a ship. Gus yelled at her to shut up. She ordered him not to speak to her that way, and he said, "We're on a desert island. You're a helpless mess. I can talk to you however I like." He looked in the box for food, but there wasn't any. Gus demanded to know what she had done with the food.

Vivian said she'd stored it in a safe place so that the food could be rationed. She explained that she was management, and Gus was labor. He demanded to know where the food was again, and she reminded him about the line in the sand that he had drawn. She warned him that if he stepped over the line, "chaos" would ensue. He stepped over it. "And brute strength rules," he said. Vivian designed a schedule, which showed Gus should be on guard duty, while Vivian was supposed to eat dinner. She picked up a can of "smeat" and realized she needed a can opener, which Gus was holding.

Gus went for a walk, and when he returned, Vivian asked if he had found the food she had hidden. He said he had gone to the other side of the beach and spelled out "help." She asked why he'd gone to the other side, and he said it was so that when he got rescued, he would be rescued alone. "So say goodbye to me and my can opener," he said. He started to walk away, but he couldn't do it. Vivian offered him some of her "smeat," but he erased the line he had drawn and offered to serve her meal first. Vivian said they needed to remember that the Kiriakises were the enemy.

Chloe went to the hospital to see Daniel and asked Carly how her hearing had gone and whether Daniel had testified against her. Carly said he hadn't, and that she had been able to keep her medical license. Chloe asked where he was. Carly accused Chloe of not caring about Carly's hearing, claiming that Chloe was only interested in Daniel's whereabouts. Carly told Chloe that Daniel wasn't there, because he'd taken a break after Johnny's surgery, and she filled Chloe in on Johnny's condition.

Chloe felt that Daniel didn't need to be alone, so Carly suggested that Chloe call him. Chloe knew that Daniel wouldn't take Chloe's call. Carly warned Chloe not to ask her to be the go-between, because Carly wouldn't do that to Daniel even if she and Chloe were friends, which they weren't.

At Maggie's house, Melanie and Stephanie argued, and Melanie tried to push Stephanie out the door. "You pushed me around for the last time," Stephanie said as she shoved Melanie to the floor. Melanie grabbed her stomach protectively and accused Stephanie of trying to kill her. "Oh I get it. If I die, then Nathan will come back to you. Is that it?" Melanie asked. Brady walked in, and broke up their fight. He asked what was going on, and Melanie looked at the floor where her papers had fallen out of her purse.

Melanie used her foot to slide the papers out of sight and asked Brady to kick Stephanie out and then leave. Brady asked Stephanie to leave, and Stephanie sniped about Brady defending Melanie. Melanie said that Stephanie was upset because Nathan had dumped her because he had found out what Stephanie was really like. Stephanie accused Melanie of lying for months. "Good luck with your divorce. I hope there's not a prenup," Stephanie said as she turned to leave. Melanie called Stephanie a bitch and tried to attack her, but Stephanie left before Melanie could get to her. Brady asked Melanie what was wrong with her.

Melanie picked up the papers from the floor, and Brady asked her to show him the papers. He read one and realized that she was pregnant. Brady joked about Philip being a "one-man population explosion," but she didn't find the joke funny. Brady apologized. Melanie thought her pregnancy was ironic, because she had asked God for a baby. She said that she and Philip had been talking about baby names at Parker's christening.

Melanie asked Brady not to tell anyone about her pregnancy. She said that if she had the baby, it would tie her to Philip forever. Melanie talked about how much she had always wanted to have a baby so that she could give the child two parents who loved it. Brady sensed that Melanie was thinking of having an abortion. Melanie didn't think it was any of Brady's business, and she didn't want a lecture. He said he just wanted to be a friend to her and would just listen.

Melanie said that if Philip and Victor found out about her pregnancy, they would never let it go. She thought that if she were to give the baby up for adoption, she would have to leave town and do it in secret. Brady asked about the people that Melanie loved. She didn't want Philip's baby, but she said that when she'd thought Stephanie might have hurt the baby during their fight, she hadn't known what to do.

Brady said that while Melanie had created a family with Carly and Daniel, she was alone when it was time to make a decision about the baby. Melanie predicted that Daniel would castrate Philip if he found out about her pregnancy. Brady assured her that he would keep her secret. Melanie realized that Chloe suspected that she was pregnant, and she was worried that Chloe might tell Philip.

At the Brady Pub, Stephanie overheard Nathan turning down the fellowship at Johns Hopkins. She confronted him on his decision, assuming he'd done it for Melanie. Nathan didn't think it was Stephanie's business. He felt that her disapproval of his decision was about her hatred of Melanie instead of concern for him. She said she knew that Nathan would never forgive her for what she had done. She thought he didn't know Melanie and how much Melanie loved being married to Philip and having Nathan on a string.

Stephanie warned Nathan that Melanie would hurt him. Nathan urged Stephanie to stop blaming things on Melanie and to take responsibility for her own actions. Nathan said that he and Stephanie weren't together because she was always so insecure and tried to play God with people's lives. "What if we were together? You'd still be pining away for Melanie, and she'd be doing everything she could to keep it that way. I cannot believe that I thought you were worth it," Stephanie said. She said she couldn't believe what she had done to hold onto Nathan. Nathan said he had tried to make Stephanie happy, but no one could.

Philip saw Chloe at the pier, and she told him that she'd tried to talk to Daniel at the hospital, but Daniel wasn't there. She said that Daniel wasn't taking her calls, so she had planned to ambush him. Philip offered to watch Parker the next time that Chloe needed a sitter. She got angry and ordered him to forget that Parker was his son. Philip said he would never forget that Parker was his son, and he planned to be a part of Parker's life. Chloe said she wouldn't get Daniel back if Philip was always part of the picture. Philip explained that he was in the picture.

Chloe thought that if Philip stayed away, she could get Daniel back, but Philip thought otherwise. He predicted that Daniel would never get past the fact that she and Philip had a baby together. Chloe felt that Philip would stay away because of Melanie, because it would be easier for Melanie to take Philip back if he did. Philip didn't think that Melanie would take him back after what he had done to her and her father. Chloe told him that she thought Melanie might be pregnant. Philip asked why Chloe thought that. She said it was because Melanie had gotten sick when she'd gone to see Chloe and tell her off.

Chloe said that Melanie had urged Chloe not to tell anyone, and then Melanie had panicked when Chloe called later. Chloe said the reason she'd broken her promise to Melanie and told Philip was because if Melanie was pregnant, he had the right to know. Chloe felt that Philip should be raising the baby he was having with Melanie, and not raising Parker.

Melanie went to the hospital to check her schedule and saw Carly. Melanie knew from Nathan that Carly hadn't lost her medical license. Melanie asked how Johnny was doing after Carly assisted Daniel with the surgery. Melanie realized that having a baby was scary. She asked if Carly had to do it all over again, whether she would still have Melanie. Carly said a lot of her life decisions were made because of Melanie.

Melanie thought that Carly's life would be easier if she'd never had Melanie. "Easy doesn't give you a reason to get up in the morning. Easy doesn't give you the kind of hope that doesn't go away. Easy doesn't make my heart jump when I get to see you unexpectedly and when you talk to me like this," Carly said.

Melanie couldn't understand how Carly could feel that way, because Melanie was angry at Carly and yelled at Carly all the time. Carly said she didn't like it, but being Melanie's mother was still worth it. Carly said that Melanie was the best thing that had ever happened to Carly. Carly hoped that one day Melanie would have a daughter and could look into her eyes and know the kind of happiness that Melanie didn't even know existed.

Brady went to the pier, and Chloe overheard him yelling at someone to seize files even though Vivian wasn't around. "Who are you, and what have you done with Brady Black?" Chloe said. Brady thought that Chloe had changed, too, and Chloe acknowledged her mistakes. Chloe realized that they had both changed.

Carly called E.J. to tell him that Johnny was awake and the doctors were about to take off his bandages.

Melanie tore up the papers that confirmed her pregnancy. Philip went to see Melanie at Maggie's house. When she opened the door, he asked if it was true that she was pregnant.

At the Brady Pub, Jennifer treated Ben to coffee and questioned him about his volunteer work at the prison. When Ben raised an eyebrow, Jennifer explained that she was looking for a way to give back to the community. Ben warned Jennifer to steer clear of the prison because she was "sweet, kind, and beautiful." Flustered, Jennifer thanked Ben for the compliments and noted that she had not heard compliments like that in awhile. "Then something is really wrong with your husband," Ben said softly.

As Nathan entered the pub, Ben greeted him and jovially asked Nathan to convince his cousin Jennifer to volunteer at the hospital. "I don't need to. Jen knows that already. She's volunteer there forever," Nathan said. Confused, Ben asked Jennifer why she wanted to volunteer somewhere else. Realizing that Ben was suspicious, Jennifer changed the subject to Nathan and commented on how pleased she was that Nathan was not moving to Baltimore.

Ben's phone began to vibrate, and he excused himself to go to the hospital. Once Ben was gone, Nathan sat down at Jennifer's table. Jennifer offered her condolences to Nathan for his breakup with Stephanie. With a sigh, Nathan admitted that he was happy that his relationship had soured before they had gone through with the wedding. Shaking his head, Nathan confided that he was more worried about Melanie than about himself.

In a basement, Bo struggled to resist the sodium pentothal that Jane had given him. "I am never gonna tell you where Hope is," Bo said with a laugh. Frustrated, Jane tortured Bo until he was bloody. Stalling for time, Bo gave Jane a false lead on where to find Hope. When an angry Jane returned empty-handed, Bo joked that he had given Jane the right location but that Hope was "sneaky." Furious, Jane noted that she had no more use for Bo and that she was going to call her boss for instructions.

On the boat, Hope realized that the software program that Bo had used was a trap set by Jane. As Hope worried what to do, she heard footsteps overhead on the deck of the boat. Hope was relieved to find Leo descend the stairs into the galley. After Leo gave Hope an untraceable cell phone, Hope informed Leo that Bo had gone missing. When Leo offered to help find Bo, Hope gave him directions to the meeting place that Bo had been headed toward.

Leo checked the meeting place and called Hope to tell her he'd found signs of a struggle. When Hope hung up the phone, she fretted about what to do next. Desperate, Hope made a phone call. At the Brady Pub, Nathan heard a phone ringing and found it underneath a napkin on the table. When Nathan answered the phone, a startled Hope hung up. "Nathan?" Hope wondered aloud.

At the hospital, E.J. talked to Lexie while he waited for Johnny to wake up. Lexie warned E.J. that even if Johnny retained his eyesight, there was a high possibility that his vision would be impaired. "He's going to have a normal life, whatever the outcome of the operation," E.J. vowed. Nicole attempted to comfort E.J., but E.J. bristled at Nicole's suggestion to prepare for the worst.

Down the hallway, Sami told Rafe that she wanted Johnny to have a normal childhood. Rafe counseled Sami to have faith and believe that Johnny was strong enough to fight his disease. "God is the goodness in all of us," Sami said with a smile. As Sami and Rafe returned to the waiting room where E.J. and Nicole were, Lexie and Daniel announced that they were ready to remove the bandage from Johnny's eye.

The doctors ushered Sami and E.J. into Johnny's room, and Daniel slowly removed Johnny's bandage. When Daniel held up two fingers, E.J. asked Johnny how many fingers Daniel was holding up. Johnny studied Daniel's hands and announced that he saw ten. Sami and E.J. held their breath. "Two up and eight down," Johnny added. Relieved, E.J., Sami, Lexie, Daniel, and Carly smiled with joy. As Sami and E.J. hugged their son, Carly stood a little behind Daniel and asked Johnny to tell her how many fingers she was holding up.

"It's too hard to see," Johnny admitted. Carly assured Johnny that he was doing well and that his eyesight would improve. Relieved, Sami told Johnny that they were going to throw a party to celebrate. Upon hearing the good news, Rafe entered Johnny's room and gave him an FBI ball cap. E.J. watched guardedly as Johnny beamed up at Rafe. Noting that Johnny needed his rest, Lexie ushered everyone out of the hospital room. As an elated E.J. entered the hallway, Nicole congratulated him on the good news. Overwhelmed with joy, E.J. grabbed Nicole and kissed her.

"Nicole, you have been so supportive and kind, I thank you," E.J. said with a wide grin. E.J. then thanked Nicole for seeing the spot in Johnny's eye. With a nervous smile, Nicole wished that Johnny would get well soon so that he could carry their wedding rings down the aisle. When Nicole said that she wanted to set a new wedding date, E.J. smiled slightly and agreed to talk about it. As a smile broke across Nicole's face, E.J. received a phone call from Judge Fitzpatrick. "Nicole and I have agreed to postpone," E.J. said as Nicole's smile fell away.

E.J. returned to Johnny's room to check on the boy and found that he had not gone to sleep. E.J. suggested that Johnny should take off his hat and play with the other toys he had received. "No. I want to wear my cap all the time," Johnny protested. E.J. and Johnny played with his toys, and Johnny asked E.J. whether his father was friends with Sami again. When E.J. admitted that he was going to be friends with Sami, Johnny asked if E.J. was going to be friends with Rafe too. Startled by the question, E.J.'s mouth gaped open as Carly entered Johnny's room. Since Carly needed to examine Johnny, E.J. took the opportunity to duck Johnny's question and go into the hallway.

Outside Johnny's room, Rafe thanked Carly for helping Johnny. When Rafe noted that he did not know how to repay Carly, she choked back tears and asked Rafe to find Bo. Across the hall, Sami tentatively approached Nicole and thanked her for helping Johnny. "That was all about Johnny. He's all that matters. And now that things have changed between you and E.J., I realize that I'm losing Sydney and E.J., Johnny, the whole family," Nicole said. "That must be painful for you," Sami said quietly.

Fighting tears, Nicole reiterated that Johnny's happiness was what was important, and since there was a truce between Sami and E.J., there was no place for Nicole in Johnny's life. "I won't be a part of your kids' lives anymore. You win. Congratulations," Nicole said softly, then walked away.

Sami met up with Rafe in the hospital lounge and thanked him for helping her stay positive. "Are you still going to investigate the DiMeras?" Sami wondered aloud. Sami noted that she did not want to jeopardize her truce with E.J. Rafe admitted that he had to do his job but that he would not do anything "foolish." Happy, Sami started to kiss her husband passionately.

Through the window in the door, E.J. watched the happy couple kissing, then slowly walked away. "Yes, Johnny. Your mother and I will be friends. Rafe, though, is another matter," E.J. muttered to himself.

Nicole returned to the DiMera mansion to tell Sydney that Johnny was going to be fine. As Nicole beamed at Sydney, she informed her that although she would no longer be taking care of Sydney, since Sami was back in the picture, she was "never going to lose" Sydney again.

On the island, a plane flew overhead and dropped supplies down for Vivian and Gus. Vivian fretted over her predicament, but Gus remained positive and upbeat. When Gus cracked open the crate of supplies, he found wine and caviar inside. Suspicious, Vivian wondered why Brady would send her something so nice. With a furrowed brow, Gus realized that there was no corkscrew to open the wine. Determined, Vivian opened the bottle with her mouth, and then Gus toasted to her gumption.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Maggie spotted the map on Victor's table with the notation "V.A." and realized that Vivian was marooned on an island. When Victor protested that the notation was written in Kate's handwriting, Maggie fumed. Victor admitted that Maggie was right about Vivian, but he stressed that he had no part in the plan to exile Vivian to a deserted island. "I'm sure you're an innocent in all this," Maggie said. Maggie urged Victor to rescue Vivian or else he was no better than Vivian.

"It's the humane thing to do, Victor," Maggie said. Victor explained that Vivian had nearly all the comforts of home. Maggie regretted that she had ever given Victor the benefit of the doubt in believing that he was a "decent human being." "You should have never given me the benefit of the doubt. Ever," Victor said. Frustrated, Maggie urged Victor to stop with the self-pity and think of someone else. Maggie noted that because Victor had been married to Vivian, his behavior toward her was "all the more reprehensible."

Victor apologized for being a disappointment to Maggie. "You said you wanted me to be your friend. Well that isn't going to happen unless you show some self-respect and dignity. If you can't do it for yourself, Victor, do it for me," Maggie pleaded. Victor refused to help Vivian, noting that she was too dangerous to set free. When Maggie asked Victor what she could offer him to see things her way, Victor smiled coyly and took her hands. "Fine. Here's the deal, Victor Kiriakis. You bring Vivian home and I will go out to dinner. Just the two of us. Take it or leave it," Maggie said.

Philip went to see Melanie at Maggie's house, and he confronted Melanie about her pregnancy. Melanie told Philip that she was not pregnant, and then asked him to leave. Unfazed, Philip walked into the kitchen. Frustrated, Melanie argued that Chloe was attempting to distract Philip from being a father to Parker by filling his head with gossip. When Philip noted that Melanie was sick, Melanie claimed that the thought of Philip was what had made her ill. "You're not a very good liar," Philip said coolly.

"You wanted a baby, and now you don't. Which is why you lied. You were going to get rid of it and never tell me you were pregnant. I'm right, aren't I? The truth this time," Philip said with concern. Philip noted that Melanie had experienced a difficult time forgiving Carly for keeping her from her father, and he reminded Melanie that her child was his as well. "What makes you think you have a say in what I do? I've already made up my mind," Melanie said defiantly. Melanie admitted that she was not going to terminate her pregnancy.

Philip swore that he was ready to become a father because Melanie had changed him. "Will you give me a chance to be a part of a real family? The kind of family you and I never had?" Philip asked. "I don't think about what you deserve. I don't love you. Not anymore. And I never will again," Melanie said and then cautioned Philip not to use her child to worm his way back into her life. Melanie shoved Philip out of the kitchen as he pleaded for her not to kick him out of her life. Determined, Melanie shut the door in Philip's face.

Nicole was playing with Sydney in the DiMera mansion living room when they heard Chloe's voice in the foyer. Chloe joined them after leaving Parker in Mary's care. Nicole updated Chloe that Johnny's surgeons had been able to save his eye, and the little boy had retained his vision. She also told Chloe about Sami and E.J.'s surprising truce.

After Nicole put Sydney down for a nap, she predicted that E.J. would soon kick her back out. Chloe hoped that E.J. might show some compassion and let Nicole visit the children -- and even if he didn't, Brady still loved Nicole. Nicole was skeptical. Chloe asserted that Brady would forgive Nicole, just like Daniel would forgive Chloe. Nicole gently cautioned Chloe that the latter would probably never happen.

When Nicole mentioned that Daniel had gone straight home to sleep after performing Johnny's surgery, Chloe decided to go talk to Daniel. "The more time I spend with him face-to-face, the more he's gonna realize that he still has feelings for me!" Chloe declared. Nicole warned that if Chloe pushed Daniel too soon, it might backfire. Chloe argued that Nicole, who had always told Chloe to fight and be proactive, should call Brady -- or risk ending up alone. Chloe stomped out.

After a moment's hesitation, Nicole dialed Brady. "I need to see you," she stated. "Something's happened, and I could really use your help." Brady grudgingly agreed that she could stop by. When Nicole arrived at the Kiriakis mansion, Brady refused to let her past the doorstep. He demanded to know what she'd wanted to see him about. Nicole replied simply, "Sydney and Johnny."

As Brady led her into the living room, Nicole filled him in that Johnny's cancer had returned in his other eye, but Daniel had managed to remove all the cancer and save the eye. Although very relieved, Brady didn't understand why Nicole needed his help. Nicole explained that she expected E.J. to ask her to leave, since Sami and E.J. had called a truce, and Nicole hoped that Brady could convince Sami that Nicole should still be part of the children's lives.

Brady was incredulous. Nicole reminded him of how much she loved Johnny and Sydney. Brady declared angrily that it hadn't slipped his mind, because, "You threw me out of your life so you could be with Sydney." Nicole insisted that she'd had no choice, but Brady argued, "Yes, you did have a choice! And you chose wrong, and now you're alone. That's exactly what you deserve." Nicole pleaded with Brady not to turn his back on her. Brady hotly declared that he was done with her, and ordered her to leave and never return.

An exhausted Daniel returned to his apartment, and collapsed on the couch as soon as he'd taken off his coat. Melanie called from Maggie's to congratulate Daniel on successfully performing Johnny's surgery. She added that she had something important to talk to him about that couldn't wait, and asked if she could visit him. Daniel agreed.

As Melanie hung up, Maggie returned home and overheard Melanie telling herself anxiously, "I gotta do it; I gotta tell my dad I'm pregnant." Maggie was stunned, but she quickly pulled Melanie into a comforting, sympathetic embrace. "Oh, sweetie, It's gonna be okay," Maggie asserted, though both women were near tears. "No matter what, it's a blessing, darling."

Maggie made tea for the two of them, and asked if Philip knew about Melanie's pregnancy. "He thinks it's a sign we should get back together," Melanie replied, adding, "I think he's out of his mind." Maggie promised that she would be there whenever Melanie needed her. Melanie was worried about how to break it to her dad that she was having a baby with the man who'd destroyed Daniel's life.

Maggie maintained that Daniel loved Melanie unconditionally, just as he would love Melanie's child. She added that she believed Daniel would eventually get past his anger toward Philip -- and toward Chloe. Melanie was adamant that she would not let her dad forgive Chloe, but Maggie gently asserted that Melanie should stay out Daniel and Chloe's business. Melanie acknowledged, "You're right -- really, who am I to be meddling in someone else's love life, when mine is a complete disaster?"

Maggie then wanted to know if Melanie had told Nathan about the baby, but Melanie begged her not to say anything to Nathan. She explained that he wanted the two of them to be together, but she didn't know what she wanted, except to focus on the baby. An understanding Maggie praised Melanie for being so strong.

As Daniel tried to nap on the couch, he found one of Parker's pacifiers under a throw pillow. He remembered how much the infant had meant to him, and clutched the pacifier in his hand.

Chloe arrived outside Daniel's apartment, and fantasized about seducing him. In her fantasy, Daniel responded enthusiastically when he awakened to find her kissing him. But when Chloe let herself in and tried to act out the fantasy, Daniel awoke with a start -- and knocked her onto the floor. Alarmed, Daniel first made sure that Chloe was all right, then demanded to know what she was doing there -- and why she'd been lying on top of him.

Chloe maintained that she knew he still loved her, and she believed that they could work things out. Daniel asked her to leave, but Chloe begged him for another chance. Daniel argued that if Chloe had told him about Philip from the beginning, he might have been able to forgive her, but instead she had lied to him and schemed to keep him in the dark. Chloe swore that she would never lie to him again. His voice breaking, Daniel maintained, "I can't believe you. Honey, I won't. I'll never believe you again."

"Good," Melanie declared from the doorway. "Thank God for that." After Daniel gave Chloe an exasperated, exhausted look, she reluctantly headed for the door -- but before she left, Daniel asked for her key. Fighting back tears, Chloe dug the key out of her purse, slammed it down on the table next to the door, and left.

Daniel asked what Melanie wanted to talk to him about. "I'm pregnant with Philip's baby," Melanie blurted, bursting into tears. She apologized for having to tell him, but Daniel put his arms around her in a fierce, protective embrace. "It's okay; I'm right here," he reassured her as she sobbed miserably into his shoulder. "I'll always be right here. Your daddy's got you."

Gabi was watching Ali at the loft when Will returned home. He announced excitedly that after the doctors had removed the bandages from Johnny's eye, Johnny had been able to see. Gabi seemed just as relieved as Will, and gave him a big hug.

Will and Gabi were kissing later when there was a knock at the door, and Will reluctantly pulled away from Gabi to answer it. An excited Chad entered, and informed them that he'd just won front-row tickets to a concert -- and he wanted the two of them to go with him. Will and Gabi were thrilled. Gabi told Chad the good news about Johnny, and a grinning Chad replied that he was happy for Will. "I'm happy for you," Will noted, pointing out, "Johnny's your nephew." His mood darkening, Chad asserted that although Johnny seemed like a great kid, they really weren't family. Chad then left in a hurry.

While Gabi and Will baked cookies for Johnny, Gabi wondered why Chad had pretended not to care about Johnny. Will pointed out that after everything that Chad had been through, from his mom's death to his father's abandonment, "Maybe he's over the whole concept of family." Gabi maintained that Chad could really use a family right then -- even one as crazy as the DiMeras. After Will wiped some flour off Gabi's face, they began kissing again.

After E.J. spied Rafe and Sami kissing at the hospital, he announced to Stefano that he'd figured out what they needed to do. Stefano was eager to hear his son's plan, and E.J. promised to divulge the details after they had visited Johnny. The two men then went into Johnny's room, and the little boy was happy to see his "Nonno."

In the waiting room, Sami was excited about having all of her kids home, but Rafe cautioned her not to trust E.J. to stick to their truce.

While Stefano was telling Johnny that they all should go on a family vacation together, Sami and Rafe entered. Although Sami agreed that Johnny deserved to have some fun after everything he'd been through, she pointed out that he had already missed a lot of school. E.J. concurred with Sami, and then suggested that he and Stefano should go home so Rafe and Sami could spend some time with Johnny. E.J. said a polite goodbye to Sami and Rafe.

Outside, Stefano demanded, "What was that disgusting display of goodwill? Please, please tell me that it was all an act!" E.J. said that he would tell Stefano everything once they could talk privately.

As Sami and Rafe watched Johnny sleep, Sami voiced her belief that things would be different with E.J. for a change. Since it seemed like Johnny would sleep peacefully for a while, Sami and Rafe left to get hot chocolate and discuss the situation with E.J.

Later, Chad crept into Johnny's room, where the little boy was asleep, still wearing his FBI cap and clutching his stuffed penguin. Chad placed a big stuffed frog on the bed next to Johnny, and then turned to leave, but Johnny woke up and asked, "Who are you?" Chad replied with a smile, "My name's Chad. Are you feeling better?" Johnny just wanted to know if the frog was for him. When Chad said that it was, Johnny declared, "It's cool; thanks!" Chad then left quietly.

Sami and Rafe took their hot chocolates to the pier. Sami asserted that she'd seen the look in E.J.'s eyes after he'd made the deal with God, and she believed he was sincere in his desire for a truce. Rafe repeated his warning not to trust E.J. Sami maintained that she didn't, but she felt she had no choice except to hope that E.J. held up his end of the bargain. She added that she was more concerned that Stefano might eventually influence E.J. to break the deal.

Rafe agreed, "You're right. So what we need to do is neutralize Stefano." Sami cautioned that they had to be careful with the DiMeras, so they should just keep an eye on them. Rafe proposed that he would continue quietly building a case against E.J. and Stefano, while Sami and Rafe kept the peace -- and enjoyed their time with the kids.

When E.J. and Stefano returned home, E.J. declared that he intended to keep his deal with Samantha, because she was not the problem -- Rafael Hernandez was. E.J. explained that Rafe had a kind of hold over Samantha and Johnny, and E.J. was worried that Rafe would poison Johnny's mind against the DiMeras. Stefano wondered if E.J. wanted to get rid of Rafe because of the children -- or because E.J. wanted to be back in Samantha's bed.

E.J. insisted that he was not in love with Samantha, but he knew that the children needed their mother. He added that Rafe, who had not been part of the bargain, had to be removed from Samantha's life -- for good. Stefano declared, "I think I have the perfect solution -- one that is even more destructive and effective than his death."

E.J. wanted to know what could be better than killing Rafe. "Killing Samantha's love for him," Stefano explained, "by ensuring that Rafael Hernandez goes through a major change -- a change so drastic that it will destroy his relationship with Samantha forever."

Outside of the Brady Pub, Philip called Melanie and reached her voicemail. Philip insisted that he wasn't going to give up on their marriage and assured Melanie that they could find a way to work things out. Carly overheard and told Philip, "You need to have your head examined." Philip said he didn't want to get into an argument with Carly. Carly reminded Philip that he had not only cheated on Melanie, he had also allowed Chloe to trick Carly into hiding the truth from her own daughter.

Philip insisted that he was sorry for the mistakes that he had made. Carly told Philip that Melanie was never going to forgive him. "You don't know," Philip said as he realized that Carly hadn't heard the news that Melanie was pregnant. Carly wondered what Philip was talking about. Philip said Carly had no right to judge him because she had done some terrible things herself.

Carly admitted that she wasn't perfect, but insisted that Philip had hurt Melanie more than anyone else ever had. "Is that so?" Philip asked. "More than her mother, who dumped her when she was a baby? Let her be raised by some psycho who made her play nice with old men whenever he fell behind on the rent?"

Kate walked into the pub and interrupted the argument between Philip and Carly. Carly left after warning Philip to stay away from Melanie. "It's gonna be kind of hard when she's having my baby," Philip whispered. Kate asked Philip if he was certain that Melanie was pregnant. Philip explained that Chloe had tipped him off, and Melanie had admitted it to him when he had confronted her about it. "Okay, so if Melanie wasn't planning on telling you," Kate said, "perhaps that should speak volumes to you."

"You're wrong," Philip insisted. "This baby is going to bring us back together. I know it, Mom. I just know it." Philip assured Kate that Melanie would eventually start to let go of her anger and forgive Philip. Kate hoped that it would work out for Philip, but she wasn't convinced.

Kate reminded Philip that Parker was going to be a constant reminder of Philip's betrayal and that it might be hard for Melanie to get past that. "This baby Melanie's having is going to change everything," Philip said. "I'm going to be there every day in every way I can. She is going to see that. And she is going to change her mind about me. Believe it. It's going to happen."

After their conversation, Philip offered to walk his mother home. Kate informed Philip that she was staying with Stefano again. Kate explained that she was only living at the DiMera mansion to help Stefano through a rough time. Kate admitted that she was hopeful that a reconciliation might still be possible for her and Stefano. Philip told Kate that she had been there for him through everything, so he was going to support her relationship with Stefano if it made her happy.

At Daniel's apartment, Melanie tearfully apologized to her father for everything Philip had done. Melanie was worried that Daniel would be angry about the news of her pregnancy, but Daniel assured her that he wasn't. Daniel told Melanie that she couldn't allow her anger toward Philip to stop her from doing what was right for her baby. Daniel reminded Melanie that she knew what it was like to grow up without knowing who her real father was. "You have got to find a way to make peace with Philip," Daniel said.

Melanie was shocked by what Daniel had told her to do. "All I want to do is scream and throw things every time I think about his face or his voice!" she said. Melanie wondered if Daniel wanted her to make peace with Philip because of child support. Daniel assured her that money wouldn't be an issue -- Daniel would take care of everything Melanie needed. Daniel told Melanie that she needed to find her own peace of mind because she couldn't go through a pregnancy while dealing with anger issues every day.

Melanie told Daniel she was lucky to have him as a father. "Sometimes I forget how different you are from the man that raised me," she said. Daniel assured Melanie that he and Carly would always be there for her. Melanie admitted that she hadn't told Carly that she was pregnant. "I don't really care if she ever finds out," she said.

Daniel pointed out that Melanie's pregnancy was eventually going to start to show, so Carly was going to find out sooner or later. "My vote is for later," Melanie said. "Carly's so into secrets. Let's keep her in the dark for once."

Daniel offered to tell Carly about Melanie's pregnancy himself so that Melanie wouldn't have to worry about it. Melanie agreed and decided to go for a walk to clear her head and give Daniel a chance to talk to Carly. Daniel assured Melanie that he would call her later to let her know how things had gone with Carly. After Melanie had left, Daniel called Carly and explained that he had something important that he needed to discuss with her. Carly agreed to meet him at his apartment and told him that she was on her way.

After learning that Melanie was pregnant, Carly realized that the pregnancy was what Philip had been alluding to earlier during their argument at the Brady Pub. Carly wondered how Melanie was doing. "Physically, fine," Daniel assured Carly, and added, "Emotionally, not so much." Carly thanked Daniel for telling her the truth. Daniel assured Carly that he would never try to shut her out of their daughter's life.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Nicole begged Brady to help her figure out a way to keep Sydney in her life. Brady told Nicole that he was done saving her. Nicole insisted that Brady didn't really mean that. Brady told Nicole that it was time for both of them to move on. Nicole wondered if Brady meant that he had already started seeing someone else. "Not everyone jumps from one warm body to the next, Nicole," Brady said.

Nicole wondered why Brady was saying such cruel things to her. "'Cause it's accurate," Brady said. "Besides, if we're so close, don't we get to be truthful with one another? I'm done with you." Brady told Nicole to leave. When Nicole hesitated, Brady grabbed her arm and led her out the front door. "Take your drama somewhere else," Brady said as he slammed the door in her face.

Victor applauded Brady for throwing Nicole out of the mansion. "Here's to a true Kiriakis," Victor said as he poured Brady a drink. Brady declined, which caused Victor to wonder if Brady still had feelings for "that little whore." Brady glared at Victor. "What, wrong word?" Victor asked. "All right, how about porn star? Bitch. Harlot. Jezebel. Take your pick."

"You know, you're right," Brady admitted as he accepted the glass Victor had offered him. "To a true Kiriakis. Whore, slut...I like 'em all. They work for me." Victor observed that Brady was getting quite good at pest control -- first Vivian and then Nicole. Victor explained that Kate had told him that Brady had been the mastermind behind the plan to ship Vivian and Gus off to a deserted island. Victor thought it was a brilliant plan, and Brady was pleased to hear such high praise from his grandfather. Brady said that their next move would be to regain control of Titan. "There's just one thing," Victor said. "Bring Vivian back."

"Stand-up comedy was never one of your strong suits, Granddad," Brady said. Victor wondered if Brady was planning to keep Vivian on the island forever. Brady insisted that it was too soon to free Vivian because they didn't have control of Titan yet. "I'll handle that," Victor said. "Just bring her back." Brady struggled to understand why Victor was so determined to rescue Vivian. Victor reluctantly admitted that Maggie had learned the truth about what had happened to Vivian.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Brady asked Victor. Victor was surprised by Brady's reaction and reminded his grandson that Maggie was one of Brady's closest friends. "She is wonderful, Grandfather." Brady agreed. "But where is Victor Kiriakis? Where is he? Where's the guy that does whatever is necessary, and to hell with everyone else? Especially women. You got Maggie leading you around by the nose, you know that?" Brady grabbed his coat and added, "You're being a hypocrite. My grandfather's a hypocrite, and I'm not gonna listen to one more damn word that you have to say!"

Later, Melanie found Brady at the pub. Melanie could tell that he was upset, so Brady explained that Victor had ordered him to do something. Brady admitted that he hated being told what to do. Melanie agreed and said that every person who had learned about her pregnancy had tried to tell her what she could and couldn't do about it.

"My view," Brady said, "is do whatever's best for you. 'Cause nobody's gonna do that for you. You take charge of your life, or you get run over." Melanie agreed that it was good advice. After Brady left, Melanie called Philip and told him that she wanted to meet with him to discuss her pregnancy.

Brady returned to the Kiriakis mansion. Brady reluctantly told Victor that he would free Vivian as Victor had requested. "I'm glad you finally came around to my way of thinking," Victor said. After Victor was gone, Brady scoffed and said, "No...not your way of thinking. I'll bring Vivian back my way. And for my own reasons."

At the DiMera mansion, Stefano and E.J. devised a plan to get rid of Rafe. "He is going to undergo such a radical transformation," Stefano explained. "At which time, Samantha is finally going to realize that she has made a terrible mistake for even being with someone like him." Stefano assured E.J. that causing such a transformation would not be a problem. "Trust me," Stefano said, "I can bring about a change in Mr. Hernandez, and no one will ever know how it happened."

E.J. wasn't satisfied and demanded to hear the details of Stefano's plan. "Why tell you," Stefano said, "when I can show you?" After seeing what Stefano had in mind, E.J. admitted that he was impressed. Stefano explained that he had actually started planning it back when Rafe was looking for Anna. E.J. wondered why Stefano had never said anything about the plan before. Stefano said he had never had a reason to tell E.J. about the plan before. "I am gonna make a few phone calls, and then...Mr. Hernandez will be changed," Stefano said. "And life as he knows it will be over soon."

Stefano and E.J. agreed that the plan would have to be carried out carefully so Rafe and Sami would have no idea what was going on. E.J. warned that Stefano was not to harm Sami or the kids. Stefano sighed and said, "You may deny it as much as you want, but I think you are still in love with that bitch." E.J. insisted that Stefano was wrong. Stefano wondered what E.J. was going to do about Nicole, but E.J. said that Rafe was his only concern.

Later, Stefano made a phone call. "I want you to put everything in motion as soon as you hang up the phone, understood?" Stefano said. "My son has already started the ball rolling. Ciao." As Stefano laughed and remarked that Sami and Rafe's world was about to fall apart, Kate walked in and asked him what he was talking about.

Will and Gabi were making out on the couch in Sami and Rafe's apartment when Ali walked in on them. "You're not supposed to be kissing," Ali told her brother. Will smiled and reminded Ali that she wasn't supposed to be out of bed. "I'll be forced to tell Mom unless you get right back in there, okay?" Will said as Ali ran back to her bedroom. As Will and Gabi started to make out again, Rafe returned home.

Rafe casually asked Will and Gabi what was going on. Will claimed that they were just studying, but Ali called out from her bedroom, "They were kissing!" Rafe told Gabi to go home and promised her, "We'll talk about this later." After Gabi left, Will apologized to Rafe. Rafe assured Will that he wasn't trying to embarrass Will.

"I just don't think it's cool that your little sister comes out here and you guys are making out on the couch," Rafe said. "And I don't think it's going to be cool when your little brother comes home, either, for that matter." Will wondered if that meant that E.J. was going to allow Johnny and Sydney to live with them again.

After checking on Ali, Rafe teased Will about the fact that Ali had caught her brother making out and that it was probably going to give her nightmares. Will wondered if Rafe would be willing to drop the subject. "Okay," Rafe agreed. "Just make sure you treat Gabi right. Otherwise you're going to be stuck between answering to her brother and your stepdad."

Will asked Rafe if he believed that E.J. would keep his word and let Johnny and Sydney return home. Rafe admitted that he wasn't sure. A knock on the door interrupted their conversation. E.J. called out innocently from behind the door, "Rafe? Samantha? Anybody there?"

Rafe opened the door to find that E.J. was standing there holding Sydney. E.J. handed Sydney to Will and explained to Rafe that Sydney had taken a late nap. E.J. said that he had thought it would be a good idea to take Sydney over to prove to Sami that he was going to keep his word. Rafe explained that Sami was visiting Caroline and then she was going to be spending the night at the hospital with Johnny. E.J. admitted that Sami had told him that earlier, and it seemed to have slipped his mind. "Why don't you keep Sydney overnight?" E.J. asked. "And that way, when Samantha comes back from the hospital in the morning, she can have breakfast with both of her girls."

E.J. apologized to Rafe for all the trouble he had put the family through recently, then he kissed Sydney goodbye and left as Will and Rafe watched skeptically. "Like a train he never heard coming," E.J. said after Rafe had shut the door. Later, Will and Rafe prepared Sydney for bed. Will was glad that E.J. had kept his word, but Rafe remained unconvinced that E.J. had truly changed.

Nicole visited Johnny at the hospital and assured him that she would always be there for him. "I want my Mommy," Johnny told her. Later, E.J. watched silently as Nicole read to Johnny. E.J. listened as Nicole told Johnny that she might not get to see him and Sydney anymore. E.J. cleared his throat and said, "We need to talk. You see, Nicole...everything has changed."

Nathan dropped by to visit Maggie, who was babysitting Parker. "I kind of figured you'd be by, to talk about Melanie," Maggie remarked. Nathan admitted that he wanted another chance to "make a go of it" with Melanie, since both of their relationships had ended. He acknowledged that it might be too soon, but he believed things happened for a reason -- so he was going to ask Melanie if they could try to make it work.

Maggie gently cautioned her grandson that Melanie had been through a lot. Nathan maintained that he and Melanie had a chance to start fresh, and Maggie said that she hoped they could. Nathan could tell that Maggie had some doubts, and asked what she knew about Melanie that she wasn't telling him. Maggie refused to betray Melanie's confidence -- but she thought that Nathan should talk to Melanie. Nathan agreed.

Chloe showed up at Stephanie's and demanded to see Caroline. Stephanie tried to slam the door in Chloe's face, but Chloe shoved her way into the apartment. When Chloe refused to leave until she saw Caroline, Stephanie picked up the phone and threatened to have Chloe arrested for trespassing. Caroline emerged from the bedroom and told Stephanie to stop dialing. Caroline then asked what Chloe wanted.

Chloe demanded, "Why did you want to ruin my life?" Stephanie argued that Chloe had ruined her own life by sleeping with Philip. Chloe contended that although she wasn't proud of what she'd done, she'd had every intention of telling Daniel the truth if the DNA test had shown that he wasn't the baby's father. "I was gonna take my chances. He may have forgiven me, or he may not have," Chloe maintained. "But I never got that chance, because of you! Who do you think you are? God?" she spat to Caroline.

Caroline calmly stated that she'd since realized that it had been wrong to change the test results, but at the time, she'd thought Daniel and Chloe could be happy together -- and Daniel would have been a far better father than Philip. An unsympathetic Chloe shouted that her life was ruined because of Caroline -- and Caroline was going to pay.

Vowing that she and Philip would testify at Caroline's trial about how many lives Caroline had destroyed, Chloe yelled, "I hope that you spend the rest of your miserable life behind bars!" Caroline pointed out that she had just had a stroke, so Chloe's words didn't scare her. As Caroline started to apologize that Chloe had gotten hurt, suddenly she began to struggle for words. Stephanie looked at her grandmother worriedly, and then ordered Chloe to leave.

At Daniel's apartment, Melanie was trying to convince herself that she and the baby would be fine when Philip knocked on the door. Philip said that he was glad Melanie had called him, but before he could complete his thought, Melanie interrupted. "I haven't been fair to you," she declared, and then explained, "I let my anger get a hold of me. Cutting you off completely isn't fair."

A relieved Philip asserted that Melanie had every right to be angry with him after what he'd done, and he hoped that she would give him a chance to make it up to her. Melanie said that all she could think about at that time was the baby. Philip agreed that all he did was think about their baby, but Melanie asserted that he should be thinking about Chloe and her baby, Parker.

Philip assured Melanie that Parker would have whatever he needed, "But right now, all I want to do is focus on this baby -- our baby -- and on you, on us." He added that he believed they could work things out and be happy again -- and have a family together. Melanie pointed out the ludicrousness of that idea, since he'd already started a family with Chloe. Philip tried to remind her why he had slept with Chloe, but Melanie didn't want to hear it. "We're done!" Melanie declared. "Just because you and I have a baby doesn't mean we have to stay married."

Philip was pleading with Melanie not to talk about divorce when Stephanie called his cell phone. She quickly filled him in that Chloe was at her apartment harassing Caroline, who had just had a stroke and wasn't doing well. "So either you come and get Chloe, or I'm calling the cops." Philip reluctantly agreed he'd be right over. After he left, Melanie said quietly, "How could you think that I'd ever be with you again after what you did? Oh well. You'll get it eventually."

When there was a knock at the door later, Melanie assumed that Philip had returned, and flung the door open with an annoyed, "What?" She was startled to see Nathan in the hallway. Nathan acknowledged that they had both been through a lot, and that Melanie had brushed him off the last time they had talked because he'd broached the topic too soon.

"But I know you still love me," Nathan declared quietly. "And I know I still love you. And that's a start, right? Can we talk about the future?" Melanie replied that they had no future, because she was pregnant with Philip's baby. "So you and I will never happen; I'm sorry," she said softly, and quickly closed the door.

A concerned Stephanie fussed over her grandmother, but Caroline, her speech seemingly returned to normal, insisted she was fine. "Okay, well, if you're fine, then can you tell me what the hell you were thinking when you changed those paternity tests?" Chloe demanded. Stephanie furiously reminded Chloe that Caroline had just gotten out of the hospital, but her words fell on deaf ears.

Chloe continued shouting at Caroline, while Stephanie kept trying to get Chloe to leave. Caroline finally interrupted. "I know I did a bad thing," Caroline declared. "But I'm not sorry, because at least I tried." Chloe was horrified, asserting that Caroline actually seemed proud of what she'd done.

While Chloe was screeching indignantly -- and loudly -- at Caroline, Philip arrived. As he practically dragged Chloe out of the apartment, she continued to shriek at Caroline until Stephanie closed the door behind them.

After Chloe and Philip had gone, Caroline told Stephanie, "I just wish Chloe didn't think that I'm proud of it." Caroline and Stephanie both admitted that they weren't proud of what they'd done. "Thank you, by the way, for leaving my name out of it with the cops," Stephanie said. Caroline asserted that Stephanie had suffered enough in losing Nathan. "I did the crime; I'll do the time," Caroline declared matter-of-factly.

Philip and Chloe got coffee, and went to the pier to talk about what had happened at Stephanie's. Chloe maintained that she had only been yelling at Caroline because, "That disgusting old witch ruined my life. She cost me everything." Philip asserted that while he was also furious with Caroline, he and Chloe had to take responsibility for their actions.

Chloe declared that she still wanted Caroline to go to jail, but Philip asked gently, "Really? You want to drag an old lady through the courts, right after she had a stroke?" Chloe admitted that she didn't -- all she really wanted was Daniel. An empathetic Philip put his arm around Chloe.

Gabi returned to the loft because she'd forgotten her homework -- an excuse Rafe didn't buy until she showed him the folder she'd left behind. Gabi was surprised and pleased to see Sydney there, and to hear that the tot was spending the night. Rafe called Sami, who was spending the night in Johnny's room at the hospital, to tell her about Sydney's overnight visit.

Rafe admitted to Gabi that he was suspicious of why E.J. was letting Sami spend time with her kids. Gabi urged her brother to be a little less distrustful, but Rafe maintained that the DiMeras always had a hidden agenda. Gabi pointed out that the kids and Sami adored Rafe, and he had a great job. Rafe countered that he still had to protect Sami. "Kind of like Arianna looks out for us?" Gabi asked.

Rafe and Gabi agreed that it was a nice idea to think of Arianna as a "kick-ass angel" watching over them. Rafe said that Arianna would be happy for him and Sami -- and for Gabi and Will. He added that Will was a good kid, so it was all right with Rafe if Gabi wanted to date Will. Gabi admitted that she liked Will, because he was good to her.

To tease his sister, Rafe threatened to have a man-to-man talk with Will, and headed for Will's bedroom. Gabi took the bait, and Rafe assured her that he'd been kidding. A messenger arrived just then with an envelope from E.J. Rafe signed for it, and then read to Gabi, "It's a notice to Sami and me... Tomorrow morning, we will be receiving a new child-custody agreement." Gabi declared, "You see? Everything is going to be fine."

E.J. took Nicole into the waiting room at the hospital to discuss her role in his and the children's lives. Nicole guessed that her "so-called" marriage to E.J. wasn't going to happen, since E.J. and Sami had called a truce. E.J. assured her that he still wanted to marry her -- and Sydney would definitely be a part of Nicole's life. Nicole was floored.

E.J. explained that the only reason he'd cancelled the wedding with Judge Fitzpatrick was that he thought it would be nicer to have a big wedding at the church, with the whole family in attendance. Nicole pointed out that the marriage was supposed to have been an arrangement that would let her see Sydney, and let E.J. stick it to Sami. E.J. stated softly that he had changed; he'd realized that life was too precious to waste on revenge -- and that Nicole would be a wonderful stepmother to his children.

Nicole contended that the manipulative and protective Sami would never put up with her kids having Nicole for a stepmother. E.J. reassured Nicole that he would handle Samantha -- and that he wanted Nicole to be his wife. "If you'll have me," he added softly, pulling her close. "Unless, of course, you have a better offer." Nicole stated that his was her only offer. "So yes," she said with a shy smile.

At the DiMera mansion, Stefano was talking to Sydney and Johnny's pictures when Kate arrived. She overheard Stefano declare, "Samantha and Rafael -- their days are numbered." Kate remarked that it seemed as if the truce between Sami and E.J. wasn't going to last long, and she wondered aloud what Stefano and E.J. were plotting. Stefano assured her that he was going along with the truce for the good of the children.

Kate then filled Stefano in about Caroline and the paternity tests. Kate hoped that Melanie and Philip would work things out, since Melanie was pregnant. "Your son doesn't fool around, does he?" Stefano noted, then added with a twinkle in his eyes, "Or should I say, he really does fool around." Kate confessed that she was worried that Philip would feel obligated to Chloe, and added, "That's why I need to get Parker out of her hands and into Philip's arms." Stefano offered to help in any way he could. Kate just wanted to get Philip and Melanie back together -- and Kate definitely wanted to keep Philip away from Chloe.

When Nicole and E.J. returned to the mansion, Kate and Stefano met them in the foyer. Kate asked what Nicole was doing there. E.J. reminded Kate that he and Nicole were getting married. Stefano asked to speak to his son privately, so the two men went into the sitting room.

A livid Stefano demanded to know why Elvis was going through with the marriage. "With her in the house, it will ruin everything!" Stefano declared. E.J. maintained that they would need Nicole after they got Rafe out of the way. "Once we've dealt with Rafe, Samantha is going to be all over the place. She's not going to be able to raise the children properly," E.J. explained. Stefano completed the thought, "And Nicole will fill in." Stefano then told E.J., "He does not know it yet, but Rafael Hernandez is living on borrowed time."