Rafe had a nightmare remembering how Fake Rafe beat him up. Stefano woke him up to say he had heard about Rafe's escape. Stefano said that Allie would pay for Rafe's actions. Rafe warned Stefano not to touch Allie. Stefano said he was merely planning to take Allie from the home where she lived and put her in a more stable home. Rafe begged Stefano not to do it.
Stefano blamed Rafe for breaking the rules, saying that he, Sami, and Allie would pay the consequences. As Stefano left the room, Rafe yelled after him, threatening to kill him if he touched Allie. Rafe yelled for Stefano. He promised to do whatever Stefano wanted as long as he didn't hurt Allie.
Kate and Allie went to the hospital to give Johnny moral support, because he was getting his prosthetic eye. Kate saw Melanie and told her that she made Philip very happy and would make a great mother to the baby she was carrying and to Parker. Melanie asked Kate not to jump the gun about Parker. Kate predicted that Chloe was a walking time bomb, and when Chloe "goes off," Kate, Melanie, and Philip would take the baby from her.
Taylor ran into Nicole while delivering balloons to Johnny's room. Taylor explained that she was working at the gift shop. Nicole felt lucky because she cared about Johnny and Sydney so much and she was about to marry their father. Taylor was happy for her sister.
Philip walked into the Brady Pub to find Parker unattended. Chloe was at the bar paying her bill, but her back was to the baby. Philip yelled at Chloe for not keeping a closer eye on Parker, because someone could have walked in and taken him. "Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot that people come into the Brady Pub to steal babies," she said. Philip warned her that she couldn't leave a baby alone in the house or in a public place -- "not even for a second." Chloe told him to stop lecturing her "like you're such an amazing parent."
"You think I'd be careless after yesterday. You don't think I learned..." Chloe started to say. Philip asked what had happened the day before. Chloe admitted that she had left Parker at home alone while she went to the pharmacy to pick up his prescription. Philip remembered that when he had arrived at Maggie's house, the kitchen had been filled with smoke. Philip said the house could have burned down with Parker in it.
Chloe said she wouldn't intentionally hurt Parker. Philip said he had known she was having issues, but he hadn't known it was that bad. She apologized and asked him not to hate her. He said he didn't hate her, but it could never happen again. She promised to pay more attention to the baby, but he said that wasn't good enough. He insisted that she get some help immediately.
Sami waited for Johnny to wake up from the anesthesia, and she and Lexie wondered where E.J. had gone. Meanwhile, E.J. was meeting with Fake Rafe down the hall. E.J. chewed Fake Rafe out for beating up Rafe. Fake Rafe felt that Rafe "had it coming," because Rafe had been about to blow it. Fake Rafe said that if E.J. had been keeping a closer eye on Rafe, he wouldn't have escaped. E.J. reminded Fake Rafe that he worked for E.J. Nicole walked in and wondered what was going on.
E.J. took the blame for his argument with Fake Rafe. Nicole told him that Johnny was about to wake up, so E.J. hurried off to Johnny's room. After E.J. left, Nicole asked Fake Rafe what was going on between him and E.J. Fake Rafe said that E.J. was a little angry at him, but Nicole could tell that E.J. was really angry. Nicole assumed that the fight was because Fake Rafe had assumed that E.J. hadn't changed. Nicole said E.J. was doing everything he could to keep the peace. Fake Rafe said that he would try to be more understanding.
After Nicole left the room, Stefano called Fake Rafe and said they needed to show Rafe that there were consequences to his actions. Stefano ordered Fake Rafe to make sure Johnny went home with E.J. accompanied by Sami. Stefano wanted Fake Rafe to offer to take Allie home, and that's when Stefano planned to kidnap Allie.
Lexie held up a mirror so that Johnny could see that his prosthetic eye looked just like his old eye. Nicole gave Johnny balloons and promised more presents would await Johnny back at the mansion. Sami said she thought that Johnny was going home with her. Nicole said it was E.J.'s turn with the kids, and Sami said she thought that since Johnny had been through such a tough day, he would go home with her. Fake Rafe chimed in and said that she needed to respect that it was E.J.'s turn with Johnny.
Sami asked Fake Rafe discreetly why he would take E.J.'s side. Johnny asked if Fake Rafe liked him anymore. Fake Rafe said he liked Johnny, but it was time for Johnny to go to his father's "big mansion." Fake Rafe said it must be cool to have servants waiting on Johnny. Sami corrected Fake Rafe for letting Johnny think that having servants wait on him was a good thing. Fake Rafe said he was just trying to cheer up Johnny. Sami said Fake Rafe was confusing Johnny. E.J. chimed in and covered for Fake Rafe, saying that Rafe was overcompensating for the argument he and E.J. had earlier. E.J. told Fake Rafe that Johnny should be with his mother.
Taylor fantasized that E.J. had bought her flowers after learning that she worked at the hospital. Lexie called Taylor's name, waking her out of her fantasy. After Taylor walked away, Lexie saw E.J. and asked how he was. E.J. was happy, because he was getting married to Nicole.
Philip and Chloe went to the hospital so she could see a doctor. Philip thanked Daniel for arranging for Chloe to see a doctor. Chloe was surprised that Daniel wasn't planning to oversee the exam. She said she wasn't using her situation as an excuse. Daniel said he knew that -- he just felt it was better for him and Chloe that he wasn't involved. Philip asked Daniel to reconsider overseeing her case. Melanie walked by, and Daniel agreed to take Chloe on as a patient. Daniel asked Maxine to put Chloe in a room. Melanie asked Philip what was going on with Chloe.
Philip was hesitant to reveal anything until Melanie asked him not to keep secrets if they were going to make their marriage work. Philip asked Melanie not to tell anyone, or Chloe could lose Parker. Philip explained that the other day Chloe had received a call from the pharmacy to pick up Parker's medicine and wasn't gone more than 15 minutes and that Chloe had accidentally left cookies in the oven.
Melanie asked if Chloe was insane and whether he had checked Chloe into the psych ward. Philip felt that Chloe just needed a little help. "Parker's the one that needs help and responsible parents," Melanie said. Melanie asked if Philip was worried about Parker, and he said that he wasn't happy about it, but he was mostly concerned and wanted Chloe to get better. He reminded her of his warning not to tell anyone what had happened with Chloe. Melanie ignored Philip's warning and made a phone call.
Daniel ordered blood work on Chloe, thinking she might suffer from an overactive thyroid, which could have contributed to her depression. Chloe asked if he thought she had postpartum depression, and he said it was obvious that she hadn't herself recently. Chloe asked Maxine for a moment alone with Daniel, but he said anything Chloe had to say could be said in front of Maxine. Chloe thought that having postpartum depression meant that she was crazy, but he said that it was probably due to a hormonal imbalance, and she would be fine with medication and counseling.
"You think medicine can fix everything, don't you. Well what about my broken heart? Is there a pill for that?" Chloe asked. Daniel said he couldn't help her with that. Daniel started to leave, and Chloe told him she wished he would love her. She realized that would never happen and it was really over. "It was over a long time ago," he said.
When Kate returned home to the DiMera mansion, Stefano asked how Johnny was doing and whether the boy had received the stuffed animals Stefano had sent. She asked why he hadn't visited Johnny. Stefano said he hadn't wanted to crowd Johnny and he had been busy. Kate said Stefano's business had to have been very important. Stefano said he would make it up to Johnny when the little boy returned home. Kate said she hoped that Allie didn't get jealous of the attention that Johnny was getting. Stefano told Kate not to worry about Allie, because she would "survive."
Fake Rafe called Stefano to tell him that Johnny had gone home with him and Sami, thanks to E.J. When E.J. returned home, Stefano asked why E.J. hadn't taken Johnny home, because they were going to start with their plan. E.J. said he wanted to call off the plan to kidnap Allie. Stefano said they wouldn't be hurting Allie -- they would just be placing her with a better family.
E.J. said he didn't think it was a good idea. E.J. said he had watched Johnny with Allie, and Johnny really counted on her. Stefano reminded E.J. that they were using the threat of kidnapping Allie to keep Rafe in line, and if they didn't carry out what they said, their threats would be meaningless.
Sami wanted to talk to Fake Rafe about why he had said he thought Johnny should be with E.J. Fake Rafe said he thought it would be better if they kept to the regular schedule. He reminded her that he was on her side, and she said it didn't feel like it. Fake Rafe blamed it on his recovery, and Sami agreed to forgive him. She was happy to watch Johnny and Allie playing together. Fake Rafe asked Sami to put Johnny down for a nap. Sami suggested that Johnny go lie down while Allie stayed behind with Rafe, but Allie yelled that she didn't want to. Sami asked what was wrong, and Allie said she wanted to stay with Johnny.
Sami offered to read a story to both of the children, and when it was time for Johnny to take a nap, she would find something else for Allie to do. Fake Rafe asked if Sami thought that Allie was still upset with him for getting the wrong cookie. Sami didn't think so. She theorized that Allie needed Sami's attention and didn't understand that Johnny needed special attention because of his eye. Sami said she would plan quality time with Allie. After Sami left the room, Fake Rafe said to himself, "That's a good idea. Quality time, cause she's about to disappear."
When Sami returned to the living room, she suggested that she and Allie play the game that Allie and Johnny had been playing. Johnny called Sami away, so she told Allie to have Rafe help set it up. Instead, Rafe suggested that they go to the park.
E.J. suggested that he and Stefano tell Rafe that Allie was gone, and Rafe wouldn't know the difference, because he was trapped in the basement. Stefano said it was a matter of principle, and by the end of the day, their plan would be executed. E.J. told Stefano that no one was going to kidnap Allie. Stefano didn't care what E.J. thought and told E.J. that Stefano had the last word. Stefano stormed out as Nicole was entering the room. Nicole asked E.J. to meet her sister at the Brady Pub later, but he said he was in the middle of a crisis and couldn't make it.
Philip thanked Daniel for helping Chloe. Daniel said he had done it for Parker, so Parker would have a mother to take care of him.
Melanie called Kate and told her about Chloe's postpartum depression and how Chloe had left Parker at home alone with the oven on. Melanie said Philip was getting Chloe medical attention, but Melanie didn't think medicine would help. "Well of course it's not. You can't cure insanity with a pill," Kate said.
Chloe overheard Melanie tell Kate that she thought it was too dangerous for Parker to live with Chloe. Melanie turned around and saw Chloe standing there. Chloe asked who Melanie was talking to, and Melanie said it was none of Chloe's business. "Wanna bet?" Chloe said.
Melanie pointed out that Parker was her stepson and she was allowed to be worried about him. Chloe said there was no need, because Parker was fine and got plenty of love. Melanie asked who had Parker at that moment. Chloe said Parker was with Maggie. Melanie said that Maggie spent more time with Parker than Chloe did. Melanie said that a mother was supposed to love and protect her child. "Can you say you've done either," Melanie asked.
Chloe warned Melanie not to judge her. Melanie said if Chloe were a good mother, she would give Philip full custody. Chloe told Melanie that she refused to give Philip full custody of Parker and that wasn't what Philip wanted anyway. "Maybe not yet, but it will be," Melanie said. Chloe thought that Melanie was planning to poison Philip against her. "I don't have to do anything. You keep up this Madea act, and no one will let you go anywhere near Parker," Melanie said. Chloe said she would let Philip know what Melanie was up to. Philip overheard them and asked what was going on.
Kate tried to ask E.J. for some legal advice regarding Parker, but he insisted that it was a bad time. Kate said it was important, because it was about saving her grandson. E.J. asked her if she would do anything for her grandchildren. She said, "Of course, I would." "Then listen to me," E.J. said. E.J. told Kate to call Lucas and tell him that she needed to send Allie to him in Hong Kong that day. She asked why, but E.J. wouldn't tell him. Kate said it was the middle of the night in Hong Kong, and E.J. insisted that Kate wake Lucas up. Kate called Lucas.
E.J. called Nicole to tell her that the crisis had been averted. Nicole asked E.J. to join her and Taylor at the pub, and he thought it was time that he met Nicole's sister.
Stefano spoke to Fake Rafe over the phone and let Rafe overhear him. He told Rafe that Allie was going to be kidnapped, and there was nothing Rafe could do about it. Stefano asked how Rafe felt knowing that Sami was about to lose her child all because of Rafe. Stefano said that Sami had a lot of people in her life that Stefano could make disappear.
At the loft, faux Rafe grabbed Allie's jacket and urged her to join him for a walk in the park. As Allie stared at faux Rafe, Sami entered the living room and asked Faux Rafe what he was doing. Faux Rafe explained that Allie was feeling restless so he wanted to take her to the park. Sami was excited about faux Rafe's idea, but Allie firmly stated that she did not want to go anywhere with Rafe. Concerned, Sami encouraged Allie to visit her brother Johnny in the other room.
"She must not want to leave. She wants to stay here with her brother," faux Rafe said. Sami agreed with faux Rafe's assessment of Allie's behavior but noted that she would talk to Allie. Sami sat Allie down on the couch and thanked her daughter for helping take care of Johnny. Sami encouraged Allie to stop helping her mother and start having fun. Faux Rafe promised to buy Allie ice cream at the park, so Allie reluctantly agreed to go to the park with faux Rafe. "Have I ever told you that you're the best little girl?" Sami said with a grin. Sami hugged her daughter tightly, then left to check on Johnny.
Once Sami was gone from the living room, faux Rafe roughly grabbed Allie by the wrist and warned her, "No funny business this time. You hear me? We're going to do this the easy way or the hard way." Faux Rafe dragged Allie down to the park and ordered her to play on the swings. When Allie stared at faux Rafe, refusing to move, he warned her to play on the swings and stay where he could see her. Nervous, Allie ran over to the swing set while faux Rafe made a phone call. "I'm at the park with the kid. Come get her," faux Rafe said with frustration.
Back at the loft, Will arrived home as Sami received a call from Lucas in Hong Kong. Sami assured Lucas that she would think about his offer. As Sami hung up the phone, Will announced that he would not go to Hong Kong. Sami countered that Lucas understood Will's desire to stay in Salem and had only bought a ticket for Allie. Will was concerned that Allie would be traveling alone, but Sami assured Will that Lucas had hired Allie's favorite nanny to accompany her to Hong Kong.
When Will asked why Lucas was sending for Allie, Sami answered that Kate was behind the plan. Will wondered aloud what Kate had said to Lucas, and Sami theorized that Kate had informed Lucas that Allie was not getting enough attention because of Johnny's illness. Unsure, Sami noted that she did not want to keep Allie from her father, but she was concerned about putting Allie on a plane.
Back at the park, faux Rafe instructed his accomplice on the phone to pick a fight with him before snatching Allie and kidnapping her. "Don't screw this up. I'm really sick of this brat," Rafe growled before hanging up the phone. With a grunt, faux Rafe called out to Allie. Still wary of faux Rafe, Allie stopped in her tracks, unwilling to follow Rafe. Allie begged faux Rafe to let her stay and play with her friend. Annoyed, faux Rafe started to pull Allie as Sami came around the corner. "Is there a problem?" Sami said.
Caught, faux Rafe stammered that he was urging Allie to go home because of the cold but that Allie was resisting because she wanted to play with her friends. Concerned, faux Rafe asked Sami why she was at the park. With a smile, Sami informed Allie that Lucas missed his daughter and wanted Allie to visit him in Hong Kong. Sami asked Allie if she wanted to go to Hong Kong, and scared of Rafe, Allie nodded her head vigorously. Worried, Sami asked faux Rafe if she could speak to her daughter privately.
Once Sami was alone with Allie, she assured her daughter that Allie could visit her father if she wanted. Sami explained that Allie would be with her nanny but that she would be in Hong Kong for a long time. "I want my daddy," Allie said. "You seem sad. Is it because of what happened with Johnny?" Sami asked. When Allie remained silent, Sami urged her daughter to confide in her. "Rafe was mean to me again," Allie said quietly.
At the loft, Chad stopped by to visit. Surprised, Will asked Chad if he wanted to hang out. With a grin, Chad admitted that he had stopped by to visit Johnny. As Johnny walked into the living room yawning, Chad called out to his nephew. Chad sat on the couch with Will, and Johnny and talked about how he was feeling. Johnny informed Chad that E.J. was going to marry Nicole the next day. When Will admitted that he had turned down Johnny's invitation to the wedding, Johnny interrupted to ask Chad to join him at the wedding. Chad agreed to think about Johnny's offer.
After Will sent Johnny off to bed, he asked whether Chad was seriously considering attending E.J.'s wedding. Chad admitted that E.J. had asked him to be the best man. Will noted that it was important to Johnny to have someone at his side at the wedding. "What do you say, Uncle Chad?" Will asked.
At the hospital, Chloe confronted Melanie about her interest in Parker. As Chloe yelled at Melanie, Philip rounded the corner and asked Chloe why she was arguing with Melanie. Chloe noted that Melanie was planning to take Parker from her. "Is that true?" Philip asked Melanie. As Melanie stood there, Chloe interjected that she had overheard Melanie talking to someone on the phone about what a horrible mother Chloe was. "Why would I say something like that?" Melanie lied. Chloe claimed that she was not crazy and pleaded with Philip to believe her.
"I don't know what you thought you heard, but I do know Melanie would never take Parker away from you," Philip assured Chloe. Insulted, Chloe asked Philip what he meant. Philip explained that he had told Melanie what Chloe had confided in him earlier. "I have to look out for the baby," Philip added. "I thought I could count on you. I thought I could trust you," Chloe cried out, then stormed off.
At the Brady Pub, Taylor daydreamed about E.J. while Nicole was planning the wedding. Nicole called out to Taylor to arouse her from her dream, startling her sister, who spilled coffee on her shirt. With a sly smile, Nicole asked Taylor if she was thinking about her mystery man.
Outside the Brady Pub, E.J. thought about Taylor, then chastised himself for thinking about a stranger when he was due to be wed. "Forget about her," E.J. said firmly before marching into the pub. As E.J. glanced about the room, he spotted Nicole at a table by herself. E.J. walked over to the table and asked Nicole if her sister was in the pub. Nicole explained that Taylor was in the restroom, cleaning coffee out of her blouse.
In the DiMera dungeon, Stefano assured Rafe that he was a man of his word, so he intended to take Allie away from Sami and place her with another family. Furious, Rafe lunged toward the bars to grab Stefano, but weak, Rafe collapsed to the ground. Chuckling, Stefano told Rafe that he was faking his collapse. When Rafe did not move as Stefano stepped on his hand, Stefano realized Rafe was actually unconscious; Stefano shrugged.
Stefano called E.J. at the pub and asked him to return home in order to deal with a Rafe problem. With a sigh, E.J. hung up his phone and informed Nicole that he needed to leave in order to take care of business. "That means I won't see you until the wedding," Nicole said quietly. E.J. apologized for leaving and missing out on meeting Taylor. With a nod, Nicole admitted that she understood. "Tomorrow I promise you're going to have the wedding of your dreams," E.J. said as he kissed Nicole softly.
Taylor was returning to the table as Chloe walked into the pub hurriedly. Nicole introduced Chloe to her sister Taylor, but a nervous Chloe asked Nicole if they could talk privately about an urgent matter. Taylor stepped away to give Nicole and Chloe privacy, and Chloe informed Nicole that she would not be able to serve as Nicole's maid of honor. Chloe said that she was under too much stress and would not be able to go to the wedding. As Chloe ran out of the pub, Taylor approached her sister and asked if Chloe was all right. "I don't know. I can't worry about that right now. I have a wedding to plan," Nicole said quietly.
After calling the wedding planner to substitute Taylor in as the maid of honor, Nicole thanked her sister for agreeing to help her. Taylor worried that she would not be able to fit into Chloe's dress, since Chloe was "so va-va-voom." Laughing, Nicole assured Taylor that they would figure out the dress situation before the wedding. "I am going to undo all the mistakes I did before. This is the begging of a whole new life for me," Nicole said cheerfully.
Down on the pier, Brady talked on the phone with a Titan employee and noted that Victor was retired. From the shadowy stairwell, Vivian overheard Brady's phone call and cried out with glee. "Did I hear right?" Vivian asked. "Probably. You're the best eavesdropper around," Brady said wryly. Vivian congratulated Brady on ousting Victor from power. "When I rescued you from that island that was going to be my last interaction with you. My family and Titan industries is none of your business," Brady said sternly. Vivian thanked Brady for "destroying" Victor in a way she had not been able to.
Vivian waved hello to Philip as he walked around the corner on to the pier. When Philip asked Brady if he had seen Chloe, a chagrined Vivian wondered aloud whether Philip had heard the news. Ignorant of Brady's coup, Philip asked what had happened. Before Brady could inform Philip of his takeover of Titan, Vivian jumped in and informed Philip that Brady had taken Titan away from Victor and was now Philip's boss. Brady admitted that Vivian was telling the truth.
Brady informed Philip that he had forced Vivian to sign Titan over to Brady rather than Victor. Angry, Philip yelled at Brady and wondered aloud why Victor had not told him what Brady had done. Brady insisted that Philip would keep his job at Titan. "I don't give a damn about that! How could you do this to my father?" Philip asked.
Brady reminded Philip that Victor had married Vivian after she had attempted to murder Melanie. Philip countered that Victor was the one that had taken Brady in after his stint in rehab and had also let Nicole move into the mansion to keep Brady happy. "This is how you pay him back? You go to hell," Philip said quietly as he walked away.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Maggie dropped by the mansion with Parker. Cooing over his grandson, Victor marveled over how much Parker looked like Philip. "I think he looks like you," Maggie commented with a grin. Victor wondered aloud if Maggie was the one that needed cheering up. When Maggie asked what Victor meant, he explained that he had stopped by Chez Rouge on Valentine's Day and had seen her crying. With a smile, Maggie assured Victor that she was fine and he did not need to worry.
Out in the Kiriakis foyer, Kate arrived at the mansion and overheard Maggie talking to Victor about Chloe. "My bringing Parker over is my way of thanking you for leaving Chloe alone. She's really pretty fragile right now," Maggie said. "I didn't do it for her. I did it because you asked me to," Victor said softly. Out in the foyer, Kate rolled her eyes as she listened to Victor and Maggie talking. With a sigh, Kate marched into the living room and began to coo over Parker.
Noticing Kate's indifference to Maggie, Victor reminded Kate that Maggie was in the room. With a condescending grin, Kate greeted Maggie. "Every time I see Parker, everyone else seems to disappear," Kate joked. Maggie announced that she needed to leave, and Kate encouraged Maggie to leave Parker with her. Maggie hesitated, but Kate reminded Maggie that Parker was safe with his grandparents. With a nod, Maggie left. Victor asked Kate why she was visiting, and Kate announced that she needed Victor's help but that she did not believe he was up to the task.
"Bottom line is my grandson will not be raised by a whore. Maggie Horton may be able to march you around, but she won't do the same to me," Kate said. Angry, Kate walked out of the Kiriakis mansion. As Kate exited the front door, she received a call from Melanie. Melanie warned Kate that Chloe had overheard their phone call and then told Philip about it. When Kate asked where Chloe was, Melanie informed Kate that Chloe was filling her prescription for antidepressants and then heading home. "Antidepressants? Now I know exactly how to handle this situation," Kate said with a smile.
In the DiMera living room, Stefano questioned why E.J. had allowed faux Rafe to beat up Rafe in the dungeon. With a chuckle, E.J. asked why Stefano was worried about Rafe's health. Frustrated, Stefano noted that E.J. was the one who wanted to keep Rafe alive. Waving his hand dismissively, Stefano added that Rafe's health issues were not related to his beating. Stefano explained that Rafe was suffering from walking pneumonia and would make a full recovery. Concerned, Stefano noted that they were taking too many chances and needed to move on to stage two of their plan.
E.J. talked about his plan for faux Rafe to alienate himself form the children and encourage Sami to divorce Rafe. "At which point I will be married to Nicole. Now Samantha will know that if anything happens to me, Nicole will inherit all of the legal rights to my children," E.J. said. Nodding, Stefano agreed but added that Rafe had escaped once and they needed to take precautions to prevent another attempt. E.J. assured Stefano that they could not rush their plan, or else Sami would become suspicious. "If this situation gets out of hand again, Rafael Hernandez is a dead man," Stefano said.
In Maggie's kitchen, Chloe was staring at her bottle of antidepressants when Kate knocked on the back door. Chloe answered the door and, seeing that Kate was on the stoop, Chloe started to close the door in Kate's face. Kate blocked the door and noted that she wanted to visit Parker. With a sigh, Chloe countered that Parker was out with Maggie. Kate asked Chloe if she was feeling better, and Chloe reluctantly allowed Kate to enter the kitchen.
Chloe admitted that she believed she would feel better once she started taking the antidepressants that Daniel had prescribed. "So you're sure they won't harm Parker, right? I mean, you're still nursing, though, aren't you?" Kate inquired. Chloe admitted that she was no longer nursing her son. Chloe added that Daniel would not prescribe medication that would harm Parker. Attempting to get a rise out of Chloe, Kate noted that Parker was no longer Daniel's concern.
"You are Parker's mother, and I would do anything I had to to make sure that you're in the best possible shape to give that boy the best possible life," Kate said. "Don't you think I want that too?" Chloe asked defiantly. With a sigh, Kate explained that Chloe needed to be healthy and strong for her son. "I don't see any of those things in you," Kate said. Angry, Chloe noted that she would do everything she could to get better and be there for her son. Kate picked up the bottle of antidepressants and looked at the label.
With a grin, Kate noted that she had done a story on the pills for her magazine and that Chloe would soon "feel like a completely different woman." Worried, Chloe asked Kate if that was a good thing. Kate shrugged and noted that Daniel likely prescribed the medication so that Chloe would no longer feel the loss of him and "that would be good for everyone." "I want to get over losing Daniel, but I don't want to be a zombie," Chloe said. When Chloe worried about losing all her emotions, she noted that she wanted her son to see her handle her emotions without the aid of drugs.
Chloe grabbed the pills and poured them down the sink as Kate smiled behind her back. With a sigh, Chloe asked Kate not to tell anyone that she had thrown away the pills. "I'm kind of glad we had this talk," Chloe admitted. "If I helped you at all, I'm glad too," Kate said.
At the loft, Allie finished packed her stuff for the trip to Hong Kong while Sami lamented to faux Rafe that Allie had said he was being mean to her. "She tell you about it?" faux Rafe inquired. Shaking her head, Sami admitted that Allie had not explained what had happened but that Sami did not know how to explain to Allie that Rafe was having difficulties because of his concussion. Faux Rafe apologized for being irritable, and Sami assured faux Rafe that not every parent was perfect all the time. Sami noted that Allie would have fun with her father and that Rafe would be himself by the time Allie returned home.
When Sami went to check on Allie's progress, faux Rafe stepped into the hallway of the apartment building and called Stefano. Faux Rafe explained that Lucas had sent for Allie. "A narrow escape. One that Rafael does not have to know about," Stefano announced. When faux Rafe admitted that he was lucky to be rid of Allie, since she had told Sami that he was being mean to Allie, an alarmed Stefano asked faux Rafe if Sami was suspicious. "Not yet, but if she starts to be, I'm just gonna have to shut her up. For good," faux Rafe said.
E.J. was walking down the staircase at the DiMera mansion when the doorbell rang. With a sigh, E.J. opened the door to find Chad. E.J. invited his brother into the mansion and asked why Chad was visiting. "If it's not too late, I decided I'm okay with being your best man," Chad said. Pleased, E.J. admitted that Chad was not too late. E.J. asked Chad what had changed his mind, and Chad admitted that Johnny had asked him to attend the wedding.
Downstairs in the dungeon, Rafe woke up. Marco informed Rafe that if he attempted to escape again, Marco would kill him. After Marco left the dungeon, Rafe muttered to himself, "Except the next time I break out of here, you're not going to know about it."
Bo and Hope were having breakfast at the Brady Pub. Hope confided that it had been a huge relief when they had dropped Ciara off at school that morning to find that the other parents had been happy to see her. Bo noted that since he'd been suspended, the two of them could do whatever they wanted for the first time in a very long time.
Abe arrived then with Theo, both of them dressed for Nicole and E.J.'s wedding. Abe was happy to see his old friends -- and that he and Theo had time to join them for breakfast and catching up.
Afterwards, Abe announced that it was time to leave, and wondered if Nicole and E.J. would actually make it to the end of the wedding ceremony. "I hope the two of them are as happy as they deserve to be," Hope declared, her eyes twinkling mischievously. On his way out, Abe stated sincerely, "It really was great bumping into both of you and having coffee. I'll never take it for granted again."
Hope and Bo concurred with Abe that they shouldn't take things for granted. Bo noted that although he loved Abe and Theo, "They were kind of eating into our bowling time." Before Hope and Bo could head for the lanes, Ciara's school called Bo.
Soon, Ciara was under a blanket on the Bradys' couch, while her parents doted on her. The little girl apologized, since she knew that her parents were supposed to be on a date. Bo assured Ciara that it wasn't her fault that she'd gotten sick. Hope declared that there was nowhere else she'd rather be than at home with Ciara and Bo.
After Ciara ate some soup, she asked for ice cream. "I thought you said you had a tummy ache," Hope noted. Bo tried to look stern as he asked if Ciara were truly ill. "I just wanted to be on your date with you," Ciara admitted sheepishly. Laughing, Hope scooped the girl up. "Why didn't you just say so?" Hope asked.
Soon, all three Bradys were snuggled on the couch, watching a movie and munching on popcorn. Bo grumbled that just because the lead in the movie was a handsome prince, it didn't make him a good guy. Ciara shushed her dad. Bo looked over his daughter's head at Hope, and whispered, "Not exactly what I had planned for today." Hope whispered back, "You know what? This is even better." Observing their exchange, Ciara beamed happily.
An exhausted Chloe was sitting folding laundry in Maggie's kitchen, with Parker in his bassinette next to her, when Maggie entered on her way out to E.J. and Nicole's wedding. Maggie tried to get Chloe to change her mind about attending the wedding, but Chloe wanted to stay home with the baby. "I haven't exactly been present in his life so far," Chloe pointed out. Unaware that Kate had convinced Chloe to throw the pills out, Maggie was optimistic that the new medication would help ease Chloe's postpartum depression.
After Maggie left, Chloe promised Parker that she would be strong and a good mother to him. Kate arrived just then and accused Chloe of talking to herself. Chloe complained that Kate had arrived without calling first, and tiredly ordered Kate to go away. Kate argued that because Chloe had thrown out her medicine -- but she'd sworn Kate to secrecy about it -- it put Kate in a position of responsibility.
Chloe countered that she, not Kate, was responsible for Parker. With a sigh, Kate guessed that God had picked her to know Chloe's secret because she had also been a single mother. "I know the bone-weariness of taking care of a child 24/7 when you're feeling so very alone," Kate asserted.
Philip entered just then, and reminded Kate that Chloe was not alone. Kate claimed that she had only been trying to talk Chloe into going to Nicole's wedding. Chloe informed Philip that she was no longer the maid of honor, because Nicole's sister had returned to town. Philip expressed his skepticism, pointing out that Kate detested both Nicole and Chloe.
Philip reminded his mother of his earlier threat about what would happen if she didn't leave Chloe alone, and declared that he was ready to make good on the threat. At the end of her rope, Chloe pleaded, "Philip, can you please just make her go away?" Kate left after urging Philip, "Talk to her; you'll see I'm right."
Chloe accused Philip of having sided with Melanie, who wanted to take Parker away from Chloe. "Nobody's taking your baby away from you!" Philip countered, adding, "And you made sure no one could, because you're taking your medication. You're getting better. You take those pills, and everything's gonna be fine, right?" Philip encouraged Chloe to take a nap while he looked after Parker.
Suddenly, Chloe thought she heard the baby cry, but as she and Philip looked into the crib, they saw that Parker was fine. Chloe was grateful to Philip for not hating her after she'd put Parker in danger. Philip repeated his suggestion that Chloe should take a nap while he stayed with the baby. Chloe informed him that Maggie had promised to take Parker to the wedding to show him off, so Chloe would sleep then. She assured Philip that she was fine, and she would call if she needed him.
After Philip left, Chloe heard Parker crying gain. Without looking at him, she shouted, "Please stop. Why won't you stop crying, Parker? What the hell is wrong with you?" She then looked into the baby's bassinette, but Parker was just looking around happily -- and silently. Chloe paced around the kitchen, holding her ears and her head, as she continued to hallucinate that Parker was crying. "Make it stop! Make it stop! Make it stop!" she cried.
As if in a daze, Chloe wrote something on a notepad, and read part of it aloud: "Please forgive me for what I'm about to do. I just can't take it anymore."
E.J. awakened from a dream in which his mystery woman had been in bed next to him, wishing him a happy wedding day.
Lexie, Nicole, and Taylor arrived at Chez Rouge, and marveled at the loveliness of the wedding decorations. The fireplace and doorways were festooned with floral garlands, and stands of flowers and candelabras were scattered about the room. White chairs were arranged on either side of a white aisle runner. After making sure Nicole didn't need anything further, Lexie left for the DiMera mansion to check on the DiMera men.
Taylor remarked that Nicole seemed more emotional about the wedding than Taylor had expected. "I am," Nicole admitted. "I didn't expect it either -- but then, I didn't expect to fall in love with E.J. all over again." Shocked, Taylor pointed out that it was self-destructive of Nicole to fall in love with a man as dangerous as E.J. -- who was only using Nicole. Nicole thought Taylor might understand if she had ever met E.J.
Taylor cautioned, "Nicole, you're marrying into the DiMera family for the second time. The first time didn't go that well -- and they didn't despise you the way they do now. You need to be on guard, wary -- not in love with the man who's playing you like a poker hand." Taylor added that it would be disastrous to sentimentalize what was supposed to be a business arrangement. Nicole softly stated that she was only being honest. "I love E.J.," she said simply.
The sisters then agreed to change the subject. Producing a tiny piece of gypsy lace, Taylor explained that it could be Nicole's old and borrowed items. Taylor explained that when she'd lived in Romania, her host family's little girl had given the lace to Taylor to use in her wedding. Touched, Nicole accepted the token, and assured Taylor, "You can borrow it back for your wedding." After Taylor put on her slinky, royal blue bridesmaid's gown, Nicole lamented that there weren't going to be any eligible single men at the wedding to see her sister looking "drop-dead gorgeous."
In the dungeon, Stefano stood in his tuxedo outside Rafe's cell, and chattered about E.J. and Nicole's impending nuptials. Rafe sat in stony silence on his cot. Stefano noted that Rafe had not asked about Allie, and taunted, "Her fate was in your hands. The guilt must be crushing." A weak Rafe lunged ineffectually at Stefano, and vowed that if anything happened to Allie, he would escape and kill Stefano. Stefano asserted that Rafe's was an empty threat.
When Ted arrived in the dungeon, Stefano cautioned him that Rafe liked to pretend to be asleep. Ted noted that there didn't seem to be any danger of Rafe trying to escape again. Stefano instructed, "It isn't your job to keep him contained; it's your job to make sure that he does not die."
After Stefano had gone, suddenly Rafe began to moan, complaining loudly that his head hurt. He begged Ted for help, but a skeptical Ted declared that he wasn't buying it. Rafe collapsed onto his bunk, so Ted grudgingly got up, placed his gun and holster on the table, and unlocked the cell. As Ted crouched next to the cot to make sure Rafe was breathing, Rafe began to cough violently. Ted promised to get the doctor, and urged Rafe to hang on. Ted locked the cell, retrieved his gun, and hurried out. As soon as the door closed, Rafe sat up -- with Ted's pilfered cell phone in his hands.
When Lexie arrived at the DiMera mansion, E.J. was instructing Ted, one of his henchmen, to find E.J.'s mystery woman. Ted maintained that with only a physical description, it would be difficult. Lexie entered the living room as Ted was leaving. She confronted her brother about searching for a beautiful woman on the day he was getting married. E.J. asserted that he and Nicole were getting married for the children -- not for love.
Lexie wondered if Nicole would mind that E.J. was already looking for "a little somethin' on the side." E.J. insisted that he was merely trying to find out a little more about a woman he'd met, and then tried to change the subject. With a knowing but dreading grin, Lexie remarked, "Ooh, little brother. You've got it bad -- and that ain't good."
Chad arrived while Lexie was trying to convince E.J. that he couldn't control every aspect of his life. "Saved by the latest sibling," E.J. joked, and then greeted his new brother warmly. Lexie declared that Chad looked "criminally handsome" in his tuxedo. Stefano arrived just then, and took full credit for all of his children being so attractive. He expressed his pleasure at seeing Chad there with the family, but Chad was worried that he was making a big mistake.
E.J. offered champagne to Chad and Lexie, but they both declined. E.J. complained that they weren't being very celebratory. Lexie announced that she had to return to the bride, but first she wanted to take a picture of the handsome DiMera men in their tuxedos. As the men posed for her, a beaming Lexie noted that they almost seemed like a normal family. Chad joked that they were more like the Addams Family.
After Lexie left, and Chad had gone upstairs to help Johnny get dressed, Stefano urged E.J. to "take it easy" with Chad. E.J. insisted he was trying -- and he refused to let anything ruin his lighthearted mood on his wedding day. A cynical Stefano didn't understand why E.J. wanted to tie himself to Nicole again, but E.J. maintained that he and Nicole knew exactly what their marriage meant. The two men then left for the wedding.
When Lexie returned to Chez Rouge, Nicole wanted to know whether E.J. was in a good mood. Lexie replied that he seemed to be. "My sister is a little skeptical about the wedding," Nicole noted. She then assured Lexie and Taylor, "I think E.J. and I have made some real progress. This time, we're starting off completely honest with each other... I really think this marriage is going to be better than E.J. thinks." Nicole then left the room to get dressed. Lexie remarked to Taylor that Nicole seemed overly -- and perhaps misguidedly -- optimistic about the marriage.
When Philip arrived at Chez Rouge, he warned Kate again to stay away from Chloe. Kate expressed her concern about Parker, but Philip snapped that there was nothing to worry about. As the other guests began to arrive, Lexie pointed out to Abe how well Chad was getting along with Johnny and Theo. E.J. arrived and inquired about Nicole and Taylor, whose name he couldn't remember. Lexie reassured him that his bride was getting dressed in Maggie's office.
Pacing a bit nervously near the altar, E.J. asked Chad where the rings were. Chad anxiously replied that he didn't have them, and E.J. pretended to freak out -- until Johnny piped up and told Chad, "He's punking you!" After they all shared a laugh, E.J. thanked Chad for being there, and for looking after Johnny. He then gave Chad a ring box, but Chad pointed out that he wouldn't know when to produce them because there hadn't been a rehearsal. E.J. quipped lightly, "Don't worry about it. No, this is a DiMera wedding. Something always gets screwed up."
When Maggie arrived at Chez Rouge, Philip asked where Parker was. Taken aback, Maggie replied that the baby was at home with Chloe -- where she thought Philip was going to be. Philip muttered something about how he and Chloe had gotten their wires crossed, and then left.
Once everyone was seated, E.J. and Chad stood at the altar, their backs to the guests, as Pachelbel's Canon began to play. Theo and Johnny each held one of Sydney's hands, and led the little girl down the center aisle, to the guests' delight. In Maggie's office, a giddy Nicole told Taylor, "Okay, kid -- it's show time!" Taylor headed out and down the aisle ahead of Nicole. Only when she reached the altar did E.J. turn to look at her, and their eyes locked in stunned recognition. "You," each whispered, eyes wide.
A worried Philip returned to Maggie's, and found the note that Chloe had left for him on the kitchen table. It read, "Please forgive me for what I'm about to do, but I just can't take it anymore. There is only one place I can feel at peace -- where I fell and he picked me up." Philip dropped the notepad and rushed out.
Chloe had Parker in her arms, bundled up in a blanket, as she walked on the pier pushing his stroller. "God forgive me for this, but I have no choice," she murmured, her eyes blank as she turned them toward the sky, and then looked down at Parker.
Philip went to Maggie's house and found the note that Chloe had written. "Dear Philip, please forgive me for what I'm about to do...but I just can't take it anymore," the note read. Philip desperately tried to call Chloe's cell phone as he continued to read the note. "'Where I fell and you picked me up...,'" Philip paused as he realized what the reference meant. "Oh, my God. Please let me be wrong about this," Philip said as he rushed out of the house.
Chloe stood near the edge of the pier, holding Parker in her arms. "God, forgive me for this...but I have no choice," she said as she looked at Parker. "This is what's best...for both of us," she continued. Chloe placed Parker in his stroller and pinned a note to his blanket. "That's to make sure that you're gonna be okay," Chloe told her son.
"I have to do this, because I love you so much. I have to make sure that you get what you need. You need a mother like Melanie and a father like Philip. He's gonna be a really good dad, and you are gonna be happy," Chloe said. Chloe smiled and added, "You'll never even miss me."
After saying goodbye to Parker, Chloe calmly walked over to the edge of the pier and released one of the safety chains from the railing. Chloe took one final look at her son, then she stepped forward and threw herself into the water. Later, Philip arrived at the pier and was relieved to discover that Parker was all right. After reading the note that had been pinned to Parker's blanket, Philip realized that Chloe had jumped into the water. Philip quickly jumped in after her.
In the DiMera dungeon, Rafe faked a coughing fit to get the guard to enter his cell. While the guard was distracted, Rafe pilfered his phone. After the guard left the room to get a doctor, Rafe quickly placed a phone call to the police station. "This is Rafe Hernandez. This is an emergency. Patch me through to Roman Brady," he told the operator. Roman answered the phone, but before Rafe could tell Roman what had happened, the guard returned and put Rafe in a chokehold. After Rafe had passed out, the guard reached into the cell and hung up the phone.
Meanwhile, at the Brady Pub, Roman's suspicions were aroused by the phone call he had received from Rafe. Fake Rafe entered the pub, unaware of what had happened. "What the hell? What's going on?" Roman demanded when he saw Fake Rafe. Fake Rafe didn't understand what Roman was upset about, so Roman added, "The phone right now -- was that you?" Fake Rafe stammered, "Uh, what? You think that I -- I called you?"
"Yeah, I do," Roman said. "'Cause it was your voice saying it was you and you were in trouble. Now, you want to tell me what you're doing?" Roman asked. Fake Rafe insisted that he had not tried to call Roman. "Well, that is very strange," Roman admitted, then added, "It wasn't a great connection, but it sure as hell sounded a lot like you. And I could have sworn whoever it was said they were Rafe Hernandez." Roman called the police station and asked someone to try to trace the location of the call.
Fake Rafe panicked and blurted out, "Okay, it was me. I made that call." Roman demanded an explanation from Fake Rafe. Fake Rafe scrambled to make up an excuse for the call. "So, I'm on my way here, driving...and I get this headache -- blinding. So I pull over and call 9-1-1," Fake Rafe explained. Fake Rafe told Roman that he had asked for Roman personally because he didn't want the headaches to jeopardize his chances of getting back on the force.
Roman wondered why Fake Rafe hadn't told his doctors about the headaches. "Well, the doctors -- they know about it. They don't seem that worried. They say that it's because of the accident," Fake Rafe said, then insisted, "But they're getting better -- the headaches." Roman reluctantly agreed that he wouldn't report the phone call to anyone at the police department. "But I will demand that you get a complete physical before you come back on the force," Roman told Fake Rafe.
At the hospital, Daniel entered Jennifer's room and watched as she angrily threw her belongings on the floor. Daniel wondered if Jennifer was all right. Jennifer said that she was waiting for someone to pick her up at the hospital, and she was agitated because they were running late. Daniel admitted that he was pleased that Jennifer was still at the hospital. Daniel explained that he had something that he wanted to talk to her about.
"The truth is...well, in the O.R., I'm great," Daniel said, then added, "Afterwards, bedside, when it comes to talking about feelings, I pretty much, uh, suck." Jennifer agreed with Daniel. "Great. Well, we've established that. But I think we have to," Daniel said. Daniel carefully explained that cardiac patients often suffered from depression after they were released from the hospital. Daniel told Jennifer that he didn't want her to feel embarrassed about asking him for help if she started feeling depressed.
Jennifer assured Daniel that she would be fine, but Daniel wasn't convinced. "You know, what concerns me is that you just throw all your stuff on the floor, and then you act all perky and --" Jennifer cut Daniel off before he could finish his sentence. "I am not depressed. I am furious. That's what I am," Jennifer blurted out. "Oh, about your husband?" Daniel asked. Jennifer warned Daniel to mind his own business.
"Easy, princess. You think I'm enjoying this?" Daniel asked, then added, "Look, I'm not a fan of sharing, but you are my patient, and I'm worried that your immediate family isn't here when you need them most." Jennifer sighed and started to gather her belongings. "Because of the man that I fell in love with, my children -- who have absolutely no say in this matter at all -- have a really unreliable, flaky father," Jennifer explained.
"But you know what? They have a really strong mother who takes care of them, and who is never gonna fall apart and always be there for them, and it's never gonna be the other way around," she added as she grew more frustrated. "But you still love him," Daniel observed. Jennifer admitted that Daniel was correct. "I wish I didn't still love him, but I do," Jennifer admitted, then added, "But I also know that it's never gonna work. It's never, ever gonna work. So when you know that there's no hope, what do you do? You move on, right?"
After Jennifer was finished venting, she pointed out that Daniel needed to take his own advice. "Since you brought it up, I have something that I want to say to you," Jennifer said, then added, "Physician, heal thyself." Daniel scoffed and insisted that he was all right -- he wasn't the one who had just had heart surgery. "No, you had a heart broken," Jennifer noted. "I see you around here. If you're not dealing with life and death, you are walking around here like a zombie," she added.
Daniel tried to deny Jennifer's allegations, but she reminded him that it was a reporter's job to be observant. "So, what is it? Are you too embarrassed to ask for help?" Jennifer wondered. Before Daniel could respond, a nurse walked in and interrupted, looking for an empty room to place a new patient in. Daniel shrugged and told Jennifer, "Wow, saved by the nurse. You know, that's too bad, 'cause I was ready to just open up about my feelings." As they exited the room, Philip rushed into the hospital, carrying Chloe in his arms.
"She was in the river," Philip explained. "I don't know for how long. Daniel...she jumped," Philip added. Philip assured Daniel that Parker was all right. Philip explained that he had left Parker with a nurse in the lobby. Daniel rushed off to check on Chloe, and Jennifer went to the lobby to find Parker.
Daniel returned a short time later with some fresh scrubs for Philip to wear. "Why aren't you with Chloe? Oh, my God, she's not --" Philip started to ask, but Daniel cut him off and assured him that Chloe was all right. "I thought maybe I shouldn't be the first person she sees when she wakes up," Daniel explained. "There are two good doctors with her now," he added. Philip told Daniel about the two suicide notes that Chloe had written.
Daniel was horrified and insisted that he was to blame for Chloe's suicide attempt. "I gave her the wrong meds. Chloe would not have done this if I had just...." Daniel's voice trailed off. "'If....' There's a whole lot of 'if's, aren't there?" Philip observed. "But the blame always comes back to me," Philip admitted. Daniel wondered how Philip had known where to find Chloe.
"I knew because of you," Philip explained. "The note she left at Maggie's...she said she was going back to the place where you picked her up when she fell. She told me once that...it was New Year's Eve, and when you helped her, she twisted her ankle," Philip added. Daniel assured Philip that the note was a good sign. "She was saying where she was going. She wanted someone to stop her," Daniel noted, but Philip wasn't convinced.
"I think she wanted to go somewhere where she had been happy. She told me that New Year's Eve was when she first started to fall in love with you," Philip explained. "It seems like a very long time ago," Daniel admitted as he recalled the events of that night. "Daniel, we both know that there aren't enough meds in the world to change the fact that she loves you more than her own life," Philip observed. A nurse interrupted their conversation and announced that Chloe had woken up.
"Look, I don't think that she's the only one who's still in love," Philip observed. "Look, man, she and I screwed up, big time. But you two -- that's the real thing," Philip added, but Daniel wasn't interested in Philip's advice. "Why don't you shut up?" Daniel snapped. "Why don't you go in there and be with the mother of your son? And why don't you make a mental note -- I don't ever want to hear you analyze my life," Daniel added before walking away.
After Daniel was gone, Philip went into Chloe's room and found her lying in bed with a blank expression on her face. Philip sat on the edge of Chloe's bed and gently asked her if she was all right. "I don't know what I was thinking," Chloe told Philip. "Daniel said the meds weren't right. It's not your fault. None of this is your fault," Philip assured her. Chloe shook her head and said, "We both know that's not true."
Jennifer was playing with Parker when Daniel walked past her. Jennifer asked Daniel to stay, but Daniel wasn't in the mood to see Parker. Daniel claimed that he had a patient that he needed to take care of, but Jennifer could tell that he was lying. "You can't even be in the same room with him? He didn't do anything to you," Jennifer reminded Daniel. "What, you think I don't know that?" Daniel asked, then added, "You think I like feeling this way?"
"I think the feeling that you don't like feeling is love," Jennifer stated. "And you don't want to love him...but you do," she added. "Do you think you're telling me something that I don't know?" Daniel wondered. "Yes, I love Parker. And I don't think any of this would hurt quite as much as it does if I didn't," he added. Jennifer urged Daniel to hold Parker, but Daniel was hesitant.
"See, the thing is, if I pick him up...I'm not sure how I'm gonna be able to ever let him go," he explained. "You know, my Gram told me once that eventually you have to let everyone go," Jennifer noted. "But while you have them, you need to love 'em, and you need to take care of them while you can. So what are you gonna do about this?" she asked. Daniel hesitated for a moment, then slowly walked over to the stroller and picked Parker up.
At the DiMera mansion, E.J. and Nicole's wedding ceremony started. Taylor was shocked when she saw that her mystery man was standing at the altar. As E.J. and Taylor stared at each other, Nicole entered the room and noticed the tension between them. "What the hell just happened here?" she muttered to herself. Nicole quickly made her way down the aisle and asked E.J. and Taylor for an explanation.
"It's nothing, that's all," E.J. explained. "Your sister and I are just a little bit, um...taken aback, because it turns out that we met one another. We just -- we didn't know who the other person was, so...." As E.J. apologized for the "hiccup," Lexie seemed to realize that Taylor was the mystery woman E.J. had told her about. Meanwhile, Nicole seemed to wonder if her groom was the man that Taylor had been pining after. E.J. asked Nicole if she was ready to continue with the ceremony. "No," Nicole said, then added, "not unless I get some answers first."
The wedding guests watched with mixed reactions. Stefano rolled his eyes and told Kate, "Here we go again." Kate smirked and whispered, "Wedding interruptus. Does that really surprise you, my darling?" Johnny asked Chad why the wedding had stopped. "I'm not sure," Chad admitted. Abe wondered if Lexie knew what had caused the interruption. "I hope it's not what I think it is," Lexie said with a sigh.
Nicole reiterated her request for an explanation. "It's a weird coincidence, that's all," Taylor insisted, but Nicole knew that it was more than that. "You two couldn't move," Nicole noted, then added, "It seems this chance meeting was a little more than bumping into each other in the checkout line." E.J. sighed and said, "Okay, look...you say you want answers. I just want one. Do you want to get married today?"
E.J. reminded Nicole that they were getting married because of Johnny and Sydney. "Surely some chance encounter with your sister isn't going to upset our arrangement?" E.J. asked. Nicole recalled her earlier conversation with Taylor, where Nicole had admitted that she had fallen in love with E.J. again. Nicole smiled and said, "Yes. Yes, I do want to get married." E.J. happily told the guests to return to their seats so that the ceremony could resume.
"Well, any chance of disaster being averted is out the window now," Kate sighed. Stefano smiled and said, "I seem to remember a very reluctant bride in her wedding vows in this very room." As Kate recalled her wedding to Stefano, he added, "One never knows how things are going to turn out." Kate admitted that Stefano was correct. "Look at my two sons and my grandson," Stefano continued with pride. Kate admitted that Stefano had a beautiful family. "Our family, sweetheart," Stefano pointed out, and added thoughtfully, "All together. Hmm. You know, no matter what you might say, this is a very proud day for me."
As the judge started the ceremony, Taylor recalled her first meeting with E.J. on the pier. When the judge asked if anyone had any objections, Nicole gave her sister a quick glance. As Nicole started to say her vows, E.J. noticed that Taylor was about to collapse. E.J. rushed past Nicole and caught Taylor as she fainted in his arms.
"What a delicate flower. I haven't seen anyone swoon in years," Kate dryly quipped as she watched Taylor. Before Stefano could respond, he received a text message on his phone that read, "URGENT." Stefano quickly excused himself. "You're going to leave me at your son's wedding all alone? Where's the bartender?" Kate sighed. Meanwhile, Johnny asked Chad, "Who is that lady?" Chad explained that "that lady" was Nicole's sister. "She's pretty," Johnny observed. "Oh, yeah," Chad agreed.
Lexie checked Taylor's vitals and asked if Taylor was prone to fainting spells. Taylor said that she had never fainted before. "But I feel better now. I -- I do. I just, uh -- I just got a little light-headed," Taylor assured Lexie. Nicole was skeptical, and said, "Really? 'Cause it looked like you were overcome with emotion." Taylor insisted that she was all right. "I screwed things up enough already," Taylor added.
The judge returned and asked E.J. if he would like to resume the wedding. E.J. looked at Nicole and said, "Third time's the charm, right?" As Nicole recited her vows for the second time, Kate rolled her eyes and took a sip of her martini. Lexie watched as her brother recited his vows, and she recalled the conversation that she had overheard earlier between E.J. and one of the DiMera investigators. "Oh, E.J. Is she who you were looking for? Was it Taylor?" Lexie silently wondered.
E.J. and Nicole exchanged rings, and the judge introduced the couple as husband and wife. With a heavy sigh, Taylor watched as E.J. and Nicole kissed. E.J. hugged Nicole, but his gaze immediately drifted to Taylor.
Stefano met with Fake Rafe on the pier. "This had better be damn good," Stefano warned. Fake Rafe told Stefano about Rafe's phone call. Fake Rafe insisted that he had "defused" the situation. "So then you think everything is all right?" Stefano asked.
"No, everything is not all right," Fake Rafe snapped. "That guy is still in the cell. He's not gonna stop trying to get out of there. We might not be so lucky next time," he added. "What are you saying?" Stefano asked. "I'm saying we should have him killed," Fake Rafe stated.
"That is not your decision," Stefano warned Fake Rafe. "Fine," Fake Rafe conceded, then added, "but you and I both know that he's not gonna stop trying to get out of there. And he is gonna get out of there, and he is gonna get to Sami...unless you have him killed first." Meanwhile, back in his cell, Rafe regained consciousness. "I'm coming for you, Sami. I swear I'm coming for you," Rafe vowed.
Roman went to Bo and Hope's because he hadn't been able to reach Bo's cell phone, and Bo wondered why Roman hadn't tried to get in touch with him another way. Hope practically skipped into the room, and greeted her brother-in-law with a hug. When she noted Roman's glum demeanor, she asked what was wrong. Roman declared that he had good news: the police review board had cleared Bo of all charges.
"The ruling says that they consider the jailbreak the equivalent of rescuing a hostage," Roman explained, adding, "You'll be reinstated in the morning, Commissioner Brady." Hope was elated, but Bo said that he was "waiting for the other shoe to drop." Roman admitted that although the board commended Hope for her work taking down the organ-selling syndicate, they couldn't reinstate her to the police department, because she was still a convicted felon. Bo blew up, but Hope shushed him.
"It's fine -- I'm actually happy. I'm glad I won't have to be a detective anymore," Hope maintained. Roman returned Bo's badge, and said that Bo could pick up his weapon the next morning. Roman cautioned that Bo's paperwork had piled up, because Roman had recused himself while the manhunt for Bo and Hope was going on, and Rafe had gotten in a car accident. Roman added that Rafe would get Hope's former position as detective when he returned to work. Hope was optimistic that everything would work out great. On his way back out, Roman declared, "It's great seeing you two together, in the same house."
After Roman had gone, Bo asked Hope how she was really feeling, since the ruling meant she could never be a cop again. Hope insisted that because of all the recent sadness in their lives, she wanted to look on the bright side: she was out of prison -- and Ciara had her mother back. Hope also wanted to look after Maggie and help Jennifer get back on her feet -- plus, being unemployed meant that she could spend more time with Bo.
Bo reminded her that his schedule would be very busy when he returned to work. Hope reassured him that she could handle it, and then got an inspiration of how to prove it. She went into the kitchen, and returned carrying a beer for Bo -- and wearing a frilly apron. Eyes twinkling, Hope promised to wear it every night when Bo returned home from work. Bo pulled her onto his lap, and kissed her passionately.
Hope pulled away after a moment, and explained, "I guess I'm not ready for whatever is supposed to happen between us, what's supposed to happen next." Bo asked if she were okay with where they were at that moment, and she assured him that she was. When Bo went upstairs to check on Ciara, Hope picked up his badge and looked at it wistfully.
At the hospital, Philip watched Chloe sleep for a moment, and then quietly slipped out of the room. Outside, he complained to Maxine that the medication Chloe had been taking obviously hadn't worked. Maxine stated that antidepressants often took longer to work than just the couple of days Chloe had been taking them. "She's on a suicide watch; we'll make sure that nothing happens to her while she's here," Maxine assured Philip.
When Melanie arrived just then, she wondered why Philip was wearing scrubs. As Maxine returned to the nurses' station, Philip hedged that there had been an accident. It took many questions from Melanie just to get Philip to reluctantly admit that he had jumped in the river, and that it had to do with Chloe falling in the river.
Maxine announced that she was going to check on Chloe. Startled to learn that Chloe was a patient, Melanie grabbed Chloe's chart from Maxine, and read that Chloe had tried to commit suicide. Philip filled Melanie in on how he'd found Chloe's note, figured out that she had gone to the pier to kill herself, and found Parker there alone with a note pinned to his blanket. He continued that when he'd gotten Chloe out of the water, she hadn't even put up a fight.
Melanie demanded to know where Parker was, and declared, "We have to get him now. Philip, Chloe cannot be allowed to raise that baby. She's insane." Philip informed her that Parker was with Jennifer. Melanie asserted that after leaving Parker out in the cold while throwing herself in the river, Chloe shouldn't be given another chance to put the baby in danger like that. Philip maintained that it hadn't really been Chloe's fault, because she had been depressed but on the wrong medication.
Philip didn't think they should take Parker from Chloe, because she would eventually get better. Melanie argued that ever since Daniel had dumped Chloe, she hadn't wanted Parker. "If she was any mother at all, she never would have abandoned him -- we have to take him!" Melanie asserted. A suspicious Philip pointed out, "Not long ago, Chloe said you accused her of being an unfit mother, that she shouldn't be allowed to raise Parker." He added that even though Melanie had denied it, he wasn't sure what to believe.
Philip sat on Chloe's bed once she was awake, and she seemed ashamed of what she had done. Philip was just glad she was feeling better. Chloe admitted, "I'm actually kind of surprised. I thought the medication would make me feel hazy, or like I'm out of it. But I feel like I'm starting to finally get focused again."
Philip asked if Chloe were on a different drug from the one Daniel had prescribed. Chloe reluctantly confessed that she had thrown out the pills the first time, because she had feared they would make her feel worse, or foggy. Philip asked if Daniel had told her there would be bad side effects. Chloe admitted that it had been Kate, not Daniel, who had told her that.
Later, Maxine checked Chloe's vital signs, and was pleased that Chloe did not seem hypothermic. When Maxine asked how Chloe was feeling, Chloe admitted, "Things seem a little brighter." Maxine confided that shortly after her first son was born, she hadn't wanted anything to do with him. "All I wanted was to go to bed. And then I decided that the best thing for everybody would be if I jumped out the window," Maxine divulged matter-of-factly. She continued that she'd gotten better quickly once her mother-in-law had seen to it that she got on the right medication. Maxine urged Chloe to hang on, because things would get better.
At Chez Rouge, the officiant pronounced E.J. and Nicole husband and wife, and told the groom to kiss his bride. E.J. happily complied, while Taylor watched forlornly. The guests applauded when E.J. and Nicole were introduced as Mr. and Mrs. Elvis DiMera. Chad then congratulated E.J., as Taylor embraced Nicole -- and E.J. and Taylor eyed each other longingly. Nicole questioned Taylor about how she had met E.J. prior to the wedding, and Taylor looked utterly relieved when Chad interrupted to congratulate Nicole.
Lexie complimented E.J. on how happy he looked, and Abe offered E.J. his congratulations. "Weddings, yay!" chimed in Theo.
Kate offered what seemed to be a sincere compliment to Nicole, who didn't appear to buy it. Kate and Nicole traded politely snide remarks until Maggie interrupted to take Nicole to the reception area. After Maggie and Nicole left, Taylor quickly made her exit from Kate -- but nearly bumped into E.J. He asked if she were feeling better, and she assured him that she was. "I'm very happy for you and Nicole," Taylor added.
Maggie asked Kate if Stefano would be returning for the reception. Kate didn't know, but had some advice for Maggie: "When you're with a man like Stefano -- or Victor -- you just learn not to ask questions." Maggie insisted that she was not with Victor.
When Chad greeted Abe and Lexie, Abe reiterated his previous admonition, "It's not too late... to tell Stefano that you want no part of being a DiMera. To run for your life." Lexie chided her husband for being cynical, but Abe asserted that Chad needed to hear a realistic point of view. Abe informed Chad that when Lexie had found out she was a DiMera, she had been far from happy about it. Abe added that if it were up to him, his family would have nothing to do with the DiMeras.
Nicole called Mary to check on Sydney, who was napping, and asked Mary to tell the tot that Nicole would be home soon with plenty of stories about the wedding.
Maggie interrupted Taylor and E.J.'s conversation to congratulate the groom. With a kiss on the cheek, E.J. thanked Maggie for everything, and then excused himself to make a phone call. Taylor tried to step outside for some air, but Nicole stopped her.
Melanie called Kate to tell her about Chloe's suicide attempt. When Kate heard all the details, she flipped out. "You stay there; I'm on my way," Kate commanded. Kate put on her coat, and told Nicole as she rushed out, "Sorry; something came up." Taylor joked to Nicole, "Am I wrong, or did the room just get brighter?"
Nicole asked again about how Taylor and E.J. had met. "You walked down the aisle; you saw E.J. and you literally stopped and stared. You both looked like you'd seen a ghost! What is up with you two?" Nicole asked. Taylor tried to play it off as if she and E.J. had just been surprised to learn the other's identity after having bumped into each other a few times, but Nicole didn't buy it.
Lexie reluctantly informed E.J. that she had to leave, because Harold had told her that Stefano had gone to his room with instructions not to be disturbed. She was worried that Stefano's diabetes was "acting up." E.J. reassured her that their father was fine; Stefano was just at home working on a business project.
When Johnny ran up to greet his new stepmother, he spilled something on her wedding gown. He apologized, but Nicole assured him that she knew it had been an accident. While Maggie whisked Nicole into the ladies' room to get the stain out, Lexie took Johnny to a table, leaving Taylor alone.
Lexie announced to Abe that it was time for Theo and Johnny to go to the DiMera mansion, but both boys noisily insisted that they didn't want to leave. Chad offered to go home with the boys, and read them some dinosaur stories. That idea thrilled Johnny and Theo. After Lexie left to help put the boys in their car seats, Abe asked if Chad had given any more thought to Abe's advice.
Chad replied, "Yeah, I have. But I'm a DiMera, whether I like it or not. And I'm thinking if Doctor Carver--if Lexie can handle things, so can I." Impressed with Chad's maturity, Abe extended his hand, declaring, "Let me say for Lexie, Theo, and Johnny too: welcome to our dysfunctional family."
Taylor downed the last of her champagne and started to head for the door, but E.J. had been watching her from across the room, and strode over to her. "We need to talk," he stated. "About what?" Taylor asked. E.J. replied, "You know about what: about you, and about me." He asked why Taylor had been about to leave, and she explained that Nicole kept demanding to know how the two of them had met.
E.J. assured Taylor that he hadn't known when they had met that she was Nicole's sister. "If I'd known that, I never would've..." But he wouldn't finish the sentence. Taylor demanded, "Come on; no games: Have you been thinking about me since we first met? Fantasizing? The way I have about you?" Nicole returned just then and immediately noticed how Taylor and E.J. were looking at each other.
Kate found Melanie near the nurses' station, and Melanie stated that Philip hadn't given her an answer about taking Parker from Chloe. "He's going to go for it; don't worry," Kate asserted, adding, "You can help by getting Parker to Victor's, and moving back into the mansion..." Kate said that she would pick up Parker's things from Maggie's, but Melanie had to make Philip understand that everything had to happen that day, "Before Chloe gets a chance to bat her eyes and say she's gonna be good."
Philip then emerged from Chloe's room, and remarked that it was strange to see Melanie and Kate getting along so well. He maintained that Kate would have been thrilled if Chloe had died, but Kate denied it. While Melanie listened in horror, Philip revealed that Kate had convinced Chloe that the medication would make her feel so numb that she wouldn't care about anything anymore, including that she'd lost Daniel.
Kate insisted she had done no such thing. Philip declared, "She wanted to be a good mother. She didn't want to feel numb. She wanted to get better -- but that wasn't possible because you had her dump the pills down the drain. And she got more depressed than ever." Kate was furious that Philip believed Chloe over Kate. Philip asked Melanie if she'd been in on it, too, but Melanie insisted that she hadn't been. Philip didn't believe her, since he'd found the two of them conspiring together, and ordered both of them to stay away from Chloe.
Melanie demanded to know if Kate had really talked Chloe into throwing out her pills. Without answering, Kate reminded Melanie that they had to prove that Chloe was unfit to raise Parker. Melanie wanted to know if it had been Kate's plan for Chloe to attempt suicide. "Do you want that baby? What do you care how it happens? We can't get sidetracked by worrying about Chloe's health, Melanie." Appalled, Melanie asserted that they had to do it legally. Kate demanded, "How long do you think that's gonna take? You need to make up your mind: do you want Parker or not?"
When Philip returned to Chloe's room, she sheepishly admitted that she had hoped he had left to get Parker. "Maybe not today," Philip replied, and urged her to focus on getting better. Chloe assured him that she was, but asked despondently, "Is it too late? Have I already lost my son?"