At Sami and Rafe's apartment, Rafe tried to get Caroline to tell him where Sami was, but Caroline admitted that she didn't know. Sydney started to cry in the other room, and Caroline went to check on her. After Caroline left, Rafe recalled his earlier conversation with Sami, and he realized that Sami had gone to see fake Rafe.

At the safe house, fake Rafe ambushed Sami. Sami wondered why fake Rafe had not tried to escape. Fake Rafe said that he had been waiting for Sami to show up at the safe house. Fake Rafe explained that he had known that Sami would go to the safe house, because he understood the way that her mind worked. Fake Rafe cryptically stated that he and Sami had some loose ends that they needed to tie up.

"I swear to God...you hurt me -- you so much as touch me -- and Rafe will track you down to the ends of the earth," Sami said. Fake Rafe laughed and said that he wasn't worried about Rafe; he added that he was just worried about Sami. Fake Rafe wondered how Sami was going to be able to cope without him -- especially at night. Fake Rafe claimed that Sami had enjoyed sleeping with him. Sami insisted that she had just been trying to make fake Rafe feel like more of a man.

"I was doing what every woman has known how to do since the beginning of time, just to make sure I get some sleep," Sami said. Fake Rafe ignored Sami's taunts, and he insisted that he was the best lover that Sami had ever had. "Don't kid yourself. You raped me," Sami said. Fake Rafe incredulously reminded Sami that their sexual encounters had been consensual, and he added that Sami had loved sleeping with him. "I was faking it, you moron! I can't believe you didn't catch on. And now I'm gonna have to go get tested for whatever kind of STDs you're carrying around with you," Sami said.

Sami started to leave, but fake Rafe quickly blocked the exit. Sami hit fake Rafe with her purse; she tried to rush out of the room, but fake Rafe grabbed her. As fake Rafe started to choke Sami, Rafe rushed into the room. Rafe pulled fake Rafe off of Sami, and the two men started to fight. Sami used a nearby wrench to knock fake Rafe out.

After fake Rafe was unconscious, Sami insisted that he was never going to tell them what they needed to know. Sami said that fake Rafe had stayed at the safe house to hurt Sami. Sami explained that fake Rafe could have escaped, but he had been more concerned about hurting her -- even at the cost of his own freedom. Sami defeatedly stated that E.J. and Stefano were going to get away with what they had done to her and Rafe. Rafe assured Sami that he wasn't going to let that happen; he said that he was just going to have to think of a new plan.

At the Horton house, Abigail walked into the living room and spotted Daniel and Jennifer, who were kissing passionately on the sofa. Abigail tried to quietly leave the room, but she accidentally bumped into a nearby table as she tried to make her exit. Jennifer and Daniel pulled away from their kiss when they realized that they were not alone. Abigail tried to excuse herself, but Jennifer insisted that Abigail did not have any reason to be embarrassed. Daniel joked that he and Jennifer had that department covered.

Daniel received a phone call from the hospital, and he quickly excused himself. After Daniel left, Abigail wondered what had happened during Jennifer's date with Daniel. Abigail teased Jennifer; she asked if Jennifer had used her feminine wiles on Daniel, and she wondered if there had been Barry White music playing in the background during the date. Jennifer joked that Abigail was being a horrible daughter. "I know that you weren't working your feminine wiles. You were you; you were charming and smart, like you always are, and he simply couldn't resist you. You are growing up, young lady, and life is offering you so many exciting possibilities," Abigail joked as she hugged Jennifer.

When Daniel returned, Abigail wondered if everything was all right at the hospital; Daniel shrugged and jokingly stated that he didn't really take that medical stuff very seriously. Abigail excused herself so that Jennifer and Daniel could have some privacy. Before Abigail left, she told Jennifer that Lucas had called to talk to Jennifer earlier. Daniel assumed that Lucas wanted to talk to Jennifer about her relationship with Daniel. Daniel said that he was certain that Lucas was going to insist that Daniel was not good enough for Jennifer.

Jennifer admitted that, as far as the Horton clan was concerned, no man was ever going to be good enough for her. Jennifer jokingly stated that it was one of the liabilities of being a goddess. Daniel laughed, and he started to babble about the fact that their dates always seemed to end in disaster. After Jennifer urged Daniel to just say whatever it was that he was trying to say, Daniel blurted out that he wanted to know if Jennifer would like to join him for a weekend getaway. Jennifer quickly accepted Daniel's invitation; Daniel continued to babble, then he happily realized that Jennifer had agreed to his proposition.

At Daniel's apartment, Melanie noted that every time that she tried to say something nice to Dario, he always managed to take it the wrong way. Dario suggested that Melanie should stop trying, but Melanie insisted that she wanted to try. "I like you. I like how you got mad about Arianna; I like how you take care of Gabi; I like how you're not afraid to put Rafe back in his place when he steps out of line; I like how you saved my life -- of course, that's always welcome. And -- ready for this one? I like the way you look, but don't get cocky. I like that you're not scared of anything; the problem is...I'm scared of you," Melanie said.

Dario wondered if Melanie really believed that he was going to hurt her. Melanie clarified that she was talking about emotional pain. "I've screwed up my life, like, twelve ways from Sunday, and I'm not blaming them, but usually it has something to do with a guy," Melanie said. Dario wondered why that was his fault. Melanie agreed that it wasn't Dario's fault, but she added that Dario was a lot like Philip.

Dario incredulously wondered how he was similar to Philip. Melanie pointed out that Dario refused to play by the rules. Melanie said that Dario was dangerous, and she said that she couldn't have that in her life again. Melanie assured Dario that she was the one with the problem. "Okay, you did not just say that. 'This is me, not you.' It's a joke; it's a stupid breakup line that people make fun of, because it's a lie. When you break up with someone, it's because of them; it's because you want to get away from them," Dario said.

Melanie pointed out that she couldn't break up with Dario, because they weren't dating. Dario insisted that the phrase was still a stupid thing to say. Dario compared the phrase to Melanie's earlier statement, when she had claimed that she was afraid of Dario. Melanie conceded that she should have said that she was afraid of herself. Melanie explained that she didn't trust herself anymore.

"Let's look at this for a second here. I married a guy who got my father's wife pregnant, you know? I mean, Philip...acted like he loved me, and I was so needy and pathetic that I...not only loved him back, but I married the guy. Now that I have a little more perspective on all of this, I can't even figure out why I did that, because he wasn't even really my type," Melanie admitted. Dario wondered what Melanie's type was. Melanie said that she liked guys who had a sense of humor. Melanie said that Philip had only laughed at stupid, slapstick humor, like The Three Stooges.

Melanie said that she had married Philip because she had desperately wanted to feel like she was part of a family. Melanie added that she had not paid attention to the fact that everyone in the Kiriakis family had questionable morality. "I think I just have to accept the fact that I'm attracted to guys who are not good for me, that don't always make the right decisions. Based off of everything that you and I have been through, I'm assuming you're probably not going to change," Melanie said. Dario joked that he had been thinking about getting his MBA and joining the Rotary.

Melanie laughed, and she quickly noted that Dario made her laugh -- and that was another thing that was dangerous about him. Dario suggested that they could stop talking. Dario started to move closer to Melanie; when Melanie turned away from Dario, he sighed and started to leave. Melanie tried to stop Dario, but Dario assured her that he understood that she wasn't interested, and he claimed that he was okay with that. Melanie wondered if they could still be friends.

Dario pointed out that they were neighbors, and he said that he was pretty confident that they would remain friends. Before Melanie could respond, Dario received a phone call; after a brief conversation, Dario ended the call. Dario seemed concerned, so Melanie tried to find out what the call had been about. Dario wondered why Melanie was interested. Melanie conceded that it was none of her business, and Dario quickly excused himself.

In the park, Quinn told Vivian that he was sorry that he had not informed her that he was in Salem. Quinn said that he had not expected Vivian to be interested in his whereabouts. "Oh, I do care -- very deeply. Now...could you please tell me when you're getting the hell out of here?" Vivian asked. Quinn started to tell Vivian what it was that he liked about her; Vivian interrupted and guessed that Quinn was going to say that he didn't like anything about her. "I like your lack of pretense...with me. You see, you're basically a con, and not a word that comes out of your mouth can be trusted -- except with me," Quinn said.

Vivian laughed and admitted that it would be futile for her to try to con Quinn, because he would be able to see right through her ruse. Quinn agreed that Vivian was right. Quinn said that he was going to be staying in Salem for an indefinite amount of time. Vivian tried to change Quinn's mind; she offered to pay for his flight out of the country, and she insinuated that she would be forced to take action if he didn't leave Salem willingly. Quinn said that it was unwise for Vivian to issue idle threats. "Well, I wouldn't exactly say that, you see, because if I want your life to be miserable, it'll be miserable," Vivian vowed.

Quinn suggested that it might be time for him to stop running and stand his ground. "Damn it! Why do you have to be so obstinate? My God, of all the puritanical, provincial, backwater places you have to be in; why couldn't you be in Paris, or Istanbul, or Tahiti -- miles and miles away from me?" Vivian asked with a sigh. Quinn said that he had some business to take care of in Salem. Vivian warned Quinn that Salem wasn't going to be big enough for both of them. Vivian wondered if Quinn was trying to exact some sort of revenge against her.

Vivian suggested that Quinn hated her, but Quinn said that Vivian didn't matter to him enough for him to hate her. Vivian refused to believe that it was just a coincidence that Quinn was in Salem. "Maybe it's more than that. Maybe it's fate putting us back together for a second chance. And what if, after all these years, we could start over? Maybe you'll stop being such a self-absorbed bitch and, uh, start being my mother that loves me," Quinn said. Vivian reiterated her suspicion that Quinn hated her.

Quinn said that he believed that Vivian was just being true to her nature; he added that mother snakes always slithered off after they had laid their eggs. Quinn said that he might have been able to accept Vivian's abandonment if she had simply been a loner, but he pointed out that Vivian had devoted herself to Nicholas and Lawrence. Quinn noted that Vivian had chosen her family, and he admitted that he had not made the cut. Vivian insisted that she had loved Quinn, despite her absence.

Vivian tried to change the subject by feigning interest in Quinn's business venture. Quinn wondered if Vivian wanted to invest; Vivian laughed and declined Quinn's offer, and she explained that she wasn't confident that Quinn's business would actually succeed. Vivian said that businessmen needed to be able to look at both sides of a situation, instead of just taking things at face value. Vivian said that it was obvious that Quinn had believed everything that his father had told Quinn about her. Vivian conceded that it had probably been easier to hate the absent, wicked mother than it had been to question why she had left.

Quinn theorized that Vivian's departure had involved money; he observed that Vivian seemed to like money. Vivian said that Nicholas and Lawrence had never tried to shut her out of their lives -- unlike Quinn's father. Quinn ignored Vivian's statement, and he insisted that his father had never tried to poison him against Vivian. Quinn said that he had made his own observations about Vivian -- that she was never around, that she never called, and that she just didn't seem to "give a damn." Quinn admitted that, in that respect, he was quite similar to Vivian; she could say whatever she wanted to say, but he just wasn't willing to "give a damn."

Vivian refused to believe that Quinn's apathetic attitude was genuine, and she remained skeptical about his claim that it was just a coincidence that he was in Salem. Quinn shrugged and said that Vivian was entitled to her opinion. "And by the way, your defense that Father was the root of all our problems? It might have been a little more persuasive if you'd made some sort of gesture -- any sort of gesture -- when he died. Or is he still running your domestic life from the grave?" Quinn asked. Vivian admitted that Quinn was right. Vivian said that Quinn had deserved a far better mother than she had been.

Quinn dryly claimed that their chat had made everything better. Quinn added that he didn't want to make a habit out of it, and he asked Vivian to continue to stay away from him. Before Vivian could respond, Quinn stormed off. Gus returned and wondered if Quinn had been bothering Vivian. Vivian regretfully said that Quinn was her son, and she confirmed that she had been bothered a great deal by what Quinn had said to her.

Gus was shocked by Vivian's revelation. "I had a...little affair when I was in Australia with this man who swept me off my feet, and I thought he was perfect; well, he was -- he was a perfect monster," Vivian explained. Vivian admitted that she didn't even want to think about how she was going to have to deal with Quinn.

At the hospital, Maxine gave Will an update on Gabi's condition. Will wondered when Gabi would be released from the hospital. "Well, I don't know for sure...but an appendectomy is pretty straightforward, and there were no complications, so I don't think she's gonna be here that long," Maxine said. Maxine escorted Will into Gabi's room.

Gabi wondered where Rafe was, and Will reluctantly admitted that Rafe had left the hospital. Will suggested that there might be a reasonable explanation, but Gabi wasn't convinced. Gabi told Will that she had gone to Rafe's apartment to talk to him earlier, and she added that he had blown her off. Gabi curiously recalled that Sami had done the same thing. Gabi noted that Sami's behavior had seemed out of character.

Later, Gabi called her mother to assure her that everything was all right. After Gabi ended the call, Will noted that Gabi had lied to her mother about Rafe's whereabouts. Gabi said that she had not wanted to alarm her mother; meanwhile, Dario entered the room. Gabi assured Dario that she was all right, and Dario thanked Will for staying with Gabi. Gabi wondered how Dario's night had been.

In the waiting area, Melanie handed an envelope to Maxine; Melanie explained that it was her application to be a nurse practitioner. Maxine dryly asked if Melanie had not been able to afford a stamp. Melanie laughed and said that she had wanted to take a walk to clear her head. Maxine wondered if Melanie was all right. Melanie told Maxine about her earlier conversation with Dario.

Melanie claimed that her argument with Dario had not been a big deal, but Maxine wasn't convinced. Melanie reiterated, multiple times, that the argument had not been a big deal. "Honey, you just said 'no big deal' three times in a row; I think the lady doth protest too much," Maxine said. Later, Will told Melanie about Gabi's appendectomy, and he excused himself so that he could find some ice cream for Gabi.

Back in Gabi's room, Gabi wondered if Dario was all right. Dario insisted that he was fine, but Gabi wasn't convinced, and she noted that Dario was crying. Dario said that he had been worried about Gabi. As Dario and Gabi continued to talk, Melanie peeked her head into Gabi's room, and she quietly observed the tender moment between Dario and his sister.

In her hotel room, Taylor beamed when she woke up in E.J.'s arms -- until she realized that they had slept through the night. Frantically shaking E.J. awake, Taylor admonished him, "Wake up! We fell asleep; it's morning!" An unconcerned E.J. paraphrased Romeo and Juliet, "That's the nightingale, not the lark." Taylor reminded him that Nicole would send him to prison if she found out that he'd spent the night with Taylor. She urged E.J. to get dressed and hurry home, and tried to make him put on his pants.

E.J. tossed the pants aside, and pulled Taylor back into bed. He softly declared that he had never been happier than he'd been when he'd awakened with her in his arms, and he never wanted things to go back to the way they had been. Taylor noted that she had been staying at the hotel under an assumed name because she didn't want Nicole to find out she was still in Salem. E.J. asserted that Taylor had every right to lead her own life, but she was still worried that Nicole was going to turn E.J. in. E.J. urged Taylor to let him handle Nicole.

When Bo joined Caroline for coffee at the Brady Pub, she informed him that Rafe had returned to town and reunited with Sami. Bo didn't seem concerned, but Caroline asserted that after the way Rafe had treated Sami, something was very wrong. Bo revealed that Sami had asked if he'd noticed any difference in Rafe at work, and Bo had presumed that she had just wanted reassurances that she'd done the right thing by leaving Rafe. Caroline said that she'd wanted to believe Rafe the night before when he'd told her how sorry he was for everything he had put Sami through. "If he's a con man, he's one of the best," Caroline concluded. Bo decided to pay Sami and Rafe a visit.

At the hospital, Lexie invited Abigail to join Lexie and Abe for lunch at the Brady Pub. Abigail politely declined, because she had lunch plans with Chad. She fretted about what might happen if things with Chad didn't work out, since he was Lexie's brother, and Lexie was Abigail's supervisor. Lexie reassured Abigail that she was watching for any signs of DiMera influence over Chad, and urged Abigail to just have a good time.

Lexie, Abe, and Theo were having lunch later at the Brady Pub when Taylor entered. Theo greeted Taylor enthusiastically, and Lexie wanted to know why Taylor had returned to Salem. Sensing that Taylor wanted to talk to Lexie alone, Abe took Theo to the kitchen to get some ice cream. Lexie admitted that as much as she loved Taylor, she'd been relieved when Taylor had left town. "Getting between my brother and Nicole -- that is no place for a nice girl like you," Lexie declared.

Taylor confessed that she had never left town. Lexie was disappointed that things between Taylor and E.J. weren't really over, but Taylor insisted that E.J. had promised to deal with Nicole. Alarmed, Lexie quietly noted, "I don't think you understand what he's capable of." Taylor didn't seem worried, maintaining that someone had to make Nicole accept that E.J. had never loved her. Lexie knew that despite everything, Taylor still cared about Nicole. "Be careful what you wish for," Lexie cautioned. Taylor insisted that she was not naïve about E.J., and she wouldn't be with him if she didn't sincerely believe that he had changed.

Taylor asked if Lexie really thought E.J. would hurt Nicole, but before Lexie could answer, Abe and Theo returned from the kitchen. Abe reminded Lexie that they had to take Theo back to school. Taylor again hugged Theo, who happily exclaimed, "You're back here now!" Abe asked if Taylor planned to stick around, and she replied that she hoped to.

At the DiMera mansion, Nicole ordered Harold to tell her where E.J. was. Harold maintained that he didn't know, but he wouldn't tell Nicole even if he did. Nicole firmly reminded him that he also worked for her, because she was the lady of the house. Harold countered that he had outlasted all of the previous ladies of the house by knowing how to keep his mouth shut.

Nicole then asked Chad when the last time he'd seen E.J. was. Chad said that it had been the day before, and asked if E.J. were in trouble. "If he's doing what I think he's doing, he's going to be in a lot more trouble than you would believe," Nicole replied. Chad asked what that meant, but Nicole cautioned him not to ask too many direct questions. Chad wondered if Taylor wasn't living there anymore because she had asked too many questions, and commented that Taylor was nice. Nicole ordered him to never mention Taylor's name again.

E.J. returned home then, and cheerfully ordered Chad to leave the room. After Chad had gone, Nicole demanded to know where E.J. had been, and he freely admitted that he'd spent the night with Taylor. Nicole reminded E.J. that she'd told him what would happen if he broke his promise, and began dialing the police. Taking the phone away from her, E.J. pointed out that they hadn't discussed what he would do if she made good on her threats.

Nicole reminded him that if anything happened to her, her lawyer would let "all those important people" know what E.J. and Stefano had done to Rafe. E.J. countered, "If you go missing, nobody can tell your lawyer. In fact, I don't think anybody would even notice." Furious, Nicole grabbed a heavy vase from the mantel, and screamed at E.J. as she hurled it at his head. Startled, he ducked, and the vase shattered against the doors to the foyer. Abigail arrived to meet Chad just then, and they both jumped at the sound of breaking glass and yelling.

At the loft, Rafe told Sami that because the DiMeras were suspicious and "the creature" had tried to kill her, they had no other choice but to go to the cops for help. Sami was insistent that they shouldn't involve the police, because the two of them could handle the situation. She pointed out that they had no way of knowing how many cops -- and judges -- the DiMeras had on their payroll.

Rafe maintained that the only person they needed to talk to was Bo. Sami argued that they could either pay the DiMeras and the imposter back for what they'd done, or they could go to the police and risk the DiMeras finding out. Rafe stated imploringly that he just wanted a say in how they handled things, since they were supposed to be a team.

Bo arrived just then, and after a hug for his niece, he asked if Rafe were thinking about returning to work. Rafe replied that he was if he could work for Bo. Bo first wanted to know why Rafe had left town, and why he'd returned again. "You remember how I was investigating the DiMeras?" Rafe reminded Bo. Rafe continued that he'd only stopped after the accident, when he couldn't remember things, but he'd returned to town because he'd learned some information about the DiMeras that could put them away for a long time.

Bo wanted to know what it was, but Rafe hedged that he needed a little more time before he could explain further. Bo wanted to know why he should trust Rafe, based on everything that had happened since the accident. Sami assured her uncle that Rafe was the man she'd fallen in love with, and he would not let either of them down again. A skeptical Bo questioned Sami, but just as he asked if she knew what evidence Rafe had on the DiMeras, Bo's phone rang.

While Nicole and E.J. continued screaming at each other, and Chad and Abigail could hear more things breaking, Abigail apologized for bothering Bo, but explained that Hope had given Jennifer his number in case of emergency. She continued that she was at the DiMera mansion, and it sounded like E.J. and his wife were trying to kill each other. Although Bo didn't seem surprised or even concerned, Abigail begged him to get to the mansion before something really bad happened. Bo instructed Abigail, "Don't get involved or try to intervene. I'm on my way." Bo cautioned Rafe and Sami that their conversation wasn't over, but he had an emergency.

After Bo left, Sami thanked Rafe for not saying more to Bo. Rafe firmly commanded Sami that if she didn't want to go to the police, she had to make a plan -- and she had to include him in it. Sami apologized for going to see "the creature" by herself the night before, but explained that she'd been looking at the cameo, and she hadn't been able to stop thinking about everything the imposter had put them through. She admitted that she didn't know how they were going to get past what the fraud had done to them. Rafe declared that they would get past it by taking the imposter down, along with E.J. and Stefano.

Sami then described how the cameo had fallen out when she'd hit the impersonator with her purse, and he had stared at the necklace like it meant something important to him. She added that she'd been able to tell that "the creature" would have killed her -- and felt no remorse -- if Rafe hadn't shown up. Rafe mused that if they found out who had owned the cameo, or what had happened to her, they might have all the answers they needed.

As Taylor walked through the park after lunch, she started to call E.J., but decided to wait for him to call her. Taylor gazed at a picture on her phone of Fay, and addressed it tearfully. "I broke my promise to you, Mom. You asked me to take care of Nicole, and I am not. I wish you were here to take care of her -- and me!" Taylor cried.

E.J. hid behind a chair as Nicole flung glasses from the bar at him. E.J. shouted that Stefano would not tolerate Nicole turning them in to the police. Unmoved, Nicole kept throwing glassware. Finally, E.J. charged at Nicole, grabbed her, and pinned her arms down. He pointed out that if he went to jail, he would lose custody of the children -- and Samantha would never let Nicole see them again. He urged Nicole to accept a very generous divorce settlement, and he would give her access to Sydney and Johnny.

"Why? So you can go to bed with Taylor whenever you want?" Nicole cried. E.J. declared that he was doing that already, and once he was divorced from Nicole, he planned to marry Taylor. "So don't make this more difficult than it has to be!" he roared, slamming his wedding ring down on a table. "Or what? What, are you going to kill me?" Nicole shrieked at the top of her lungs. When she dared him to kill her, E.J. shouted, "Give me one reason!" as he wrapped one hand around her throat while jabbing her in the chest with a finger -- just as Bo burst through the doors from the foyer, followed immediately by Chad and Abigail.

Bo ordered E.J. to take his hands off of Nicole. E.J. demanded to know what Bo was doing there, and Bo replied that he'd gotten a call about a domestic disturbance. Looking pointedly at Chad and Abigail, E.J. angrily stated that everything was under control. "Actually, Commissioner Brady, he's lying," Nicole declared.

As they sat together at a restaurant, Gus admitted that he was still in shock that Vivian had a son. Scowling, Vivian maintained that Quinn had never acted like a son. Gus remarked, "He came a very long way to tell you he wants nothing to do with you... One has to wonder what he does want, doesn't one?" As if on cue, Quinn arrived just then. He demanded to know who Gus was. Vivian made the introductions, but Quinn ordered Gus to get lost. Vivian shrugged her consent, so Gus grudgingly left.

Vivian asked Quinn what he wanted, and Quinn replied, "Maybe I just want to torture you. You ever been tortured by someone who's wired a lot like you are?" Vivian insisted that despite what Quinn's father might have told him, she was not a monster. "What if I am?" Quinn asked. Vivian demanded that Quinn stop playing games and tell her what he wanted. Quinn replied that he'd grown up wanting a mother, but it had occurred to him that she could still be useful to him, although he hadn't decided how yet.

After Vivian had gone, Quinn met with a man, who pronounced Quinn's shipment "top quality," and handed Quinn an envelope full of cash. Quinn then took out his tablet computer, and showed the man a photograph of an attractive woman. The man replied that he was sure the quality there was good, as well, but he didn't want to spend a lot of money for an ordinary evening. "The face, the body, the personality -- they've all got to be exciting," the man explained. Quinn replied that he had the perfect woman, but he didn't represent her yet. He then showed the man a picture of Chloe. "She could get any man excited. Like you said: perfect," the man declared approvingly.

Chloe went to the Cheatin' Heart to thank Justin and Adrienne for helping her get to see Parker. Justin wasn't there, but Adrienne said that it had been great to see Chloe with her baby again. Chloe was hopeful that she would get to see her son again soon, and acknowledged, "For the first time in a really long time, I feel almost happy." Adrienne raised her coffee cup to toast to better times ahead. Chloe admitted that she was afraid to get her hopes up, but teaching voice lessons to kids was helping her feel like she was turning her life around. Adrienne was impressed with Chloe's resilience after everything she'd been through.

Chloe somewhat sheepishly confessed that she'd also met a really nice guy. Adrienne gently pointed out that Chloe and Daniel hadn't been divorced for very long. Chloe confessed that she wasn't very good at being alone, so Adrienne asked Chloe to tell her about the guy. Chloe divulged that she'd met Quinn, the very cute Aussie, in that very spot, but then she realized that she didn't even know his last name. Adrienne was a bit taken aback. Chloe explained that Quinn had told her his last name, but she hadn't caught it -- and since then she'd been too embarrassed to ask him. Beaming, she added that he was a salesman, and reassured Adrienne that he seemed like a really great guy.

Vivian met Gus in the park, and asked what he'd thought of Quinn. Gus asked if Quinn had told Vivian what he wanted. "No, it's a game," Vivian replied with an unhappy sigh, adding, "Gus, I think he's the one person on the planet [who] could undo me." Gus suggested that Vivian should try to find out what Gus had been doing since she had last seen him. Vivian concurred.

As Chloe was leaving the bar, Quinn called her. He said that he'd had a really good time with her on their date, and wanted to take her to lunch at Chez Rouge. He asked her to meet him on the pier, and they could walk to the restaurant together. Chloe agreed.

As they strolled along the pier, Chloe told Quinn about her reunion with Parker. She asked him questions about his life, and then asked what it was that he sold. "Actually, I sell people," he replied, and then quickly clarified, "I'm a talent manager." Quinn explained that he hadn't mentioned it because he'd wanted to make sure Chloe was interested in him and not just what he could do for her. Chloe assured him that she would never take advantage of him like that.

Quinn revealed that he'd shown Chloe's photo to a client that morning, and the client wanted to meet her. Chloe began excitedly talking about how she had to meet with her vocal coach before she met with the client. Quinn interrupted, "Chloe, I wasn't talking about having you sing for this gentleman." Confused, Chloe asked what the man wanted. "You," Quinn replied.

At the hospital, Maxine informed Daniel and Melanie that Carly had called in sick. As Carly had never taken a sick day before, a worried Daniel offered to go check on Carly. Melanie asked Daniel to call her and tell how her mother was doing.

In her hotel room, Carly fought to get clean from drugs. As Carly began to shake and sweat, she wondered aloud whether she should have asked Daniel for help with her detox. When Daniel arrived, Carly was reluctant to let him in the room, but Daniel walked past Carly and informed her that he was going to check her vitals signs. After examining Carly symptoms, Daniel told Carly that he knew what was wrong with her. Carly tensed as she waited for Daniel to speak.

With a grin, Daniel theorized that Carly had neglected to have a flu shot. Relieved to keep her secret, Carly pretended that Daniel's guess was right. Daniel grabbed a carton of soup out of his bag and handed it to Carly. After Carly finished her soup, Melanie stopped by to check on Carly and drop off some tea. Carly thanked Daniel and gently grabbed his hand as she smiled. From the edge of the bed, Melanie watched her parents smiling at one another, and grinned.

Hope went over to Jennifer's house with Ciara's Young Adventurers group. While the kids prepared cookies in the kitchen, Hope asked Jennifer about her date with Daniel. Jennifer gave Hope all the gory details of the start of the date and then admitted that she was going away with Daniel that night. Hope said that Jennifer deserved some happiness and that Daniel was a good man. With a smirk, Jennifer countered that Lucas disagreed with Hope. Hope dismissed Lucas' concerns.

"I want more out of my life than I've had the past few years," Jennifer lamented. After the cookies were finished, Hope helped the girls make picture frames for Father's Day. Upon looking over their work, the girls became saddened when they realized the rickety frames could not hold a photo. With a shrug, Hope admitted that she was lousy at arts and crafts and apologized to the girls.

Hoping to help her cousin salvage the Young Adventurers meeting, Jennifer proposed that the girls learn a lesson about self-defense. When Jennifer showed Ciara how to stomp on a stranger's foot if the stranger attempted to grab her, Jennifer became injured. Ciara apologized for hurting Jennifer's foot. When Hope took the girls home, Jennifer hobbled to her couch and vowed not to let her injury keep her from going away with Daniel for the night.

Down on the pier, Quinn proposed a business arrangement with Chloe. Quinn asked Chloe to become an escort for him and entertain his clients. When Chloe noted that Quinn would be her pimp, she balked at the idea of working for Quinn. "This is a natural direction for you," Quinn argued. Offended, Chloe started to walk away. Quinn noted that Chloe needed the money in order to become financially secure enough to win custody of her son. When Chloe kept walking, Quinn ordered her to stay.

Chloe argued that she had never agreed to work for Quinn. Quinn joked that the money he had left for Chloe on their first night together was a type of signing bonus. Unfazed, Chloe refused to become a hooker. As Quinn's face darkened, he growled that if Chloe did not agree to work for him that he would tell the Kiriakis family and child services that Chloe was a hooker. When Chloe countered that she would charge Quinn with slander, Quinn whipped out his phone and showed Chloe the video of her having sex with him.

In the DiMera living room, a concerned Chad and Abigail watched as Bo questioned Nicole about her argument with E.J. Seething, Nicole informed Bo that E.J. was lying and that E.J. had hurt her. Bo asked Chad, Abigail, and E.J. to leave so that he could speak with Nicole privately. Emboldened, Nicole told Bo that E.J. could stay because she wanted E.J. to hear what she had to say about him to Bo. Bo reluctantly agreed. Once Chad and Abigail were gone, E.J. quietly noted that he had agreed to marry Nicole so that she could spend time with his children even though Nicole had no legal connection to Sydney or Johnny.

With an evil grin, E.J. reminded Nicole that Bo's family would love to ensure that Sami had full custody of Sydney and Johnny. Taking the hint, Nicole's body seemed to deflate. When Bo warned Nicole that E.J. was working her, Nicole responded that she had argued with E.J. but that he had only hurt her emotionally. Without any evidence, Bo had no reason to arrest E.J. "You deserve each other. Let the battle rage on," Bo said as he walked out of the mansion.

Once E.J. was alone with Nicole he ordered her to pack her things and get out of the house. Furious, Nicole warned E.J. that she had almost told Bo about Rafe's holding cell in the basement. Chuckling, E.J. noted, "But you didn't act, did you? All I had to do was play the Sydney card, and you folded your hand." With a gleam in his eye, E.J. purred, "That makes you my bitch." Nicole warned E.J. that if he took Sydney away from her that she would destroy E.J. "Do your worst," E.J. said. E.J. told Nicole that he wanted to be with Taylor and that Nicole would not be able to stop him.

At the Brady Pub, Chad complained to Abigail about calling the police at the mansion. Annoyed, Abigail asked Chad whether she should have ignored the fact that E.J. and Nicole were screaming at one another and throwing things. With a shrug, Chad noted that Nicole could handle herself and that there were two sides to every story. "A DiMera side and a Horton side," Abigail said firmly. Before Chad could respond, he received a text message from E.J. and left.

Bo joined Abigail at her table at the pub and asked her about the argument at the mansion. Abigail admitted that she had not heard much and that she had not seen Nicole and E.J. when they argued. With no eyewitness account of violence, Bo admitted that he did not have enough evidence to file a domestic disturbance report. Bo theorized that Nicole and E.J. were hiding something illegal. When Bo asked Abigail why she had been at the DiMera mansion, Abigail admitted that she had been there to pick up Chad for their first date. Bo cautioned Abigail to be careful when dating a DiMera but added that Lexie had learned what to do and so would Abigail. Concerned, Abigail admitted that she was unconvinced that she should date Chad.

When Chad returned to the DiMera mansion, E.J. questioned him about what he had heard. Chad admitted that he and Abigail had not heard much of the argument. "Who do you think you are calling the police on me?" E.J. asked. Chad countered that he was the son of a judge and that he had called the police. Nodding, E.J. told Chad that he was gallant for taking the blame off of Abigail. E.J. cautioned Chad that if he dated Abigail, he would need to "learn to control the situation." With a chuckle, Chad countered, "Before you start giving me advice on women, maybe you should learn to handle your wife."

At the Cheatin' Heart, Taylor left a heartfelt voicemail for E.J. about his meeting with Nicole. Brady overheard Taylor and asked her why she was talking to E.J. and why she had not left town. Taylor admitted that she and E.J. were in love. Rolling his eyes, Brady reminded Taylor of Nicole's wedding day and how Taylor had shared her concerns that Nicole was falling for E.J. Brady asked Taylor if she cared about her sister's feelings. Taylor informed Brady that Nicole knew about her relationship with E.J. and that E.J. was asking Nicole for a divorce.

Taylor assured Brady that E.J. had changed and that he was going to do whatever he had to do to be with Taylor. Brady warned Taylor that E.J. would never change and that Taylor should talk to Sami about how she had learned that lesson. When Taylor shook her head, Brady growled that he did not want Taylor to run to him when she needed someone to pick up the pieces of her life. When Brady asked Taylor if she was aware of E.J.'s interest in the drug trade, Taylor confided that E.J. had told her everything.

Brady was surprised that Taylor had forgiven E.J. and cautioned Taylor not to believe E.J. when he said he was done with the drug-running business. Taylor begged Brady not to get revenge on E.J. Brady promised Taylor that for her sake, he would not go after E.J. However, once Taylor left the bar, Brady muttered to himself, "I'm sorry, Taylor. I'm sick of protecting people who don't give a damn about anybody but themselves. E.J. is going down."

As Taylor walked through the park, she ran into Nicole. "How do you like sleeping with my husband?" Nicole bellowed before slapping Taylor. Taylor said that Nicole could not blame her for Nicole's problems. Shaking her head, Nicole argued that she finally had proof that Taylor was no better than Nicole. Nicole warned Taylor that the slap was only the beginning of her revenge. Frustrated, Taylor urged Nicole to tell her anything because Taylor would never stop loving E.J. "There is this one thing," Nicole said with a wicked grin.

At the pier, Quinn showed Chloe the incriminating footage that he planned to use to blackmail her. Chloe sighed as she realized that Quinn had set her up. Quinn said that Chloe had a narrow view of the situation; he said that he preferred to call it an audition. Quinn assured Chloe that he wasn't going to let anyone hurt her, and he added that he looked out for all of his girls.

"I am not one of your girls, and you are out of your mind if you ever think I'd be a whore for you -- some low-rent prostitute?" Chloe asked incredulously. As Quinn tried to convince Chloe that he was doing her a favor, Victor stepped onto the pier. Victor wondered if Chloe was bothering Quinn. Chloe told Victor to go away. "Not until I've warned this obviously unsuspecting gentleman that he needs to stay the hell away from you. Her M.O. is 'seduce and destroy,'" Victor warned Quinn.

Victor introduced himself; he asked for Quinn's name, but Chloe interrupted and demanded to know why Victor cared about Quinn's identity. Chloe told Quinn that Victor enjoyed being cruel to people, and she added that Victor's soul was the size of a pea. Victor ignored Chloe, and he asked again for Quinn's name. After Quinn introduced himself, Chloe told Victor that Quinn was just a friend. Victor guessed that Chloe and Quinn were more than friends, and he could tell by Quinn's reaction that he was right.

Victor noted that Chloe had moved on with lightning speed. Chloe told Victor that her love life was none of his business. Victor conceded that Chloe was right, and he admitted that following Chloe's trail of destruction had turned into a macabre hobby of his. Victor warned Quinn that Chloe would ruin his life. Quinn defended Chloe, and he told Victor to leave.

Victor told Quinn that Chloe had taken down many men in the past, and he promised that Quinn would not be an exception to that rule. Quinn assured Victor that his relationship with Chloe was different than her previous ones. "You have an Aussie accent -- that's about the only thing that's different," Victor dryly stated. As Victor turned to leave, Quinn cryptically suggested that Victor should take his own advice about women.

Victor eyed Quinn suspiciously, and he wondered if he had met Quinn in the past. Quinn claimed that he had never seen Victor before, but Victor wasn't convinced. After Victor left, Chloe said that she never wanted Quinn to touch her again. "That's how you thank me for stepping up against the grandfather of your baby? What if I told him what you did, huh? That could have put a fairly significant crimp in your custody hopes, no? Well, it still can...believe me," Quinn warned Chloe. Quinn said that Chloe should have been thanking him for his help.

Chloe tearfully wondered why Quinn was trying to ruin her life. Quinn said that none of his women were like Chloe; he reiterated that Chloe was special. Quinn insisted that he wasn't a monster, and he claimed that he was just trying to help Chloe. "Chloe, listen to me; do you have any idea how much cash a girl like you could make in one night? You'll be able to provide for your son in no time -- more than provide. You can do this, Chloe; you can...and you will," Quinn said.

Quinn gave Chloe the details for the meeting that he had scheduled with one of his clients. Quinn wondered if he could count on Chloe to be there. When Chloe didn't respond, Quinn said that he didn't want to think about what might happen to Chloe if his incriminating videos managed to get leaked to the public. Quinn told Chloe to think about his offer, and he added that he was certain that she would make the right decision.

At the hospital, Dario greeted Melanie; Dario told Melanie that she didn't need to worry, because he had not gone to the hospital to see her. "I'm the kind of guy that you should stay away from -- you said it yourself. You even said you were scared of me, which is even a little more intense, isn't it?" Dario asked. Melanie reminded Dario that she had also said that she still wanted to be Dario's friend. Dario ignored Melanie's statement, and he excused himself so that he could check on Gabi.

In Gabi's room, Gabi told Will that she still wanted to go to the prom. Gabi wondered if her brother had stopped by. Will said that Dario had gone to get some coffee, and he told Gabi that Dario had been at the hospital the whole time. Gabi clarified that she had been talking about Rafe. Gabi said that she was glad that Rafe wasn't at the hospital; she claimed that she didn't want to see him.

Dario entered the room and greeted Gabi. Gabi told Dario that she had not heard from Rafe. Meanwhile, Rafe arrived at the hospital, and he asked Melanie about Gabi. Melanie wondered why Rafe had been missing in action earlier; Rafe said that he had been taking care of some business. Melanie sighed and muttered that she understood why Dario felt that Rafe was a jerk.

Rafe reiterated that he had been dealing with some business. Melanie sarcastically agreed that business was definitely more important than family. Rafe wondered what else Dario had said about him. Melanie said that she didn't want to get in the middle of the drama between the Hernandez brothers. Rafe pointed out that Melanie was the one who had started the conversation.

Melanie said that she would gladly tell Rafe what she thought about him. "I think that people have you two mixed up, 'cause I think that you're the jerk, and that Dario is the one who has character," Melanie said. Before Rafe could respond, Dario walked out of Gabi's room. Dario said that he was glad that Rafe had finally decided to show up. Rafe tried to apologize, but Dario made it clear that he wasn't interested in hearing Rafe's excuses.

After Dario stormed off, Rafe entered Gabi's room and apologized for his absence. Gabi said that she understood that Rafe had more important things to take care of. Rafe insisted that he would have been there for Gabi if he had known how serious her condition had been. Gabi told Rafe to stop pretending that he cared about her. Gabi said that she was fine, and she added that she was anxious to get out of the hospital so that she could go to the prom.

Maxine, who had been checking Gabi's vitals, apologetically informed Gabi that she wasn't going to be able to go to the prom. Maxine said that Gabi was going to have to spend another night in the hospital. After Maxine left, Gabi started to cry; Rafe hugged Gabi and tried to comfort her. Rafe assured Gabi that there would be other dances, but Gabi pointed out that she was never going to get another chance to go to her high school prom. Gabi apologized to Will, and she told Will to go to the prom without her.

Will refused to go to the prom without Gabi. Gabi begged Will to reconsider, and she insisted that she didn't want to be the reason that Will missed his high school prom. Will started to protest, then he grinned and agreed that Gabi was right. Will assured Gabi that he would send her pictures of the prom, and he quickly rushed off. In the waiting area, Will told Melanie that he needed her help with an emergency.

After Will left, Rafe tried to make Gabi feel better by telling her that he had hated his prom. Rafe said that he had been uncomfortable because he had been forced to dress up, and his date had spent the entire night flirting with another guy. Rafe added that his shoes had been slippery, and he said that he had fallen during the last dance of the evening. Rafe claimed that his prom was the most embarrassing night of his life. Gabi smiled and thanked Rafe for trying to make her feel better.

Outside the Brady Pub, Will thanked Melanie for her help. After Will left, Melanie entered the pub and greeted Dario. Dario jokingly wondered if Melanie was stalking him. "See, stalking just really isn't my style; although, if I were stalking someone, I don't know if I'd choose you. I'm sorry -- I'm just kind of over the whole 'unpredictable' thing; three years ago, though, maybe," Melanie said. Dario wondered if that was really what Melanie thought about him; he pointed out that Melanie had painted a different picture for Rafe earlier at the hospital.

Melanie said that Dario had been sweet around Gabi, and she jokingly apologized for believing that Dario had a heart. Dario admitted that he had always had a soft spot for his baby sister. Melanie wondered if Dario would be willing to help her with something that involved his sister. Dario agreed, and Melanie quickly dragged him off to the back of the pub.

Later, Melanie returned to the hospital, and she took Gabi for a stroll around the building in one of the wheelchairs. When Melanie returned Gabi to her room, Gabi was surprised to see that the room had been decorated with streamers, balloons, and other festive items. Gabi wondered what was going on. "Well, um...you couldn't go to prom, so we brought prom to you," Will explained nervously. After Melanie helped Gabi put on her prom dress, Dario, Rafe, and Melanie left the room so that Will and Gabi could have some privacy.

After everyone left, Gabi thanked Will. Gabi admitted that she had been doing a lot of thinking, and she said that she had realized that she was too needy. Gabi conceded that she had started leaning on Will for a lot of things after Arianna's death, and she added that she felt like she was a burden to Will at times. Gabi said that she had sensed that Will had been slightly distant with her. Will was confused by Gabi's statement; he pointed out that he and Gabi had been spending a lot of time together, and he added that when they weren't together, they were constantly sending each other text messages.

Will said that Gabi was the most beautiful, special person that he had ever known, and he added that he liked the fact that Gabi was honest and direct. "And if you want to talk about needy...I'm needy. I mean, my life hasn't been so easy lately; my family has been dysfunctional forever, so, I mean, if anybody needs support or understanding --" Will's voice trailed off, as Gabi interrupted and said that she hoped that Will felt that she was supportive. Will assured Gabi that she was his best friend. Will said that Gabi had no idea how often she had helped him, or how often he had relied on her for support and advice.

"I love that you need me, 'cause I need you, too," Will said. Will turned on some music, and he asked Gabi to dance with him. Later, Will noted that Gabi was starting to get tired. Gabi tried to protest, but Will reminded her that she needed to rest. Gabi thanked Will, and she told him that their prom night had been better than the real thing. Will said that he had heard stories about the real prom, and he noted that it was supposed to be lame. Gabi agreed that the best part about prom was probably the parties; she tried to get Will to agree to attend the parties by himself, but Will insisted that he was right where he wanted to be.

In the waiting area, Melanie, Dario, and Rafe congratulated themselves for successfully surprising Gabi. Melanie admitted that Rafe's help had been invaluable. Rafe -- realizing that he needed to continue to make everyone believe that he was a jerk -- shrugged, and he quickly excused himself. After Rafe left, Dario scowled and said that he couldn't believe that Rafe cared more about business than he did about his sister's health. Melanie said that she had yelled at Rafe earlier, and she conceded that he had seemed remorseful.

"Wow, you sure change your mind a lot. First, you think that guy's a creep, and now he's nice, and he's a good guy? I mean, same thing with me -- first, you hated me, and...now you think I'm a prince," Dario said. Melanie laughed and said that she had meant what she had told Rafe earlier. Later, Dario and Melanie watched through the window as Gabi and Will danced together in Gabi's room. Dario said that proms were lame.

Melanie said that her school had never had proms when she was growing up. Dario said that he had not gone to his prom; he added that proms just weren't his style. Melanie wondered if a burger at the Brady Pub would be closer to Dario's style. Dario jokingly asked if Melanie really wanted to risk being around someone who was a bad influence. Melanie shrugged and said that she would risk it.

At the DiMera mansion, E.J. tried to call Taylor. Meanwhile, in the park, Nicole cryptically stated that there was a lot that Taylor didn't know about E.J.'s true nature. Taylor insisted that she wasn't interested in hearing what Nicole had to say; Taylor started to walk away, but Nicole grabbed her arm -- sending Taylor's purse flying through the air. Taylor and Nicole continued to argue, unaware that Taylor's phone had been turned on when her purse had landed on the ground.

"You are gonna learn first and foremost the vile and dastardly deeds that your Prince Charming has committed most recently. You ready to take notes, huh? Let's cut to the chase! Why don't we start with the evil perpetrated on one Rafe Hernandez?" Nicole asked, as E.J. listened helplessly from the mansion. Taylor tried to leave again, but Nicole stopped her. "I am not gonna let you stop me from telling you what an evil bastard your new boyfriend is, and if you leave this park, I will put it in skywriting. E.J. is the devil -- no heart, no soul," Nicole said. E.J. rushed out of the mansion when he heard Nicole mention the park.

As the Walker sisters continued to argue, Nicole said that Taylor was living in a fantasy world, because she was convinced that she was going to live happily ever after with some lowlife criminal. Taylor said that she understood that E.J. had not been a saint in the past. Taylor insisted that E.J. had changed. Nicole promised that Taylor would change her mind after she had heard about E.J.'s recent crimes. Taylor said that she didn't have any reason to believe Nicole's lies.

"I'm a liar? You fell in love with my husband and pretended that you couldn't stand each other, and then you slept with him! You are not only a liar, Taylor, but you are a full-blown slut!" Nicole shouted. Taylor retorted that she didn't need to blackmail a man just to get him into her bed. Nicole warned Taylor not to say another word about her marriage to E.J. "What are you gonna do, Nicole? It really doesn't matter. Say what you want; you can make insane threats, but E.J. is never gonna love you," Taylor said. Nicole angrily slapped Taylor.

Taylor said that she had been crazy to believe that Nicole was actually a good person -- someone who would always be there for Taylor. Nicole wondered how she was supposed to be there for Taylor when Taylor was sleeping with Nicole's husband. Nicole assured Taylor that E.J. would have fallen in love with her if Taylor had not interfered. Taylor said that Nicole was delusional. Nicole lunged at Taylor; as the sisters started to fight, E.J. arrived and pulled Nicole away from Taylor.

E.J. chastised Nicole for attacking Taylor. "How does no one see this? You two were sleeping together behind my back, and I'm out of line? How do you think Taylor will feel when she knows who you really are?" Nicole wondered. E.J. warned Nicole not to say anything that she might regret. Nicole reminded E.J. that he had a lot more to lose than she did. E.J. mentioned Johnny and Sydney; as Taylor listened, Nicole said that she wouldn't put it past E.J. to hurt his own children just to get back at her. Nicole told E.J. and Taylor that she wasn't going to let them get away with what they were doing to her.

After Nicole left, E.J. tried to talk to Taylor, but Taylor interrupted him. Taylor wondered if there was anything else that she needed to know about E.J. Meanwhile, Nicole returned to the DiMera mansion; she vowed that she was not going to give up. Nicole started to call out Stefano's name. Nicole shouted that she needed to talk to Stefano, and she muttered that it was a matter of life and death.

Outside the Brady Pub, Rafe ran into Victor. Rafe recalled that Victor had helped him out with Nicole in the past. Victor wondered what it was that Rafe needed Victor's help with. Rafe wondered what Victor's strategy would be if he ever decided to try to take down the DiMeras.

Victor admitted that it had been a long time since he had dealt with the DiMeras. "But, as I'm sure you know, they're very difficult to get to once they circle the wagons -- damn near impenetrable. But, they are human -- fallible, mortal -- regardless of what they want all the rest of us to think. Their weakness lies in the people they surround themselves with," Victor said. Rafe noticed that Victor was staring at him.

Rafe wondered what was wrong. Victor said that he had heard that Rafe had changed after his accident. Victor noted that Rafe seemed like the same person who had asked him about a similar matter one year earlier. Rafe shrugged and pointed out that people were always saying that the more things changed, the more they stayed the same.

Carly showed up for work at the hospital, but found that her hands were still shaking a little from withdrawal. As Carly took a deep breath to steady herself, Maxine expressed relief that Dr. Manning was feeling better, since the hospital was short-staffed that day. Maxine left to check on a patient just as Daniel walked up. Carly thanked Daniel for taking care of her the night before. He shrugged it off, and when he learned that they were shorthanded, he informed Carly that he was part of the reason, because he was going away for the weekend -- with Jennifer. Carly tried to hide her disappointment.

Daniel joked that it was Carly's fault for pushing him and Jennifer together, and noted that she had also played matchmaker with him and Rebecca. He offered to return the favor, because he wanted Carly to be happy, but she declined. Daniel then thanked Carly for covering for him, kissed her on the cheek, and left. Carly touched the cheek that Daniel had kissed, and said to herself, "I think I could be happy, Daniel -- with you."

A little later, Maxine found Carly near the nurses' station, looking pale and shaky. Carly guessed that she had just tried to return to work too soon, and Maxine admonished Dr. Manning to go home until she felt better. When Maxine rushed off to referee a fight between some interns, she left her keys on the table next to the coffee pot. Carly immediately grabbed the keys and hurried to the medication supply room, where she took three bottles of pills off the shelf, and shoved them into her purse.

When she got back to her hotel room, Carly took some pills from each of the bottles. She opened up the capsules, dumped the contents onto the desk, scraped it into lines, then cut a length of soda straw and snorted the powder.

At the Horton house, Jennifer carried her suitcase down the stairs, still in obvious discomfort from the injury she had sustained while working with Ciara's Young Adventurers group. Abigail spotted Jennifer clutching her back, and asked what was wrong. Jennifer explained that she'd fallen while trying to teach the Young Adventurers how to protect themselves against strangers. Abigail then asked about the suitcase, and Jennifer divulged that she and Daniel were going away for the weekend.

Abigail was surprised and upset that her mom and Daniel had gotten serious enough to spend a weekend together. Jennifer defended her decision as being the next logical step, since she and Daniel had been getting to know each other and she cared about him. Abigail asked if Jennifer were sure she wanted to go through with it. Jennifer said she was sure, and she wondered if Abigail were having a hard time facing the reality of Jennifer's divorce from Jack.

Abigail insisted that she just didn't want to see Jennifer get hurt. Jennifer reassured her daughter that Daniel was a good man who was very good to her. At last Abigail smiled, and declared, "I want you to go. I feel okay about this; I really do. And I want you to feel loved and appreciated like you deserve." Jennifer hugged Abigail gratefully.

When Daniel arrived to pick Jennifer up later, he instantly noticed that she was in pain. Jennifer explained what had happened, and tried to play the injury off as if it were no big deal. Daniel examined Jennifer's back, and concluded that her injury was stress-related -- and he guessed that he and their upcoming weekend away together were the cause of her stress. Jennifer insisted that wasn't the case, and she was determined to go to the spa with Daniel, but she winced in pain.

Daniel massaged the muscle a bit to loosen up the spasm, and then went into the kitchen for an ice pack and to call to cancel their hotel. Embarrassed and frustrated, Jennifer muttered, "I could scream right now, and not just from the pain." As she turned away from the table she'd been leaning against, she suddenly gasped that her back had just popped. She twisted back and forth to test the pain, and when it didn't hurt, she exclaimed excitedly, "Daniel, you fixed me!" She rushed to the kitchen door and shouted, "Daniel, hold the phone! I can go!"

In the park, Taylor told E.J. that Nicole had been about to drop a bomb about him, and Taylor wanted to know if there were anything else he needed to tell her. E.J. maintained that Nicole would do or say anything to ruin things for Taylor and E.J. He asked Taylor to take his word over Nicole's. Taylor agreed to trust E.J., since Nicole was so angry and vindictive. As they sat on the bench together, E.J. assured Taylor that he knew the only way they could be together was if he changed his ways, but she needed to be aware that some of the things he had done were not "dead issues."

Taylor understood, and E.J. was relieved and grateful for her support and trust. Taylor was worried that Nicole would still get between them. E.J. didn't think that would happen, because Nicole wouldn't throw away a life with E.J.'s children just to cause problems for E.J. and Taylor. Taylor wasn't convinced, but E.J. reiterated his promise that he would handle Nicole.

With a contented sigh, Taylor remarked that E.J. somehow knew just what to say to convince her that everything was going to be all right. E.J. then removed a small gift pouch from his pocket, and presented it to Taylor. Inside, she found a cuff bracelet embellished with a cameo, and softly exclaimed that it reminded her of her mother's cameo. Taylor added that they still hadn't been able to find Fay's cameo since her death.

At the loft, Rafe was contemplating the cameo when there was a knock on the door. He opened it to find Alicia -- faux Rafe's one-night stand -- standing seductively in the doorway. "Can I help you?" Rafe asked. "It wouldn't be the first time," Alicia replied as she pulled Rafe in for a passionate kiss. Rafe pushed her away and asked what Alicia was doing -- and who she was. Alicia assumed that Rafe was playing it cool because his wife was home. When he told her that his wife wasn't at home, Alicia pushed past him and started taking off her clothes.

A befuddled Rafe finally remembered that the imposter had slept with another woman. Alicia reminded him of her name, but remarked that he seemed very different. Chad knocked on the door just then, because he needed to pick up a toy that Johnny had forgotten. Rafe quickly gave Chad the toy and tried to hurry Chad away again, but Alicia insisted on an introduction to the "tall drink of water." Rafe hastily introduced Chad and Alicia, and then closed the door on a bemused Chad.

Rafe then informed Alicia that he and his wife were trying to work things out, and asked her to leave. Alicia didn't think that Rafe's marriage was going to last, and asked him to call her when things fell apart. After he'd closed the door behind her, Rafe exclaimed, "For crying out loud -- this idiot's life is coming at me from every angle!"

At the Brady Pub, Johnny was excited to have his favorite toy back. He announced to Chad that he wanted to show it to his great-grandma, and then ran into the kitchen. Abigail arrived, and without so much as a hello, she began to kiss Chad fervently. When they stopped kissing, Chad stammered, "Okay, whoa -- what was that?" A sheepish Abigail apologetically explained that she was angry, and she'd used Chad to act out. Although he assured her that she was a great kisser, Chad wanted more of an explanation.

Abigail elaborated that her mom had told her to take things slowly with Chad, and it bothered Abigail that Jennifer and Daniel were doing the exact opposite of taking things slowly. "I'm sorry, Chad," Abigail said, but he replied, "I'm not." Chad explained that he had been wanting to take things slowly with Abigail because "the fast lane" hadn't worked out well for him in the past. He added that he found her interesting, smart, and beautiful, and he didn't want to ruin things before they had even really started. A relieved Abigail agreed, and Chad leaned across the table to kiss her again.

Stefano was in the middle of a phone conversation when Nicole returned home, shouting his name from the foyer. Stefano hung up as Nicole stormed into the living room. "Can you please explain to me why you are screeching out my name like some kind of fish wife?" Stefano demanded. Nicole replied hotly that it was a matter of life and death -- and whose life or death depended on how Stefano handled it. "Your son threatened to kill me," Nicole explained.

Stefano found that amusing, but Nicole demanded that he stop E.J. from divorcing her and marrying Taylor, or Stefano would likely lose E.J. -- and the children -- forever. Stefano maintained that he had told E.J. to manage his feelings, but it obviously had not worked, and that Nicole's blackmailing E.J. hadn't helped anything. Nicole insisted that she'd never intended to follow through; she'd only been threatening him in an attempt to keep E.J. away from Taylor. She declared that Stefano had to help her, and force E.J. to stay away from Taylor -- otherwise the DiMeras' imprisonment of Rafe Hernandez would be the least of his problems.

Stefano asserted that he couldn't force E.J. to do anything. Nicole believed that since E.J. had vowed to change his ways for Taylor, he would easily take the children and move out of the mansion if Taylor demanded it. Although clearly shaken, Stefano declared that Nicole was underestimating E.J.'s devotion to him. Nicole contended that she was a far more suitable wife for E.J. than Taylor was, because, "I know where the bodies are buried, and I don't care!" Stefano bellowed that E.J. was in love with another woman, and Stefano was powerless to do anything about it.

Nicole maintained that if she could just regain E.J.'s focus, she could make him fall in love with her again, and out of love with Taylor. Stefano was skeptical. Nicole argued that because the DiMeras' activities did not shock her, she was good for E.J., good for the children, and ultimately, good for Stefano. "Are you going to help me, Stefano? Or are you going to let your precious family go slip-sliding away?" Nicole demanded. As she left the room, she urged him to think about it -- but think fast.

When E.J. returned home, Stefano revealed, "I am coordinating with our man in Europe to take care of our problem." E.J. insisted that he would handle it, as he'd promised, but he thought there was a much better way to handle things than the drastic measures Stefano was planning. "Think of it as new rules," E.J. suggested. Stefano declared sternly that he had indulged E.J. for too long, but it was over. "This is my house, you listen to me, and you do what I say," Stefano ordered. E.J. countered that he would not let Stefano kill "that man." Infuriated, Stefano demanded, "What the hell has this woman done to you?"

Nicole took Sydney to the park, and after they played quietly on a bench for a while, she sent the tot to play on the swings. "Don't worry, Sydney," Nicole said quietly. "Mama Nikki's gonna make sure everything is all right."

Rafe was examining the cameo again when there was another knock at the door. He put the necklace on the entry table, and opened the door to find Taylor on the doorstep. Rafe did his best impression of his doppelganger and invited Taylor in. She explained that she wanted to ask him something about her mother, and Rafe managed a reply with the same crassness that his look-alike would have used.

Disgusted, Taylor headed for the door, but froze when she saw the cameo on the table. Stunned, she picked it up, and demanded, "What is this doing here? Where did you get this cameo?" Shrugging nonchalantly, Rafe mumbled, "I don't know." Perplexed and incredulous, Taylor explained, "This is my mother's cameo. That's why I came here, to talk to you about my mother's death. Why do you have this?"