Brady went to the Horton house to check on Abigail, unaware that she had left earlier. Jennifer greeted Brady, who was surprised to learn that she had been released from jail. Jennifer bitterly observed that Brady wasn't even trying to hide his disappointment.

Brady wanted to clear the air, but Jennifer remained defensive. Brady gently suggested that Jennifer might have convinced herself that Nicole's fall had been an accident because that was what Jennifer needed to believe. Jennifer insisted that Brady was wrong, adding that she had nothing more to say to him.

In Nicole's room at the hospital, Daniel wondered if Nicole's fall could have been an accident. Nicole insisted that Jennifer had pushed her, and she noted that it sounded like Daniel was taking Jennifer's side. Daniel informed Nicole that Jennifer was being charged with murder. Nicole said that murder was an accurate description of Jennifer's crime. Daniel impatiently started to excuse himself, but Nicole stopped him.

"You need to face the fact that you -- you love Jennifer, and the problem with that is that you don't see her for exactly who she is. You think...just because she broke your heart, that she doesn't have feelings for you? I mean, maybe it's not love, but it's certainly possession. She thinks she has some claim on you -- that your life is in her hands. That's what we were arguing about. She doesn't want you, but she certainly doesn't want anyone else to have you, either. She knows that the baby -- the baby was our connection, and she wanted to break that connection. She would do anything to protect you. She even told people that before it happened, including you. She did this on purpose," Nicole quietly stated.

Nicole tearfully added that Daniel was abandoning her. As Daniel tried to deny Nicole's claim, Cameron entered the room and asked Daniel to leave. Ignoring Cameron's advice, Daniel urged Nicole to consider the possibility that she had made a mistake. Cameron firmly stated that Daniel was upsetting Nicole. Daniel sighed, apologized to Nicole, and reluctantly exited the room.

Cameron sedated Nicole, ignoring her request to finish her conversation with Daniel. After Cameron left, Jennifer entered the room. Nicole demanded to know why Jennifer wasn't in jail. Jennifer tried to apologize, but Nicole insisted that an apology wasn't going to resolve the situation. Nicole shouted that Jennifer was a murderer.

Nicole threatened to call the police, and Jennifer reluctantly agreed to leave. Jennifer said that she was sincerely sorry for what had happened to Nicole. Jennifer added that she wasn't going to let Nicole take her anger out on Jennifer, who had kids of her own who needed her. As Jennifer exited the room, Nicole shouted that she wasn't going to let Jennifer win.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Daniel asked Maggie for some advice. Maggie urged Daniel to give Nicole some time to grieve, but he insisted that the matter needed to be resolved quickly -- for Jennifer, Abigail, and J.J.'s sakes. Maggie pointed out that Daniel couldn't possibly fix everyone's problems. Maggie noted that Jennifer's face was always going to remind Nicole of the night that Nicole's baby had died.

Daniel agreed, cryptically adding that Maggie's advice had caused him to realize that there was something that he could do to fix the situation. After Daniel left, Maggie went to the Horton house to talk to Jennifer. Jennifer admitted that talking to Nicole might have made the situation worse. Jennifer sighed as she added that Nicole wasn't going to rest until Jennifer had been convicted of murder.

Meanwhile, at the hospital, Daniel greeted Nicole, who apologized for lashing out at him earlier. Daniel said that he cared about Nicole, adding that he wanted her to be a permanent part of his life. As Nicole braced herself for some bad news, Daniel clarified that he still wanted to move to a different city with her. Nicole smiled as she hugged Daniel.

In John's office at Basic Black, Kate greeted John, who dismissively informed her that he was busy. Ignoring John's statement, Kate warned that he had a major problem that he needed to deal with. Kate explained that Sami was thinking about hiring Nick. John sarcastically agreed that hiring Nick would be a catastrophe. Kate suggested that Sami's decision would reflect poorly on Marlena, but John disagreed.

Kate wondered if John really believed that Nick had changed. Kate reminded John that it was impossible for a person to escape their past. John sarcastically thanked Kate for her deep, compassionate concern for Marlena's reputation. John pointedly stated that it would be hypocritical for Kate to judge Nick based on his past actions, since she didn't exactly have the cleanest slate in town.

"Don't you think you're being a bit cavalier about a potentially dangerous man? I don't think you'd be so lighthearted if he had done all those terrible things to Marlena. I don't think you'd be quite so forgiving," Kate replied. John reiterated that he was busy. Kate shrugged and agreed to leave. As Kate exited the office, John added that everyone needed to stop worrying about the things that had happened in the past.

Later, Brady greeted John, who was too distracted to notice that his son had entered the office. After gaining John's attention, Brady wondered if something was wrong. Silently recalling his earlier nightmare, John vaguely stated that he hadn't been sleeping very well lately. Brady offered to help John with a meeting that was scheduled for later that day, but John declined the offer.

Brady admitted that he could use the work, which served as a distraction from thinking about Madison every minute of every day. John sighed and guessed that dealing with Jennifer and Nicole's situation had made it even harder for Brady to handle his own loss. Brady wondered if it was selfish to wish that he hadn't been in the town square that night. John assured Brady that it was completely natural to feel that way.

"You know, kid, I'm not -- I'm not sure if this is the right thing to say. I think your life sucks right now. Now, with that said, there was a time that that would make me worry about you, but not now. I care about you, but I'm not worried about you, because you're having to handle things that no one should have to handle, and you're doing a hell of a job. I'm proud of you, kid," John said.

Brady smiled and joked that John had probably said the same thing to his other sons. Brady excused himself, explaining that he was going to take advantage of the beautiful weather. John noted that Marlena had said the same thing, adding that she had asked him to join her for a picnic in the park later that day. Brady lovingly stated that John was an idiot for choosing to work instead of spending time with Marlena.

At Common Grounds, T greeted Will, who was casually strumming a guitar. T said that he had received Will's text message. Will dryly stated that T might eventually learn how to respond to text messages. Will added that he had assumed that T had ignored the text message because he didn't want to have anything to do with Will. "I'm here, aren't I?" T asked, taking a seat at Will's table.

Will said that he was glad that T had decided to stay in Salem for a while. T nodded and vaguely stated that he had decided to stick around because he had some things going on. Sonny, who was cleaning a nearby table, guessed that T's decision to remain in Salem had something to do with a tall, leggy blonde who was the very definition of the word hot.

Will wanted to hear about T's girlfriend, but T clarified that Audrey wasn't his girlfriend -- yet. Sonny guessed that T was talking about Audrey Perkins. "What? Wow. That is so great. I think it's great that you -- that you feel you can go after somebody who's so far out of your league," Will dryly stated, and Sonny agreed.

T laughed and noted that Sonny and Will were a funny pair. After a brief pause, T asked if Will and Sonny were together. Will smiled and confirmed that he was dating Sonny. "Good. I'm, uh -- I'm glad. Yeah, you know, I'm -- you guys seem happy, and happy is good," T sincerely stated. Will thanked T for the support, adding that he hoped that everything would work out well for T and Audrey.

"I think, you know, if you repress all your natural instincts, you might have a chance," Will jokingly added. T laughed and thanked Will for the encouragement. Before leaving, T placed a hand on Sonny's shoulder. "Oh, by the way, a word of advice -- do not make this one mad. He packs a mean right hook," T warned Will. T exited the coffeehouse, leaving Sonny confused. Will smiled and clarified that T had just given his version of an apology to Sonny.

Later, at the Horton Town Square, Will told Sonny that T had probably never wanted to act like a jerk. Will theorized that T had simply been acting the way that he had always believed that he was supposed to act. Sonny shook his head in disbelief and said that he wasn't even going to try to understand the workings of a straight male's mind.

Will countered that T deserved some credit, since he was trying to understand Sonny and Will. Sonny sarcastically replied that T was being quite generous. Sonny admitted that he was still upset about T's assertion that Will had changed. Sonny insisted that Will was still the same person.

"Well, maybe that's the way it should be, but unfortunately, that's not the way it is in reality. I mean, there's still something weird between me and my dad," Will said. Will theorized that he and Sonny had different perspectives on the subject, since Sonny's family had always been supportive. Sonny countered that he hadn't exactly had a rainbow flag draped over his crib.

Will explained that Marlena had advised him to be patient with Lucas, who was trying to understand Will and was just having a hard time doing so. Will conceded that Marlena had a point, and he noted that Lucas, who might not have even known any gay people in the past, had suddenly learned that his son was gay. Sonny confidently stated that Lucas had known gay people in the past -- he had simply never realized that they were gay.

"That's what was -- and what is -- so crappy about the closet. Why do you think the numbers on gay marriage have changed? It's because people are finding out that their brother, their sister, their friend, their neighbor is gay, and it's hard for them to say, 'You can't get married like I can.' You know, I think someday, right here in Salem, you and I could get married, and that would make me the happiest guy in the world. You know what? Why don't we do it? Let's get married," Sonny spontaneously suggested, grasping Will's hand.

The sudden turn that the conversation had taken seemed to shock Will. Sonny started to suggest that he and Will could get married in New York, but he quickly changed his mind and decided that Idaho would be a better choice. Sonny explained that he and Will could spend their honeymoon camping in Idaho. Will's jaw dropped as he stared at Sonny in disbelief, unable to think of a response.

After watching Will squirm for a few moments, Sonny laughed and noted that Will's expression had been priceless. Will playfully shoved Sonny. "Are you kidding me? Oh, my gosh, that's not funny. When your parents have been married as many times -- and as disastrously -- as mine, you don't joke to me -- you don't joke about marriage. Oh, my gosh. Yes, I want the right to marry, but I'm not sure I'm ever gonna exercise it," Will admitted.

Sonny wondered if Will was trying to say that he didn't believe in marriage. Will clarified that he believed that marriage was "really, really, really, really hard," adding that it was also something that should never be entered into lightly. Sonny understood and promised that he wouldn't ask Will again -- until the next day. Will told Sonny that he was happy with the state of their relationship, and he beckoned for Sonny to kiss him.

As Will and Sonny kissed, Kate approached them and observed that they seemed happy. Will confirmed Kate's suspicion, and he draped an arm across Sonny's shoulders and announced that Sonny had just proposed. "So, you're getting married? That's a great idea -- I mean, after all, you've been dating almost a week, right? Why not make a lifetime commitment?" Kate sarcastically stated.

Will agreed, explaining that he and Sonny were planning on having a long engagement. Playing along, Sonny nodded and added that he and Will were thinking about getting married on New Year's Eve. Will admitted that he and Sonny had not yet chosen a state to get married in, which was one of the reasons that they wanted Kate to help them plan the wedding.

Kate wondered if Will and Sonny had thought about what their parents were going to say about the news. Will said that he had sent Lucas a message on Twitter. Will laughed, unable to maintain the ruse any longer, and he and Sonny admitted that they had been playing a prank on Kate. Kate sarcastically stated that Sonny and Will were very mature. Sonny received a phone call from an employee and excused himself.

After Sonny left, Will apologized and wondered if Kate was upset. Kate shook her head and said that she was only upset about the fact that Will and Sonny had gotten her hopes up. Kate admitted that she had already been visualizing the flower arrangements in her head. Will assured Kate that he wasn't going to rush into anything, primarily because of Lucas and Sami's history. Kate was happy to hear that.

Glancing at Sonny, Kate noted that he and Will seemed very happy together. "Oh, I know I am. I can't speak for him, I guess. But, um, you know, it's not just that I -- I really am crazy about him. I think I like myself now," Will admitted. Kate could tell, and she asked Will to promise that he wouldn't rush things. Kate wanted Will to make sure that he took the time to enjoy all of the special firsts along the way.

In the park, Marlena stared at Kristen with a mixture of suspicion and contempt. "How really unpleasant to see you again. I was hoping that if you weren't dead, you'd be rotting in some third-world prison somewhere," Marlena dryly stated. Kristen muttered that she had anticipated that it would be difficult for her and Marlena to clear the air. Marlena reminded Kristen that they had been through more than just a minor tiff.

Kristen agreed and admitted that she had expected to receive an icy reception from some of Salem's residents. Kristen added that Stefano could be very persuasive at times. Realizing that Stefano was responsible for Kristen's return, Marlena muttered that she was getting a sick feeling of déj? vu. Kristen agreed, adding that it was just like the old days.

Marlena noted that it wasn't exactly like the old days, since she and Kristen weren't locked in a room together. Kristen clarified that she and Marlena weren't locked in a room together yet. Kristen quickly added that she was only joking, but Marlena wasn't even slightly amused.

Changing the subject, Kristen noted that the park was beautiful. Kristen said that the park had always been one of her favorite places in Salem. Kristen told Marlena that their fondness for the park was another thing that they had in common. Marlena wondered how Kristen had known where to find her. Kristen promised that she wasn't clairvoyant, and she matter-of-factly stated that she had followed Marlena.

"Some of the things I want to say to you are personal, and the new town square is lovely -- it really is -- but it doesn't really lend itself to privacy, does it? I have to say that you and John did seem like you were completely oblivious to your surroundings. It was sweet -- it was so sweet. How long have you two been married? I mean, honestly, you're like newlyweds," Kristen innocently added.

Marlena summarized that Kristen had been spying on her and John. Kristen reminded Marlena that the town square was a public place. Kristen added that she had decided that it would be thoughtful of her to refrain from interrupting John and Marlena's special moment. Marlena sarcastically agreed that Kristen had always been a very thoughtful person.

Kristen insightfully observed that Marlena didn't trust her. "I would have to be an idiot to trust you. My first reservation was when you stopped my wedding, then all those red flags when you kidnapped me and put me in a room, and then what finally sealed the deal was, you know, that part where you tried to kill me. No, I don't trust you, and I will never forget what you did to me, or to John," Marlena firmly stated.

Kristen winced, seemingly ashamed about her past misdeeds. Kristen acknowledged that she and Marlena had a rocky history, adding that she had done some things to Marlena that weren't nice. Marlena clarified that Kristen had done some things that were criminal, psychotic, and unforgivable. Kristen claimed that she was a changed woman.

Marlena dryly encouraged Kristen to take that changed woman somewhere else, like Tibet or hell. Ignoring Marlena's suggestion, Kristen added that she had been going to therapy. "You know what? I'm mistaken, then. Why don't we just go have some coffee and window-shop? 'Cause therapy -- that will get you fixed," Marlena sarcastically conceded.

"You're making fun of me, and that's okay, but, you know, the therapy -- it wasn't easy. I had to face things about myself that I did not like. Just hear me out, okay? I came to Salem because of family issues, but then I realized that I had an opportunity -- I had a real opportunity -- to make amends," Kristen explained, extending a hand. Marlena skeptically stared at Kristen and wondered if she was kidding.

Kristen insisted that she was being completely sincere. Marlena said that Kristen was obviously still delusional. Kristen smiled and said that she and Marlena had to start somewhere. "No, we don't. I will accept nothing from you. You cross a line -- a line that I determine -- I will not wait for you to come after me. I will come after you, and I would delight in some payback," Marlena warned Kristen.

"Okay...well, I'm going to consider this a first step," Kristen optimistically stated. Marlena countered that she was going to consider it the last step. "Well, I want you to know that, very soon, you're going to realize that you have absolutely nothing to fear from me, Marlena -- nothing at all. I promise you. And it was great to see you. Give my regards to John, please," Kristen sweetly added before walking away.

Realizing that Kristen's statement might have been a veiled threat, Marlena rushed back to the location where she had left her blanket, picnic basket, and purse. Marlena frantically rummaged through her purse, eventually dumping the contents onto the blanket, but she was unable to find her cell phone. Marlena guessed that Kristen had taken the device.

Back at Basic Black, John decided to take Brady's advice. As John started to leave, Kristen entered his office.

While Marlena set up a picnic for John, she realized that her cell phone was missing. Cursing Kristen's name, Marlena muttered to herself that she needed to warn John.

Meanwhile, in John's office, Kristen surprised John when she stopped by to visit. Kristen commented that John had not changed. John picked up the phone and informed Kristen that he was calling Roman to ask him to arrest her. When Kristen noted that John's call to Roman was pointless, he hung up the phone and asked her why. Kristen pointed out that the outstanding warrants on her were expired.

John ordered Kristen to stay away from him. Kristen explained that she did not want to cause trouble and that she had returned to Salem to make amends. John argued that Kristen's deeds were too great to make amends. When Kristen reminded John that she had been in a fragile state when she committed her misdeeds, John countered that Kristen had no excuse for attempting to murder Marlena.

Kristen argued that people behaved irrationally when they were in mourning. As support, Kristen cited the fact that Jennifer had been in mourning for Jack when she allegedly pushed a pregnant woman down a staircase. Kristen argued that she had undergone therapy and that she was the person she had been when she had first met John. John thought about the night he had met Kristen.

In the present, Kristen reminded John that they had loved one another once. Kristen explained that she accepted responsibility for her past behavior. When John noted that he did not believe that Kristen was sincere, Kristen countered that Marlena had doubted her sincerity as well. Upset by the revelation that Kristen had talked to Marlena, John grabbed Kristen's wrists and warned her not to hurt Marlena.

Marlena rushed into John's office and stopped in her tracks as she saw John holding Kristen's wrists in his clenched hands. Kristen noted that she did not want to hurt John or Marlena. When Marlena countered that Kristen was a liar, Kristen argued that she was no longer a liar, thanks to extensive therapy. Marlena noted that it was unlikely that Kristen had changed, since she had stolen Marlena's cell phone in order to prevent Marlena from calling John.

As Kristen shook her head, John's assistant entered the office and informed Marlena that she had found Marlena's cell phone in the waiting area earlier. Kristen apologized for upsetting John and Marlena and promised not to bother them again. Once Kristen was gone, John called his lawyer to confirm that the statute of limitations on Kristen's crimes had expired. When John wondered aloud whether Kristen had told him the truth about her reasons for returning to Salem, Marlena cautioned John not to fall for Kristen's tricks.

In her apartment, Sami worked on her computer while Lucas packed Allie's bag for ballet class. Lucas said that Allie had mentioned that Sami had been on a date with Rafe. Despite Lucas joking about Sami repeating mistakes, Sami remained quiet and stared at Lucas with annoyance. Noting Sami's sour face, Lucas said that Sami should not be upset with Allie for telling him about Rafe.

"Rafe and I are not together. Not now. Not ever. Rafe Hernandez can go to hell for all I care," Sami said firmly. Lucas asked what had happened. Sami explained that Nicole had lost her baby and that E.J. was the father. Sami noted that she had asked Rafe to tell her the truth about the baby's paternity and that Rafe had failed to come clean to her. Smiling, Lucas argued that Sami was a hypocrite for condemning Rafe for lying.

When Lucas pointed out that Sami should understand why Rafe was helping Nicole lie to E.J., Sami countered that Nicole's secret was more important to Rafe than his being honest with Sami. Lucas said that Rafe had been honorable in not telling Nicole's secret. With a smirk, Sami explained that Rafe had told Carrie about Nicole's secret. Lucas laughed and argued that Sami was angry about Rafe's relationship with Carrie and not about the lying.

Lucas reasoned that Sami put Rafe on a pedestal and that she needed to accept that he had flaws. "He made an emotional decision for all the wrong reasons. Does that sound familiar to anybody?" Lucas asked. Lucas argued that Sami expected the men in her life to be perfect, and then he walked out of the apartment.

At Jennifer's house, she opened the door and found an emotional E.J. on the front porch. "You killed my child," E.J. said. Jennifer denied the accusation. When E.J. said that Jennifer had pushed Nicole down the stairs, Jennifer exclaimed that E.J. was misinformed. E.J. countered that Billie and Brady had witnessed what happened in the square.

"My child's dead because you murdered him," E.J. bellowed. Upset, Jennifer proclaimed her innocence through tears and yelled that she was sorry. As E.J. yelled back, Hope entered the house and ordered E.J. to leave. When Hope threatened to arrest E.J. for trespassing, he growled that he would make Jennifer pay for killing his son.

After E.J. left, Jennifer broke down in tears, and Hope hugged her. Hope fixed Jennifer a cup of tea and noted that E.J. had no right to blame Jennifer for the death of his son. Jennifer stressed that Nicole was lying. Hope reminded Jennifer that she had previously stated that she was not sure whether she had pushed Nicole. Shaking her head, Jennifer explained that she had thought about the events in the square and that she was sure she had not pushed Nicole down the stairs.

When Jennifer asked if Hope believed her, Hope remarked that she knew that Jennifer would not hurt anyone intentionally. Hope warned Jennifer that she needed to be sure about what had happened in the square. Jennifer explained that there were people that believed that she was telling the truth about what happened.

"Is it the truth, or do you just want it to be the truth?" Hope asked. Before Jennifer could answer, Lucas stopped by to talk to Jennifer about what had happened in the square. Jennifer explained that she had been out of it after the accident and had acted in a manner that caused people to question whether she had pushed Nicole. With a sigh, Jennifer excused herself to make a phone call in the other room.

At the hospital, Daniel told Nicole that he wanted her to be a part of his life. Daniel informed Nicole that when she was out of the hospital, he wanted to leave town with her. When Nicole asked Daniel whether they were leaving as friends, Daniel stressed that he wanted to be "so much more than friends" with Nicole. Elated, Nicole broke down in tears and asked Daniel when they could leave.

Daniel explained that he needed to determine the legal ramifications for lying to E.J. Nicole wondered aloud if E.J. would go after them, since the baby was gone. Entering Nicole's hospital room, Rafe interrupted to say that E.J. would not let Nicole go unpunished. Rafe explained that he had confronted E.J. and that E.J. had a recording of his conversation with Nicole about the baby.

Annoyed, Rafe added that E.J. had driven a wedge in Rafe's relationship with Sami by playing the recording for Sami. Nicole apologized to Rafe and Daniel for dragging them into her scheme. "It's all my fault!" Nicole cried out. Rafe and Daniel assured Nicole that they supported Nicole and that it was not her fault. Daniel reminded Nicole that he and Rafe had known the risks in lying to E.J.

When Rafe and Daniel walked into the hallway outside Nicole's room, E.J. stepped off the elevator. Daniel and Rafe blocked E.J.'s path into Nicole's room. E.J. demanded to speak to Nicole. When Rafe and E.J. made no response, Nicole appeared in the doorway of her room and exclaimed that she should talk to E.J. Nicole, Daniel, Rafe, and E.J. returned to Nicole's hospital room to talk privately.

"What now, E.J.? I mean, come on, haven't we lost everything that matters?" Nicole said. "We have. Now it's their turn," E.J. responded. E.J. noted that he could ensure that Daniel lost his medical license and that Rafe lost his badge. Furious, Nicole warned E.J. not to threaten Daniel or Rafe. With narrowed eyes, E.J. said that though he could hurt Daniel, Rafe, and Nicole, he would not go after them.

Daniel asked E.J. why he was not pressing charges. E.J. explained that though he was angry at Nicole, Daniel, and Rafe, they needed to move on with their lives. "The truth of the matter is if I hadn't slept with Samantha, Nicole, if that hadn't come between us, then this loss would never have happened," E.J. said. With a sigh, E.J. left.

Rafe followed E.J. into the hallway and confronted him about his promise not to pursue charges. E.J. explained that he had no reason to hurt Rafe because Rafe had already lost the woman he cared about. With a smirk, Rafe asked E.J. if he believed he could pursue Sami. E.J. countered that Sami had no interest in him, even if Rafe was no longer in the picture.

In her hospital room, Nicole wondered aloud whether E.J. was telling the truth. Shrugging, Daniel noted that it was impossible to tell when E.J. was being truthful. Daniel's cell phone rang. When Daniel noticed the call was from Jennifer, he excused himself and rushed into the hallway to answer the call.

Daniel asked Jennifer if she was okay. Jennifer told Daniel that E.J. knew that he was the father of Nicole's baby and that E.J. was angry. Daniel thanked Jennifer for the warning, and he said that Jennifer did not need to worry about him. Daniel added that he did not believe that Jennifer had intentionally hurt Nicole, and then he hung up the phone. Upset, Jennifer called out Daniel's name into the phone as Lucas joined her on the front porch.

"You want to tell me what that was all about?" Lucas asked. Jennifer avoided the question and walked back into the living room. As Lucas persisted, Jennifer warned him not to grill her about Daniel. When Jennifer said that it mattered to her what happened to Daniel, Hope asked Jennifer what had happened. Jennifer explained that she had spoken to Daniel and that he had reassured her that he was fine.

Back in Nicole's hospital room, Daniel returned after his phone call. Nicole asked Daniel if he wanted to leave Salem with her. Daniel nodded and said that he had no ties to Salem other than Maggie. With a deep sigh, Nicole asked Daniel whether he was ready to walk away from Jennifer. Upset, Daniel turned away from Nicole. When Nicole noted that Daniel had feelings for Jennifer, he admitted that he did but that the feelings were not mutual.

"Are you sure about that?" Nicole asked. Daniel stressed that Jennifer had chosen Jack and that he did not want to pine over someone who was not interested in him. Daniel swore that if he left town with Nicole, he would move on with Nicole and leave Jennifer behind. When Nicole asked Daniel if he was sure he could move on, he countered that he was sure about moving on with Nicole if she would accept him despite the fact that he had feelings for someone else.

Shrugging, Nicole said that she would like to help Daniel forget about his feelings for Jennifer. Excited, Daniel sat on Nicole's bed next to her and said how happy he was to leave Salem with her. Grasping Nicole's hands in his, Daniel said that he would leave town on one condition.

"I don't want another terrible injustice on top of an already tragic situation," Daniel said. When Nicole asked what he meant, Daniel explained that he could not start a life with Nicole knowing that Jennifer was imprisoned in Salem for a crime he did not believe Jennifer was capable of committing. "Let me see if I understand you correctly. You're saying you will leave Salem and start a new life with me if I agree to drop the charges against Jennifer?" Nicole asked.

When E.J. returned to his office to work, Kristen visited. E.J. stressed that he did not need Kristen's help. "I know what you want. I know how to get it for you," Kristen said.

In her apartment, Sami thought about her argument with Rafe. Frustrated, Sami closed her laptop and left the apartment. As Sami walked through the town square, she thought about when she had married Rafe in the square. Sami turned the corner and ran directly into Rafe.

In her office at the hospital, Kayla was making phone calls to different treatment centers about their research on dementia to determine whether Caroline might be a good candidate for any of their studies.

Bo was on the phone at the Brady Pub when Hope arrived. Bo admitted that he'd been at the pub ever since his meeting with Roman and Kayla. Caroline emerged from behind the bar and cracked a joke about Bo being her babysitter. She also lightheartedly threatened to throw Bo and Hope out if she got customers who needed their table. Bo approached his mother about the conversation he'd had with Kayla and Roman, and Hope gently encouraged her mother-in-law to hear Bo out.

Hope was worried that Caroline might be upset that Bo had discussed Caroline's situation with Hope, but Caroline was very understanding. Reassuring Caroline that she would always be there to help, Hope embraced Caroline lovingly. The three sat down at a table to talk. Bo pointed out that since he'd retired from the force, he had lots of extra time on his hands. Caroline stopped him before he could go any further and insisted that she didn't want her son to give up his life to watch over her.

Bo gently stated that he didn't think it was a good idea for Caroline to be working all alone at the pub anymore. Caroline defensively resisted the idea and asked what would happen if one of her kids weren't around to babysit her. Bo clarified that he'd only meant that maybe Caroline could use a little extra help. Although it was October, Caroline snapped that she had an event in two weeks for the Fourth of July that she had to attend.

Bo reassured her that no one wanted to take her away from the pub. Hope and Bo gently suggested an alternative -- someone who could be with Caroline when the family couldn't. Caroline furiously declared that having a caretaker who followed her around all the time would be humiliating. She refused to discuss it and stormed into the kitchen.

When Caroline returned, Bo apologized for upsetting her. Hope reassured Caroline that they would hire someone discreet, whom people would assume was just another employee. Caroline thought it was a frivolous waste of money, but Hope urged her not to worry about the cost. Bo pointed out that they wanted Caroline to be able to keep her freedom -- and promised her that whoever they hired wouldn't hover and would only be there in case Caroline needed them, plus it would give her family some peace of mind.

Hope noted that Caroline's customers needed her almost as much as her family did. "This is where you belong... Everyone loves having you here, Caroline. Everyone loves you," Hope declared on behalf of all of Caroline's customers and the family. Hope and Bo both wrapped their arms around Caroline as she chuckled. "Okay. Let's give it a try," Caroline agreed with a grateful smile.

When Caroline headed into the kitchen, Bo expressed his love and gratitude to Hope for helping to get through to his mom. Hope declared that she loved Bo and his mother, and assured him that he had her full support. She noted that what he was doing wasn't exactly what he'd had in mind when he'd quit the force. Bo vowed that he would still make time to go after the DiMeras.

Kayla entered just then and announced that she'd found a way to help Caroline. Kayla explained that she'd found a program that did clinical trials and advanced, cutting-edge diagnostic work, and Caroline fit the study's criteria. Kayla continued that after evaluating Caroline, the doctors would prescribe something that was tailor-made for her -- but the program not only required a serious time commitment, it was also across the country. Bo and Hope looked dismayed as they watched Caroline happily laughing and chatting with a customer. "So she'd have to leave Salem?" Bo asked.

Chad ran into Abigail at Common Grounds and expressed his sympathy about what her mom was going through. Gabi entered just then, and when she overheard Chad mention Nicole and the baby, she asked what was going on. Abigail explained that her mom was being accused of pushing Nicole down the stairs in Horton Square the night before, and Nicole had lost the baby. Gabi was immediately worried about how Rafe was taking the news -- and incredulous that Jennifer would have pushed Nicole.

Abigail insisted that her mom was innocent, and Chad urged Gabi to go talk to her brother and leave Abigail alone. Gabi apologized to Abigail and then rushed out to talk to Rafe. While Chad was expressing his annoyance about Gabi, his cell phone rang with a number he didn't recognize. When he answered it, Stefano was on the other end, calling to check in on his son. An irked Chad pointed out that it had been months since he'd heard from Stefano.

Stefano acknowledged that Chad had been going through a difficult time and offered his help. "Too little, too late, Dad," Chad said tersely before hanging up. Abigail expressed her sympathy, but Chad was angry with himself for letting his father get to him. Abigail assured Chad that it was all right to love his dad but still find him infuriating. Chad apologized for complaining about Stefano when Abigail was still dealing with her own father's death.

Abigail admitted that she would give anything to have her dad back, especially with everything her mom was going through. Abigail added that she just wished her brother lived closer, and asked if it helped Chad to have E.J. around. Chad said somewhat derisively, "Yeah, I still have E.J." Chad again expressed his sympathy about what Abigail and her mom were going through, especially so soon after losing Jack. Chad and Abigail exchanged friendly goodbyes and then Abigail left.

Just as Abigail was leaving, Howard Dawson entered and introduced himself to Chad. "I've done some, uh, consulting work for your brother," Howard explained vaguely. He added, "Next time you see him, tell him I'm sorry for his loss." Chad was confused. Howard clarified that he'd been referring to Nicole Walker's miscarriage.

At E.J.'s office, Kristen tried to convince E.J. that he needed her help, but he denied it. Kristen asserted that she knew what E.J. wanted -- and how to get it for him. E.J. believed that Stefano had ordered Kristen to interfere in E.J.'s life, and pointed out that Kristen neither cared for nor knew anything about E.J. Kristen countered that she knew what E.J. was going through, since she, too, had lost a child; she guessed that E.J. wanted revenge against Jennifer.

E.J. maintained that he could take care of Jennifer without Kristen's help. "But Sami Brady is an entirely different story," Kristen noted knowingly. She insisted that she would never judge whom E.J. gave his heart to, but then recounted some of Sami's past crimes. "I'm just wondering what you have planned now that you have them right where you want them," Kristen mused. She admitted that she'd learned that E.J. had changed the name of the father on the birth certificate to his own from Rafael Hernandez's.

Kristen wondered what E.J. was going to do since he'd learned that Rafe had perpetrated such a blatant act of fraud just to protect Nicole. E.J. firmly stated that his only plan was to mourn the death of his son. Noting that Rafe had conspired to keep E.J.'s son from him, Kristen asked, "You don't want to make him pay for that?" E.J. asserted that being vindictive would do nothing to get his son back.

Kristen observed that perhaps E.J. was taking the high road in order to win Sami's favor. "Who knows? Maybe she could be swayed by seeing the good in you. But after everything you've already done, is it really going to be enough to win her back?" Kristen wondered. E.J. hinted that Kristen should stay out of it and let him handle his own plans, but she kept pressing. "Why are you so determined to insert yourself into this situation?" E.J. asked suspiciously.

Kristen insisted, "I'm your sister. I want you to know that I have your back, no matter what." Chuckling, E.J. asked what Kristen thought he should do. Kristen promised that she would take care of Sami. E.J. reminded Kristen that she had done "unspeakably cruel things" to Samantha's mother, so Sami wasn't likely to even want to be in the same room with Kristen.

"I know exactly what I need to say to Sami to get her to listen to me. Which means that she will be [by] to see you by the end of the day. She'll want to see you. She'll be anxious to see you -- and not to speak about the two kids you share," Kristen promised.

After Kristen left, E.J. called Stefano. "Tell Kristen to back off. I don't want her around, and I certainly don't need her help," E.J. demanded. Stefano countered that Kristen had the power to help their family. E.J. argued that the family was ruined, but Stefano didn't agree. "I told you I don't want anything to do with you, which means I don't want anything to do with your designated agent, so do me a favor and tell her to back off -- now!" E.J. ordered. He slammed down the phone.

In Horton Square, Sami apologized to Rafe for bumping into him. She started to hurry away, but he stopped her. He acknowledged that she had every right to be hurt and angry, and begged her for a chance to explain. Sami agreed to hear him out. Rafe admitted that the situation was very complicated, but when he mentioned E.J., Sami didn't want to hear DiMera's name. Rafe asserted that E.J. had actually enjoyed hurting Sami by telling her that the baby hadn't been Rafe's -- but Rafe had never wanted to hurt her.

Just then, Gabi ran up and threw her arms around her brother. "Oh, my God, I'm so sorry! I heard about Nicole and the baby. Are you okay?" Gabi asked anxiously. Rafe admitted that he'd tried to call Gabi but hadn't wanted to leave the information in a voicemail. Gabi interrupted to assure her brother that she understood, but Sami urged Gabi to let Rafe finish what he had to say. "When you find out, you probably won't feel quite so sorry for Rafe," Sami said bitterly as she turned and left the square.

Rafe and Gabi went back to his loft so he could explain why he'd lied about being the father of Nicole's baby. Gabi understood both why Rafe had covered up the baby's paternity and why Sami was so angry with him. Rafe acknowledged that Sami had trusted him, but he'd lied to her over and over. Gabi acknowledged that Nicole had to be devastated. Rafe informed her that Nicole hadn't even thought she could get pregnant again. "It's not fair," Rafe said with a sigh.

Gabi pointed out that it wasn't fair to Rafe, either, because he had sacrificed so much to help Nicole. Rafe noted that he'd lost Sami by lying to her, but Gabi pointed out that Sami had also lied to Rafe in the past, and Rafe's lies had been for a noble reason. "Sis, don't you get it? I am always honest with Sami, no matter what. I lied to her, okay? That's the difference. It's over," Rafe declared glumly.

Back at her apartment, Sami was at work on her computer when she noticed that she'd missed a phone call from her mom. Just then, someone knocked on the door. Assuming that it was Rafe, Sami barked, "Go away!" The knocking persisted, so Sami opened the door -- and was stunned and horrified to find Kristen on the doorstep. Sami immediately started to call the police, but Kristen gently took the phone away from her.

Sami quickly deduced that Marlena had called to warn her that Kristen was back in Salem. Kristen tried to reassure Sami, "I wish you weren't so suspicious of me. I'm not here to cause you any trouble." A skeptical Sami reminded Kristen of the horrific things she'd done to Marlena and practically everyone else in Salem. Kristen countered, "Well, hello, pot. It's me: kettle." Sami threatened to physical throw Kristen out if she didn't leave on her own.

Kristen declared that she wasn't going anywhere, because Sami had no choice but to deal with her. Sami argued that she to get back to work because she had a company to run. Kristen produced financial reports for Countess Wilhelmina and contended that Sami had run the company into the ground. Irritably maintaining that it was confidential information, Sami tried to grab the papers away from Kristen and demanded to know how Kristen had gotten them. Kristen explained, "Everything's being forwarded to me now, as it should be -- seeing as how I'm your new boss."

At the Brady Pub, Kayla assured Bo and Hope that the treatment program in California was Caroline's best option. Without hesitation, Bo volunteered to accompany Caroline to California. Caroline interrupted and wondered what the group was whispering about.

"Mom, there's this program I found that does the most thorough tests, and their treatments are -- they're experimental, but they have had incredible success," Kayla explained. Caroline smiled and agreed that the program sounded encouraging, but she quickly changed her mind when she learned that she would have to go to California. Caroline abruptly excused herself, refusing to continue the discussion.

Noting that the treatment center's offer would soon expire, Kayla hoped that Caroline would quickly reconsider. Kayla excused herself so that she could return to the hospital. "I don't think your mom is afraid of what'll happen when she's gone. I think she's afraid she's not gonna come back. I mean, to her, it sounded like she had a day to say goodbye to everyone," Hope told Bo.

Bo admitted that he probably should have talked to Hope before he had volunteered to go to California with Caroline. Hope assured Bo that she understood, and he declared that she was the best wife in the world. As Bo hugged Hope, Caroline interrupted and brusquely stated that she didn't need two babysitters. Without waiting for a response, Caroline started to clean a nearby table.

Bo started to say something to Caroline, but Hope stopped him and offered to handle the situation herself. Hope approached Caroline, who was placing some dishes on a tray. Caroline recalled that she had promised to take Ciara trick-or-treating for Halloween -- an event that Caroline didn't want to miss.

"You know what I don't want you to miss? Christmas. Her graduations. Dance recitals. We want you back here, Caroline -- healthy. Please...come on...give it some thought, okay? And let your kids help you...because we love you," Hope gently stated. After kissing Caroline's cheek, Hope grabbed the tray and carried it into the kitchen. Caroline sighed as she considered Hope's request.

Later, Caroline took a bottle of beer over to Bo's table, noting that it contained less calories than the slice of pie that he had originally asked for. Caroline took a seat next to Bo and started to look at a loose sheet of paper. Caroline explained that she was working on a poem that she wanted Ciara to recite at the pub on Memorial Day. Bo promised that he and Caroline would be back in Salem before Memorial Day.

Caroline took a deep breath and agreed to go to California with Bo. Hope emerged from the kitchen and watched as Bo and Caroline talked about doing some sightseeing while they were in California. "Been a long time since I've had you on the back of my motorcycle. We'll go up to Yosemite -- see those huge redwoods," Bo suggested. Caroline laughed as she demanded to be provided with a green helmet that had a shamrock on it. Hope smiled sadly as she listened to Bo and Caroline's conversation.

In Sami's apartment, Kristen explained that Stefano had placed her in charge of Countess Wilhelmina because, in addition to being his daughter, she also had more experience than Sami. Sami conceded that Kristen had more experience with kidnapping and attempted murder. Kristen sighed and noted that it was unfortunate that Marlena had poisoned Sami's mind. Sami insisted that she had formed her own opinion of Kristen.

Kristen admitted that she was starting to wonder if she and Sami would be able to work together. Kristen offered Sami the chance to quit. After seriously considering the offer for a moment, Sami decided that she wanted to continue to work at Countess Wilhelmina. Sami said that she needed to support her family, and she added that she liked -- and was good at -- her job.

Kristen smirked as she dryly praised Sami's high level of self-esteem. "Your job performance was...less than stellar...but I understand -- you were at a huge disadvantage. Sami, you were promoted far beyond your abilities, and people were making allowances for your, you know, lack of education and your sloppy work. They thought they were helping you, and clearly, it can't go on," Kristen added.

Sami challenged Kristen to provide an example of Sami's poor performance. In response, Kristen handed Sami a document. "One of the many things that slipped through the cracks when you were heading up Countess Wilhelmina -- the releases that E.J. was supposed to sign, relinquishing his interest in the company," Kristen explained. Sami insisted that she had sent the documents to E.J. months earlier.

"But you failed, Sami -- you failed to make sure that he signed them, which means that the company hasn't been able to file its quarterly tax returns, which means that interest and fines have been compounding daily. Look at the last page -- you'll see the schedule of overdue payments. That's money that you personally cost Countess Wilhelmina, honey," Kristen said. Kristen added that it wasn't fair to expect the company to pay for Sami's mistake.

Sami assured Kristen that she would fix the problem right away. Kristen clarified that Sami needed to handle the situation that night. Sami agreed and dismissively escorted Kristen out of the apartment. In the hallway, Kristen grinned slyly as she recalled her earlier promise to deliver Sami to E.J. before the end of the night.

In E.J.'s office, Chad offered his condolences, referring to the death of E.J.'s baby as a random and brutal event. E.J. clarified that his child had been murdered, and he vowed to make Jennifer pay for her crime. Chad found it difficult to believe that Jennifer could have deliberately pushed Nicole down a flight of stairs. E.J. insisted that Jennifer wasn't really as pure and decent as she had always pretended to be.

Chad sarcastically stated that talking to E.J. was always an enjoyable experience. E.J. took the hint and quickly changed the subject, thanking Chad for taking the time to offer his condolences. "Your baby died, and I know how you are with your kids. Whatever -- we're brothers," Chad said with a shrug. E.J. embraced Chad, who abruptly exited the office.

Later, E.J. stared at a framed photograph of him, Sami, Johnny, and Sydney. Someone knocked on the door, and E.J. smiled when he realized that Sami had entered his office. Sami vaguely stated that she needed to ask E.J. for a favor. Before Sami could elaborate, E.J. agreed to grant her request, noting that he had never been able to say no to her.

E.J. apologized as he signed the documents, which he had assumed that he had signed months earlier. Sami conceded that she should have paid more attention, but E.J. refused to let her take responsibility for his mistake. E.J. assured Sami that he would cover the cost of the fines. Sami thanked E.J. for his help, and he smiled as he watched her exit the office.

Later, Sami returned to her apartment. Sami tried to call Marlena, but the call went to voicemail. "Hey, Mom -- it's Sami. I'm sure you already know that Kristen DiMera is back in Salem. She's already causing trouble -- I mean, she's all up in my business already, and I'm sure she has something planned for you...and probably everyone else in this town, so, um, call me," Sami said. After ending the call, Sami wondered what Kristen had planned for E.J.

At Common Grounds, Kristen introduced herself to Chad. Chad seemed pleasantly surprised to see Kristen, and he wondered how she had recognized him. Kristen explained that she had looked up all of the DiMeras when she had returned to Salem. With a hint of sadness, Chad noted that the list had been shrinking lately.

Chad realized that he hadn't typed his name into an Internet search engine recently, and he wondered what the first result had been. Kristen laughed as she replied that Chad's modeling portfolio had been the first item of interest. Embarrassed, Chad shook his head and admitted that he had only agreed to do the modeling gig so that he could earn some quick cash. Kristen respected the fact that Chad had earned his money without Stefano's help.

Changing the subject, Chad said that he was surprised that Kristen had returned to Salem. Kristen explained that she had decided to try to make amends for her past misdeeds. Kristen admitted that she hadn't made a lot of progress yet, but she hoped that things would eventually get better. "Oh, yeah -- this town loves DiMeras," Chad sarcastically assured Kristen.

One of the employees interrupted Chad and Kristen's conversation. After serving Kristen and Chad their lattes, the employee said that she was sorry that Melanie had dumped Chad. The woman wondered if Melanie had really mailed her engagement ring back to Chad. Kristen impatiently interrupted the employee and asked for some raw sugar. "Hopefully, she'll have to go to Chicago to get it," Kristen muttered after the employee left.

Chad agreed with Kristen, who admitted that she hadn't known that Chad had been engaged. "There's gonna come a time when you go a whole day without thinking about her. That's the biggest hurdle. After that, the days just kind of add up," Kristen gently assured Chad. Chad noted that it sounded like Kristen had been through a similar situation in the past. Kristen smiled and told Chad that their surname wasn't the only thing that they had in common.

Later, at the Horton Town Square, Kristen greeted E.J. and casually asked if he had managed to get a lot of work done at the office that night. E.J. conceded that Sami had visited his office earlier, but he tried to downplay his level of excitement. E.J. insisted that Kristen had not yet managed to truly deliver Sami to him. "It was a first step, and we can talk about what happens next...soon," Kristen coyly stated. As Kristen walked away, E.J. beamed with delight.

At the Horton house, Abigail apologized for doubting Jennifer earlier. Jennifer was happy to hear that Abigail no longer doubted her mother's innocence. Abigail optimistically predicted that everything was going to be all right, but Jennifer wasn't convinced. Jennifer admitted that her life was in Nicole's hands. Abigail insisted that she couldn't lose Jennifer too.

Jennifer decided that she was going to focus on a press release that she was supposed to be writing. When Jennifer opened her laptop, she quickly realized that she had left an important document at the hospital. Abigail offered to retrieve the document for Jennifer. After Abigail left, Jennifer looked at a framed photograph of Jennifer and Jack. "We did get one thing very right, Jack -- our baby girl," Jennifer muttered, hugging the photograph.

Later, Jennifer opened her front door and found Anne -- the hospital employee who had been holding a grudge against Jennifer for receiving the job that Anne had coveted -- standing outside. "Do you have any idea of the chaos you've left at the hospital? You're a scandal we can't afford, Jennifer. Have the decency to resign," Anne bluntly stated.

Before Anne could continue, Kayla arrived and told Anne to return to work. Anne stormed off, and Kayla sighed as she muttered that Anne had a lot of nerve. Kayla asked about Abigail, and Jennifer admitted that she was worried about her daughter. Kayla promised that Abigail's family and friends would always be there to support her.

In Nicole's room at the hospital, Daniel announced that Nicole was scheduled to be discharged the following morning. Recalling Daniel's earlier offer, Nicole noted that it had sounded like an ultimatum. Nicole wondered if Daniel had meant that he would only agree to leave Salem with Nicole if she dropped the charges against Jennifer.

Avoiding the actual question, Daniel advised Nicole that seeking revenge would only leave her hollow inside. Daniel claimed that he wanted more than that for Nicole, adding that he wanted them to have a fresh start together. Before Nicole could respond, Daniel received a phone call and excused himself.

Nicole sighed heavily as she imagined a fantasy scenario where Jennifer tried to stop Daniel from leaving Salem with Nicole. Daniel returned, interrupting Nicole's fantasy to announce that Roman wanted to talk to her. Nicole protested that she wasn't ready to talk to Roman, but he insisted that he couldn't wait any longer.

After Daniel left, Nicole recounted the details of the day that she had fallen down the stairs in the town square. Nicole reluctantly admitted that she wasn't sure if Jennifer had pushed her. Nicole added that she had been in a lot of pain that night and couldn't remember exactly what she had told the police. Roman reminded Nicole that she had accused Jennifer of murdering Nicole's baby.

"Well, that's what I thought that night. I've had some rest...and I've been thinking about it, and I can't stop thinking about it, and I've been replaying it in my head, and I -- I'm -- I'm -- I'm sure. Jennifer didn't try to kill me or my baby. It was an accident," Nicole said, struggling to contain her emotions. Roman produced a pair of documents and explained that Nicole would need to sign them if she wanted to amend her original statement.

Roman excused himself so that Nicole could think about her decision. After Roman left, Nicole hesitantly reached for a pen. Meanwhile, in the waiting area, Maxine asked Daniel to go to Jennifer's office and retrieve the flyers for the pediatric wing's Halloween party.

Daniel entered Jennifer's office and noticed a framed photograph of her and Jack that had been placed on her desk. As Daniel picked up the photograph, Abigail entered the office and demanded to know what he was doing. After explaining the situation, Daniel added that he wished that he could help Jennifer. Abigail glared at Daniel and insisted that he was responsible for what had happened to Jennifer.

Abigail said that Daniel had only cared about helping Nicole. Daniel insisted that he had tried to help Nicole and Jennifer. "Daniel...you can't be everything to everyone. Sometimes, you have to choose," Abigail replied. Daniel said that, as a doctor, he had to believe that he could help everyone, but Abigail assured him that he was wrong.

Daniel wondered if Abigail was all right. Abigail insisted that she was fine, adding that Jennifer was the person who needed to be saved. As Abigail started to look for Jennifer's documents, Daniel begged her to tell Jennifer to remain hopeful. Abigail defeatedly reminded Daniel that Nicole hated Jennifer and couldn't wait to send Jennifer to prison. Abigail grabbed the documents and stormed out of the office.

When Daniel returned to Nicole's room, she announced that she had told Roman that her fall had been accidental. Daniel was pleased to hear that Nicole had done the right thing. Nicole beamed with delight as Daniel promised to see her the next day. After Daniel left, Nicole sighed contentedly. "At least the truth got me something this time, huh? Daniel's leaving with me, and I'll never have to think about Jennifer Horton again," Nicole muttered.

Back at the Horton house, Abigail recapped her earlier encounter with Daniel. "He was saving Halloween for sick kids -- what a superhero," Abigail bitterly stated, adding that Daniel was responsible for everything that had happened to Jennifer recently. Jennifer pointed out that Daniel wasn't responsible for Nicole's actions. Abigail countered that Daniel had placed Nicole in Jennifer's orbit. With a frustrated groan, Abigail stormed off.

Later, Jennifer opened the front door and found Roman standing outside. "Jen, I have some good news for you. I just came from the hospital. I have a signed, sworn statement from Nicole. I want you to call Justin -- I expect we can get the charges against you dropped tomorrow," Roman announced. Shocked, Jennifer wondered why Nicole had suddenly changed her mind about their earlier argument.

In Daniel's apartment, Daniel placed a phone call to a local charity organization. Daniel explained that he had some baby clothes that he wanted to donate to the organization. Daniel stressed that someone needed to pick up the clothing before the next morning. After ending the call, Daniel tossed the pile of baby clothes into an empty box. A brown pair of shorts, covered with images of cars and trucks, was at the top of the pile.

At the hospital, a brown shirt, covered with images of cars and trucks, was laying in the lost and found. A tag noted the time and date of discovery, as well as the examination room that the item had been found in.

Outside Common Grounds, Gabi thanked Nick for his help with the Halloween party. Nick admitted that he'd agreed to do so partly because it meant that he would get to hang out with Gabi. When Nick and Gabi went inside, they found Sonny and Will going through boxes of decorations. Will took a picture of Sonny wearing vampire teeth and holding up a witch decoration.

The four sat at a table to brainstorm ideas for a theme to the party. Gabi nixed Will's idea of using strobe lights, since they might be too scary for the kids. Nick's first suggestion was to string cobwebs in the doorway. Will teased Sonny about his penmanship as he wrote down the idea, and the two argued playfully about how Will had already posted the picture of Sonny wearing fangs online. Nick watched the two guys quietly. Gabi asked if he were all right, but he assured her that he was.

When Sonny stepped away to take a phone call, Will asked how Nick was doing and added that the whole family was glad that Nick was staying in town. Nick admitted that things had gotten off to a rocky start, but things were getting better, and he enjoyed working at the pub with Caroline and Gabi. Will thanked Nick for helping with the party. He explained that most of the kids who would be attending didn't have a lot of money, and it was important to Sonny to make the kids feel like they weren't missing out on anything, for at least one night. Gabi observed Nick's nonchalant responses.

Sonny returned and announced that all the party favors and costumes had been delivered to his apartment by mistake, so Will and Sonny left to retrieve them. As soon as they were alone, Gabi turned to Nick. "So clearly you have a problem with Will and Sonny," she said somewhat accusingly. She apparently assumed that Nick just felt shy around Will and Sonny -- and her -- because they were all so boisterous, but she reassured Nick that Will and Sonny were his friends.

Grinning, Nick noted that Gabi seemed more upbeat and positive than he'd seen her in a while. She admitted that she was happy, and it was partly because of Nick, because she felt like she could be herself around him. "For what it's worth, I really like you -- this you -- a lot," Nick declared with a smile.

Outside the town square later, Gabi reassured Nick that she hadn't been criticizing him before -- and that she liked being with him. "I like being with you, too," Nick said, leaning in to kiss Gabi. After a moment, Nick assured Gabi that she didn't have to kiss him because she felt she owed him something for helping with the party. "Nick, I'm kissing you because you are an amazing guy. You're smart and funny and cute, and you like me for who I am -- and I've waited so long to feel that way about someone," Gabi declared.

Nick began kissing her again, but Gabi's ringing cell phone interrupted them. When Gabi saw that it was Caroline calling, she immediately answered. After she hung up, Gabi told Nick that Caroline had asked her to go to the pub. Nick offered to walk Gabi there, and she accepted, so the pair left the square arm-in-arm.

As Sonny unlocked his apartment, he apologized to Will for the mess inside, but teased Will about his cluttered car. Inside, Sonny went to look for a box cutter to open the cartons of costumes. Will looked around the place, and eyed the neatly made bed. While Sonny and Will unpacked the boxes, Will confessed that he had once been one of the kids who'd looked forward to that Halloween party every year.

Sonny noted that Will had never talked much about his childhood. Will explained as briefly as possible that he'd been sort of bounced back and forth between his parents over the years, like a prize, so he'd never felt that he'd belonged with either of them. "I hope you finally feel like you belong somewhere," Sonny said, wrapping Will in a vampire's cape and kissing him.

Later, the two guys donned Groucho Marx glasses, and Will related how his great-grandmother had always taken him to pick out his Halloween costume every year, but she'd always known when to draw the line. He described an over-the-top disco costume he'd chosen one year that Caroline had vetoed, so Will had gone as one of the members of boy band *NSYNC instead. "That probably should've been my first clue," Will joked.

Giving Will a hard time for disparaging *NSYNC, Sonny grabbed a can of spray string from a box and aimed it at Will. Soon the two were having a playful fight with the canned string, chasing each other around the apartment. It quickly turned into a wrestling match, which ended with the two of them kissing. Will began to steer Sonny toward the bed. Sonny pulled away a bit and asked, "Are you sure?" Grinning, Will replied, "Yeah," and they resumed kissing.

As Sami was crossing the town square, Kristen greeted her sunnily. Kristen asked if Sami had made up her mind about keeping her job since learning that Kristen would be her new boss. When Sami admitted that she had not decided yet, Kristen informed her that she had already started looking for Sami's replacement.

Sami produced the documents that E.J. had signed the night before and presented them to Kristen. Sami stated that E.J. was also certain that he had signed them, so he had offered to pay any fines due to the IRS. Kristen then gave Sami a deadline of that night to make up her mind about whether to keep the job, and then strolled away. Sami immediately called Marlena and left her a message that said, "Mom, it's Sami. I just ran into Kristen. That bitch has got to go."

Brady was stunned when he ran into Kristen as she exited the café a bit later. Kristen was glad to see him, although Brady clearly did not return the sentiment. Kristen asked him to join her at a table, and after they sat down, she admitted that she wasn't proud of the way she'd behaved before -- but she swore that she was not a threat to anyone any longer.

Brady started to call John and Marlena to warn them that Kristen had returned, but Kristen informed him that she'd already seen both of them. She reassured Brady that she had been through intensive therapy that had made her much stronger, and all she wanted to do was make amends. Brady doubted that. "Stay the hell away from them," he warned Kristen. Kristen noted that previously, Brady hadn't gotten along with Marlena particularly well.

Brady asserted that he and Marlena had long since worked out their differences. "I finally understood how happy she made my father, in a way that no one else in the world could. They're my family," Brady explained. He reiterated his warning to Kristen not to antagonize John or Marlena. Kristen promised that she had no intention of causing trouble for John, Marlena, or anyone else. Kristen made a sour face after Brady left.

As John dropped Marlena off at the hospital, he promised to pick her up in an hour and a half, after her session with a patient and time to take some notes afterwards. Marlena insisted that she would be fine without him, but John was determined to keep Kristen from ever hurting Marlena again. Marlena admitted that she did not believe Kristen had changed, because people who were that "disturbed" were generally incapable of change.

Marlena asserted that they could use Kristen's presence to remind them of how strong their relationship was to survive everything Kristen had put them through -- but Marlena was worried because the kind of love that Kristen had experienced for John was obsessive and addictive. Marlena expressed her firm disbelief that Kristen had actually gone through the years of therapy that she was claiming she had -- which meant that Kristen's obsession with John had not gone away. John vowed to Marlena that he would not let anything or anyone get between them. Marlena then had to leave to see her patient, so John kissed her goodbye.

As Kristen sat on a bench in the square, she seemed to hatch a plan. With a wicked glint in her eye, she eyed her surroundings surreptitiously.

A few minutes later, Kristen was helping a little girl who'd fallen off her bike -- and John arrived in the square just in time to observe their interaction. As Kristen tended to the girl's injured arm, John walked over to see what he could do to help. Kristen admitted somewhat sheepishly that she had called an ambulance because she thought that the little girl had hit her arm when she'd fallen off the bike. The girl cried out in pain, and asked tearfully where her mommy was.

As the child began to sob, John knelt next to Kristen and joked about how that bench was always jumping out and biting him. He managed to elicit a laugh from the girl. Kristen asked the girl's name, but the tot responded that she wasn't supposed to talk to strangers. Kristen and John politely introduced themselves to the little girl and shook her hand, just as the girl's mother rushed up. Kristen and John explained what had happened. "I am so grateful to you and your wife," the woman said with relief. John and Kristen quickly clarified that they weren't married.

Brady was looking for John at the hospital when he ran into Marlena. Brady explained that he hadn't been able to reach John on his cell phone, and Marlena said that she had tried unsuccessfully to catch John before he'd left. Brady admitted that he had just run into Kristen. Marlena described her first encounter with Kristen, when Kristen had scared her in the park. Marlena believed that Kristen had frightened her deliberately.

Brady and Marlena discussed Kristen's claim that therapy had changed her, which neither of them believed. Marlena related the story about thinking Kristen had stolen her cell phone, but it had turned up later at John's office. Brady agreed with Marlena that it had been a convenient coincidence. Brady urged Marlena to go to him for help if there were ever anything he could do.

Marlena then decided to call John. As he answered his phone, Kristen was walking the little girl and her mom to the ambulance. Marlena asked where John was, and he managed to say, "Horton Square," before the call was dropped. Marlena told Brady that she would simply join her husband in the square. Brady promised Marlena that between him and his dad, she would be "overprotected like crazy" from Kristen.

As Kristen saw the little girl and her mother off, the mom expressed her gratitude again. "Thank you," Kristen replied.

Marlena found John in Horton Square and explained that her schedule had been changed. She added that John should call Brady to check in, and then asked what John had been doing since he'd left the hospital. "Just walking around, stretching the legs out," John replied vaguely. Marlena had to step away to take a phone call, so John decided to call Brady then.

Kristen was surprised to see that John was still in the square. As she greeted him with a broad smile, Marlena spotted them. As Marlena walked back over, Kristen was telling John what she'd found out about the little girl and the mother. Kristen added that she'd given her cell-phone number to the mom in case she wanted to reach Kristen.

Marlena asked what Kristen was talking about. Kristen explained about how the girl had fallen off her bike and John had helped calm the child down until her mother found her. "The mother was so grateful to you, John. You were so amazing," Kristen praised. She said goodbye and left. Marlena immediately turned to John and demanded, "How could you not tell me you were with that woman?"

Back at the Kiriakis mansion later, Brady made a phone call and learned that Kristen was staying at the Salem Inn. "No message. I'll be in touch with her soon," Brady said.

As Caroline walked slowly through the closed Brady Pub, she looked around wistfully at the tables, which were already adorned with tablecloths in Halloween colors. Bo entered and greeted his mom, who admitted that it was hard to believe it would be her last day there. Wrapping his arms around Caroline, Bo cheerfully reassured her that she would be back before she knew it.

After the pub had opened, Sami rushed in and was relieved to find her grandmother at the bar. Sami began breathlessly complaining about what a mess her life was. Caroline listened patiently while Sami got herself all worked up until Bo entered from the kitchen. "Okay, okay -- enough about you. Why don't you ask your grandma how she's doing?" Bo said. Surprised to see her uncle in the pub during the day, Sami asked if he had the morning off, and was shocked when he informed her that he'd quit the force.

Sami grew worried as Caroline explained that Bo was taking her to a clinic in California, but couldn't bring herself to admit why. Bo finished for his mother, "We think she may have early-stage Alzheimer's." Unable to hide her concern, Sami asked why no one had told her. "Maybe because you didn't ask," Bo replied chidingly. Caroline understood that Sami had her own life. Sami embraced her grandmother, and lovingly expressed her sympathy. Caroline said that she hadn't wanted anyone else to know about her condition because she'd let her pride get in the way.

After Eddie summoned Caroline into the kitchen, Bo apologized for being short with Sami. Sami just wanted to know about the clinic in California. Bo explained about the trials the clinic was conducting on elderly patients like Caroline, but cautioned Sami that there was no cure for Alzheimer's. He added that if Caroline were a good candidate for the medications they were using, it might keep her symptoms from progressing too quickly. "She's my rock, Uncle Bo," Sami said sadly. Bo agreed, "Yeah, she's that for all of us. But right now, Sami, we have to be there for her."

A little later, Abe entered and expressed his surprise about Bo's resignation. "It's a hell of a loss for the community," Abe asserted. He asked what Bo's plans were, so Bo filled him in about Caroline. Abe admitted that he'd tracked Bo down because he'd wanted to express his admiration about the kind of cop Bo had been, and how honored he'd been to serve beside Bo. "But the sacrifices you're making to take care of your mother... The real honor is to be able to call you a friend," Abe declared. Bo maintained that the real honor was to be able to take care of his family. Abe wrapped his old friend in a hearty embrace.

Caroline urged Sami not to worry about her. She lightheartedly warned that if the clinic couldn't help her, Sami shouldn't get too frustrated if Caroline couldn't remember the names of all of her grandchildren. Caroline assured Sami that she would always be there to lean on. "I love you as I always have," Caroline declared. "I love you so much, Grandma," Sami replied earnestly.

After Abe had gone, Sami confided to Bo that she would miss Caroline a great deal. Bo agreed that Caroline would miss Sami and the children, as well. Sami expressed her appreciation of what an amazing woman her grandmother was. "Grandma never made me feel like my flaws or my stupid mistakes were all there was to me. I don't know how to thank someone for always seeing the good in you," Sami stated quietly.

Sami asked about an episode that Caroline had referenced but apparently didn't remember. Bo filled her in about the evening when Caroline had thought that Lexie was still alive and then had confused Bo for his father. Bo and Sami were both glad that Caroline didn't remember the upsetting episode. Bo confided that it had been rough getting Caroline to admit that something was wrong and go to Kayla for confirmation.

Sami hoped that the clinic could help improve the quality of the rest of Caroline's life. Bo was grateful that his mother was open to treatment, but he knew that going to California would be hard on her. "But you're going to go with her, and because of you, she won't be scared," Sami said reassuringly. She urged Bo to keep her constantly updated about what was going on in California. "I will be sending out a news bulletin to everybody every day," Bo assured her.

Sami said that she planned to do research online about Alzheimer's so she would know what Caroline was facing. Bo thought that was a good idea, and encouraged Sami to go to Kayla if she had any questions. Bo reassured Sami that the clinic was doing cutting-edge research, and they had said that having friends and family around would make a big difference for Caroline. "She's lucky to have you, Uncle Bo. We all are," Sami declared, embracing Bo gratefully.