At the DiMera mansion, Sami overheard Kristen recording a voicemail message for Brady, begging him for another chance. Sami mocked Kristen for being delusional enough to believe that Brady would ever be willing to forgive Kristen for hurting him.
Refusing to listen to Sami's lecture, Kristen started to walk away, but Sami blocked her path and demanded to know what Kristen had done to Brady. "Check out Facebook -- it probably went viral," Kristen dryly stated. Sami refused to do so, deciding that she only needed to know that what Kristen had done had obviously been evil, wretched, and unforgivable. Sami added that she wasn't going to let her kids share a house with Kristen.
Sami encouraged Kristen to leave town, reasoning that Kristen no longer needed to stay in Salem because she had already accomplished her goal of making everyone in Sami's family miserable. "Oh, Sami, honey, you are so funny, you know that? You're so funny. I'm not going anywhere. But if it makes you feel any better, honey, I don't think we're gonna be living in the same house for too much longer, because any day -- probably any minute -- you are gonna royally screw up with E.J. again, and he's gonna throw you out on your fanny...again," Kristen confidently predicted.
Kristen mockingly recapped the sordid and confusing details of Sami's romantic history with Lucas, Austin, E.J., and Rafe, wondering if anyone was missing from the list. Sami started to walk away, muttering that she wouldn't miss Kristen. "Clever girl. Oh, you're not a girl -- you're a grandma! Hi, Grandma! Now you know what your mom felt like when you gave her a little grandkid before she had a chance to even sprout one gray hair -- I mean, underneath all that peroxide," Kristen joked.
Sami warned Kristen to refrain from talking about Marlena, who was a good, kind, forgiving woman. Sami knowingly predicted that Brady, who wasn't nearly as forgiving as Marlena was, would never forgive Kristen for what she had done to him and his family. Sami added that Brady would eventually move on with a better woman and forget all about Kristen. "Like hell! Like hell!" Kristen shouted as Sami triumphantly exited the mansion.
At St. Luke's, John asked Eric about Marlena. Eric reported that Marlena was relieved that Brady and Kristen's relationship had ended. John wondered if Eric had any other news to reveal about Marlena. Eric urged John to talk to Marlena directly instead of trying to pry information out of other people. After initially rejecting the advice, John changed his mind, conceded that Eric was right, and abruptly excused himself.
Later, Kristen entered Eric's office and wondered if he had talked to Brady recently. Eric said that was none of Kristen's business. Kristen tried to persuade Eric to listen to her side of the story, but he refused to get involved in the matter. "Wait, wait, wait -- isn't that your duty as a priest? I mean, to guide me and help me? At the very least, hear my confession," Kristen asked Eric, who denied the request.
Eric pointed out that he wasn't the only priest in the church, and he encouraged Kristen to talk to Father Matt instead. "Yeah, I really wouldn't want to be responsible for Father Matt's heart attack, though," Kristen dryly stated, adding that she would prefer to talk to Eric. Eric refused to change his mind, explaining that he wouldn't be able to trust Kristen's sincerity. After advising Kristen to either pray or find another priest, Eric asked her to leave.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Nicole interrupted Brady, who was trying to get some work done, and insisted that it was time for him to take a break. Ignoring Brady's protests, Nicole took his tablet computer away from him and dragged him to his feet. "Ah, yes, that's better. Thank you. And now, I'm going to do what I believe I have a talent for -- distraction. I'm going to be my highly annoying, overly bubbly, not-let-you-get-a-word-in-edgewise, trying-too-hard self so that there's no space left in your brain to think about, much less pine for, that woman...who shall remain nameless," Nicole announced.
Nicole offered to take Brady to the town square so that they could eat, hang out together, and forget about their problems. Brady knew what his problem was, but he wondered if Nicole was ready to admit that her problem was Eric. Nicole vehemently denied that she still had feelings for Eric, and Brady eventually apologized and agreed to drop the subject. Brady also yielded to Nicole's attempt to distract him for a while.
After a game of bowling, Brady and Nicole went to the Horton Town Square, where they joked about his nonexistent bowling skills. A manager approached Brady and returned the cell phone that Brady had left behind a few days earlier. Surprised, Brady admitted that he hadn't even realized that his phone had been missing. As Brady turned the phone on, Nicole guessed that he had missed a lot of phone calls.
The first text message that Brady saw was the one that Kristen had sent to try to lure him over to her hotel room on the night that she and John had attempted to seduce each other. Brady abruptly excused himself, claiming that he had a lot of phone calls that he needed to return. After Brady left, Kristen approached Nicole from behind and firmly gripped Nicole's left shoulder, noting that it hadn't taken Nicole long to swoop in for the kill.
Nicole countered that Kristen was the person who had tried to kill Brady, adding that what she did with him was none of Kristen's business. "What's the matter, Nic -- the priest wouldn't put out for ya?" Kristen guessed, accusing Nicole of being as transparent as a window and theorizing that Brady was simply Nicole's next mark. Nicole warned Kristen to shut up, but Kristen ignored the advice and ordered Nicole to stay away from Brady.
"You stay away from Brady. You shredded him, now let him be," Nicole countered. Kristen concluded that Nicole meant that Kristen needed to let Brady be with Nicole. "Well, if anyone can make him forget you ever existed, yeah, it's me," Nicole matter-of-factly stated. Kristen angrily shoved Nicole to the ground and warned that it would be a mistake for Nicole to even think about going after Brady. Nicole stood and lunged at Kristen.
In Daniel's apartment, Daniel backed J.J. against a wall as he continued to threaten the young man. J.J. didn't understand why Daniel was upset, so Daniel explained that he had entered the apartment and found Parker balancing precariously on a chair while J.J. had been ignoring the toddler. J.J. asked if Parker was all right, but the question only enraged Daniel, who angrily screamed at and shook J.J.
Jennifer entered the apartment and told Daniel to take his hands off of J.J. As Jennifer struggled to separate J.J. and Daniel, Abigail returned to the living room and admitted that she had left Parker in J.J.'s care for a few minutes so that she could check something on Daniel's computer. Daniel revealed that J.J. had chosen to listen to music instead of watching Parker, and he warned J.J. to stay away from Parker in the future.
Jennifer prompted J.J. to apologize to Daniel, but before J.J. could do so, Parker called out for Daniel from another room. After Daniel left, J.J. admitted that he had never expected Parker to climb on a chair. Jennifer told J.J. that kids were unpredictable and needed to be watched closely at all times. J.J. impatiently assured Jennifer that he understood and would be more careful the next time.
Jennifer incredulously asked if J.J. really believed that there was going to be a next time. As Jennifer continued to scold J.J., Abigail interrupted and tried to take responsibility for the incident, pointing out that she was the person who had been trusted to watch Parker in the first place. Jennifer countered that J.J. wasn't four years old and could reasonably be expected to know how to take care of a child for a few minutes.
Jennifer asked Abigail to take J.J. home. After J.J. and Abigail left, Daniel returned and reported that Parker was fine. Still shaken, Daniel added that he wanted to spend some time alone with Parker. Jennifer understood and said that she was going to go home and deal with J.J. Jennifer insisted that, while J.J. had displayed incredibly poor judgment, he would never purposely endanger Parker, but Daniel seemed unconvinced.
Daniel tried to change the subject, but Jennifer could tell that he wasn't ready to forgive J.J. yet. Jennifer tried to assure Daniel that J.J. felt awful about what had happened earlier. "Yeah, well, I'm sure he does feel awful, Jennifer, which is why he's having a rough time. And now he's giving us a rough time. He's unhappy, he's angry, and the way that he is choosing to act out all of that is by getting back at me, because I'm not his father or -- whatever. I -- you do know that he trashed my MP3 player, right? He trashed Parker's train set. And for all I know, hell, he probably trashed my car," Daniel blurted out.
Stunned, Jennifer insisted that J.J. had not done anything to Daniel's car. Daniel agreed, but Jennifer could tell that he was simply placating her. Jennifer demanded to know if Daniel really believed that J.J. was responsible for what had happened to the car. "Okay. All right, maybe -- maybe I am wrong about J.J. trashing my car, but are you so sure that you're right?" Daniel wondered. Jennifer remained silent for a moment before quietly excusing herself so that she could talk to J.J.
Later, Brady visited Daniel, one of the many people who had made numerous attempts to contact Brady after the wedding had been canceled. When Daniel tried to find out what had happened, Brady vaguely stated that Kristen was not the woman he had originally believed that she was. Daniel offered Brady his support, and after a brief conversation, Brady excused himself so that Daniel could focus on taking care of Parker.
At the Horton house, Abigail chastised J.J. for scaring Daniel, who loved Parker fiercely, was a great father, and had already been through a lot with the toddler. "God, you know what? I don't care! And I am really sick of you, Mom, and everyone in this freakin' town going on and on about everything Daniel has been through and how perfect he is! Abigail, I don't want to hear it anymore," J.J. snapped.
J.J. informed Abigail that Daniel had pinned him against a wall earlier. Abigail defended Daniel's actions, explaining that he had simply been worried about Parker's safety. J.J. insisted that Daniel's fear had not given him the right to go ballistic on J.J., but Abigail wasn't convinced and wondered why J.J. felt that way. "Because he's not my father," J.J. reminded Abigail before storming off.
When Jennifer arrived at the house, J.J. returned to the living room, and Abigail left so that he and Jennifer could have some privacy. J.J. assured Jennifer that he was sorry, but she revealed that Daniel had questioned J.J.'s sincerity. Jennifer admitted that, given the circumstances, she didn't blame Daniel for doubting J.J. Jennifer's vague statement made J.J. get defensive, and he demanded to know what Daniel had said about him.
Jennifer evasively stated that she wasn't done talking to J.J. about the risks that he had taken with Parker's safety. "Look, I get it, okay? And I know that I keep screwing up, and I'm wrecking stuff with you and your new boyfriend, but Mom, you know me, and you know that I would never want to do anything to hurt a little kid," J.J. insisted. Jennifer agreed, and J.J. hugged her, reiterating his apology and stating that he loved her.
At the Brady Pub, John greeted Marlena, who had sent him a text message earlier. Marlena admitted that she had been unsure that John would agree to meet with her. As John took a seat at Marlena's table, she explained that she had decided that she needed to know -- and deserved to know -- what had happened between him and Kristen. John nodded and proceeded to tell Marlena about his plan to seduce Kristen.
John revealed that Kristen had concocted a similar plan, hoping to destroy his marriage. John explained that Kristen had intended for Brady to be her collateral damage, and Marlena tearfully told John that their marriage would have been his collateral damage. John assured Marlena that he had never stopped loving her and had only pushed her away as part of the plan.
"It's never simple, is it? It's never simple when Kristen is involved. John...I know you so well. In some ways, I know you better than I know myself. So when this whole mess began, I was so anxious. It felt like the ground -- the ground was moving underneath me, and yet I knew -- I knew that you would never betray the love between us. But I also knew that your heart and your soul would never let you go there, would never even let you consider the possibility of sleeping with another woman -- especially Kristen DiMera -- unless that was some dark, deep place in you...that you still cared for her. That you had never quite gotten over her," Marlena tearfully stated.
Marlena stared at John expectantly, and he eventually uttered a simple apology as a single tear rolled down his cheek. Marlena struggled to contain her emotions as she asked if John's failure to deny her earlier observation meant that he really did have unresolved feelings for Kristen. "Whatever my reasons behind...what I tried to make happen with Kristen, I -- I ask myself...would I ever dream of doing something so dark and outrageous if not for feelings that...should have died long ago," John hesitantly admitted. Marlena wondered if John was saying that those feelings hadn't died. When John reluctantly confirmed Marlena's suspicion, she angrily slapped him.
In Rafe's hospital room, Bernardi unsheathed the straight razor and approached Rafe's bed. As Bernardi started to pull back the blanket that Rafe was lying under, he heard Gabi talking to Maxine in the waiting area. Bernardi put the blanket back in place and quickly hid behind the privacy curtain before Gabi entered the room.
Gabi took a seat next to Rafe's bed, noting that he was going to be taken out of his induced coma the following day. Gabi reported that Arianna Grace was anxious to meet Rafe. After informing Rafe that she and Will had signed Arianna Grace's birth certificate earlier and given the child Will's surname, Gabi left the room, promising to tell Rafe the whole story as soon as he emerged from the coma.
After Gabi left, Bernardi approached Rafe's bed again, but before he could fulfill Stefano's request, he heard Maxine assure Gabi that the examination that Maxine was preparing to perform on Rafe was just a routine procedure. Bernardi hid behind the door and waited for Maxine to enter the room, quietly sneaking into the waiting area while her back was turned.
As Bernardi lurked outside Rafe's room, he received a phone call from Stefano. Bernardi explained that he had encountered a slight delay, but he assured Stefano that the task would be completed before the night ended. Meanwhile, in Gabi's room, Sami and Gabi watched as Arianna Grace slept.
"Look, I, um -- I just wanted to come by to say thank you. I -- I'm really honored -- I'm touched that her middle name is Grace, and I'm grateful that she has Will's last name," Sami said. Sami was surprised to learn that Nick was supposedly okay with the fact that Arianna Grace had been given Will's surname, since Nick had displayed a completely different attitude in the months leading up to the child's birth.
Gabi nodded and quickly changed the subject, revealing that she had visited Rafe earlier. Sami said that she had heard the good news about Rafe, adding that she had also heard that Gabi and Arianna Grace were going to get to go home the following day. After confirming the information, Gabi admitted that she didn't really know where her home was anymore.
Gabi explained that she and Nick had ended their relationship after he had admitted that he had been scheming against Will for months. Sami offered to help Gabi find a place to live. Gabi was reluctant to burden Sami with that task, but Sami insisted that she would be happy to help Gabi while Rafe was unavailable, so Gabi gratefully agreed to accept the offer.
Later, Sami visited Rafe and apologized for indirectly starting the chain of events that had led to Rafe's attack. "I'm never gonna be able to make it up to you. But the important thing is that you are gonna get better. And you're gonna meet your little baby niece. And she's so beautiful. And I'm gonna help Gabi find a place for her and the baby to live. And everything that Nick did, he -- never mind. That is not important anymore," Sami said.
"What is important is that you are gonna open your eyes tomorrow. You are gonna make a full recovery. And Rafe, I just have to say...I am so proud of you for fighting so hard. I know we have had our differences...but I don't know what I would have done if I'd have lost you. Johnny, Sydney, and Allie -- they miss you so much. They love you. So many people do," Sami concluded, smiling as she gently stroked the side of Rafe's face.
Later, when Rafe was finally alone, Bernardi entered the room, pulled back the blanket, and prepared to strike Rafe with the straight razor. A gunshot rang out, and Bernardi collapsed on the floor as Sami kept her gun aimed at his lifeless body.
Outside the Brady Pub, John explained to Marlena that he still had feelings for Kristen. Marlena slapped John. "You bastard. You've destroyed everything," Marlena said. Marlena reminded John that she had been right about Kristen and that John had sworn that he had no feelings for Kristen except for hate. Furious, Marlena accused John of lying to her.
"I knew that Kristen was sleeping with Brady. I didn't tell you. Maybe I didn't trust you. But in hindsight, having told me what you just did, I think not trusting you made excellent sense," Marlena said. John explained that he had acted out of concern for Brady. Unfazed, Marlena reminded John that he had admitted that he had feelings for Kristen. Marlena explained that she had been sick with grief and guilt for hurting John and that she felt like a fool for trusting him.
"You are worse than she is," Marlena yelled. "I am done," Marlena added before walking away.
In the rectory of the church, Brady stopped by to apologize to Eric. Eric offered to accept Brady's apology if Brady agreed to forgive himself. Upset, Brady said that he could not forgive himself for hurting his family. Eric countered that Brady had been in mourning and that Brady had wanted to see the best in Kristen. When Eric asked what had happened with John, Brady noted that he did not want to discuss his father.
In the town square, Nicole and Kristen argued about Brady. Kristen shoved Nicole to the ground and warned Nicole to stay away from Brady. Nicole and Kristen shoved one another, and a bystander intervened to stop them. Nicole thanked the woman and explained that she was fine.
Once the woman walked away, Nicole noted that E.J. and Brady had believed that Kristen had changed. Nicole said that Brady hated deception. Kristen threatened to tell everyone that Nicole was interested in Eric. Laughing, Nicole argued that no one would believe Kristen. Nicole said that she loved that Kristen was jealous of her. Raising an eyebrow, Nicole said that she had a history of having a friends-with-benefits relationship with Brady.
With a murderous glint in her eye, Kristen gnashed her teeth. Nicole told Kristen that Brady hated Kristen, and he would not return. Kristen slapped Nicole, and Nicole returned the favor. Nicole and Kristen struggled with one another until Brady pulled them apart. Upset, Brady asked Kristen what she was doing. Nicole interjected to say that Kristen had attacked her because Kristen did not like that Nicole was friends with Brady.
As Kristen begged Brady to talk to her, Eric and Marlena wandered in to the town square. Eric asked a bystander what had happened, and the woman explained that Kristen had attacked Nicole. Brady told Kristen that he did not want to hear her lies. Across the way, John entered the square and watched Brady berate Kristen in public.
"I have grown to hate you. I hate you almost as much as I hate myself for falling for your line of crap, Kristen," Brady said. A teary-eyed Kristen told Brady that she loved him. Grimacing, Brady responded that he hoped Kristen loved him because it would make what she had done harder for her to live with. Kristen asked if they were over, and Brady said yes. Upset, Kristen walked away.
Nicole gingerly approached Brady, and he asked her if she was all right. Nicole nodded as Eric ran over and asked if Brady and Nicole were okay. Brady looked across the square and saw John. Shaking his head, Brady said that he needed to do a favor for Victor and walked a few steps away. Eric warned Nicole that Brady was shutting himself off from everyone. Unfazed, Nicole walked over to Brady and hugged him.
Eric reminded Brady that things would get better, then Eric took Nicole's hand and walked away. John marched across the square and asked Brady to talk while Marlena pursued Kristen around the corner. In the rectory of the church, Nicole asked Eric if she should call Brady. Eric asked Nicole how close she planned on getting to Brady. Lowering her eyes, Nicole said goodnight and left.
At the hospital nurses' station, E.J. inquired with Maxine about Sami. Maxine noted that Sami had been visiting Rafe. Inside Rafe's room, Bernardi approached Rafe with a straight razor. In the bathroom, Sami heard a noise and peeked out to see Bernardi raise a razor above Rafe. Terrified, Sami grabbed the gun from her purse and shot the assailant.
Kate visited Gabi's hospital room to talk. Gabi confided that she was nervous about the future. As Sami fired the gun down the hallway, an alarmed Kate and Gabi ran out of the room to see what had happened.
Kayla, E.J, and Maxine rushed into Rafe's room and found Sami holding a gun and Bernardi lying on the ground. Kayla ordered Sami to drop the gun. E.J. asked Sami what happened as Kayla checked on Bernardi and Maxine examined Rafe. Kate and Gabi wandered into the room as Kayla called a Code Blue. E.J. ushered Sami, Kate, and Gabi out of the room.
In the hallway, E.J. sat a rattled Sami on a chair and quietly encouraged her to hand him the gun. Shaken, Sami rocked back and forth, her hands clutching the gun. E.J. wrapped a handkerchief around the gun and pried it from Sami's hands.
"He was gonna kill Rafe. He was gonna kill him. I had to shoot him. I had to stop him," Sami explained as security ushered Kate and Gabi away from Rafe's doorway. E.J. handed the gun to the security guard to bag for the police. As Sami stammered, E.J. counseled her to remain quiet, and he shouted at the security guard to give Sami some space because she was in shock.
Inside Rafe's room, Kayla and a nurse lifted Bernardi onto a gurney to rush him into surgery. As Kayla and the medical staff wheeled Bernardi out of Rafe's room, Gabi rushed into the room to check on her brother. Kate lingered in the doorway to Rafe's room, and she watched E.J. calm Sami and urge her to breathe. Kate told E.J. that he knew who was responsible. Annoyed, E.J. said he did not know what Kate was talking about, grabbed Sami, and walked her across the room, away from Kate.
In the DiMera mansion living room, Stefano thought about what he had instructed Bernardi to do to Rafe. Stefano listened to music and conducted along with the orchestral score. After turning off the music, Stefano celebrated with a drink. Stefano's phone rang. Elated, Stefano answered the call by asking, "Do you have a souvenir for me?" Stefano screamed, "No!"
In Rafe's room, Gabi asked Kate who would have ordered an attack on Rafe. Kate looked away and did not answer. A security guard asked Gabi and Kate to be careful not to touch anything in the room until the police arrived. When Gabi wondered aloud why Sami had had a gun, Kate admitted that she had given it to Sami as a gift. Hope and Abe arrived and asked what had happened.
Gabi exclaimed that someone had attempted to kill Rafe, and Kate added that Sami had shot the assailant. Gabi and Kate informed Hope that when they had arrived at the scene, they had seen Sami holding a smoking gun. Gabi stressed that Sami had saved Rafe's life. When Eddy from C.S.I. arrived, Hope asked him to look for a weapon. Hope asked Gabi and Kate if Sami had mentioned how the man had attempted to kill Rafe, but neither Gabi nor Kate had heard anything about a weapon.
Gabi and Kate stood at Rafe's bedside while Eddy collected evidence. Eddy asked the women to leave, but Gabi refused. Kate talked a reluctant Gabi into leaving Rafe's room. Kate escorted Gabi over to Maxine and asked Maxine to keep Gabi company. When Gabi asked Kate where she was going, Kate explained that she needed to run an errand.
Maxine walked Gabi down the hall to Gabi's room to see Arianna. Stressed, Gabi worried about Rafe. Maxine encouraged Gabi to climb into bed and spend time with Arianna. As Gabi sat down, Maxine handed the new mother her baby.
In the waiting room down the hallway, E.J. urged Sami to drink water and calm down. When E.J. asked what had happened, Sami explained that she had needed to protect Rafe. In the hallway, a security guard eavesdropped on E.J. and Sami. When Sami asked E.J. about Kate's accusation, E.J. asked Sami not to talk about Stefano at the hospital. E.J. asked Sami why she had visited Rafe. Taken aback, Sami asked E.J. if he would have preferred if Rafe had been killed.
As Hope entered the room, Hope asked E.J. to answer Sami's question. E.J. told Hope not to accuse the DiMeras of Rafe's attempted murder. Upset, E.J. noted that Sami was in shock. Abe left to talk to Kayla, and Hope asked Sami to tell her what had happened. E.J. encouraged Sami to remain quiet, but Sami announced that she had done nothing wrong and wanted to tell Hope what had happened.
Sami sat down with Hope and explained that she had gone to visit Rafe and tell him about the baby. "I know that it's stupid, but I thought if he had heard my voice that he would just know, you know, how important it is for him to wake up," Sami said. Sami explained that she had gone into the bathroom to get a cool cloth for Rafe's forehead. Sami added that she had reached into her purse to find an aspirin for her headache, and she had grabbed the gun to move it out of the way when she had heard a noise in Rafe's room.
Sighing, Sami said that she had looked in the room and had seen a man standing over Rafe with a knife. Sami explained that when she had seen the light reflected off of the raised blade, she had shot the man in order to stop him from stabbing Rafe. Hope asked Sami how Sami had obtained the gun. Sami explained that Kate had given her the gun as an engagement present and that Sami had registered the gun.
Hope noted that the man Sami had shot would be out of surgery soon. When Hope said that the man's identification could explain why he had been in Rafe's room, a frustrated Sami cried out that the man had been there to kill Rafe.
Abe talked to Kayla at the nurses' station and learned that the assailant was almost out of surgery. Kayla handed Abe an envelope, which contained the personal effects of the man that had been shot. Abe checked the identification and walked down to the lounge to inform Hope, Sami, and E.J. that the man Sami had shot was Bernardi. Surprised, Sami looked at E.J. Abe explained to Sami that she had shot a police officer.
E.J. suggested that Bernardi had been a dirty cop. Hope stressed that she did not want to jump to conclusions, and Abe added that Bernardi was a decorated officer. Upset, Sami argued that she had seen Bernardi hold a knife over Rafe. Hope asked Sami if she knew Bernardi. Sami thought about her fight in the park with Bernardi, and she admitted to Hope that Sami may have known Bernardi.
When Abe noted that Bernardi had been a close friend of Rafe, E.J. interrupted to theorize that a crooked cop would have befriended Rafe. Abe told E.J. to keep his theories to himself. E.J. ordered Sami to stay quiet, and he announced that Sami would talk after she hired a lawyer. Abe stopped E.J. and Sami from leaving. Sami shouted out that she had seen the blade and that was why she had shot Bernardi.
Abe explained that forensics had examined the crime scene and had not found a knife. Abe added that Bernardi had not had a weapon on his person. Frustrated, Sami shook her head.
At the DiMera mansion, Kate stormed into the living room to accuse Stefano of attempting to murder Rafe. "The next time you try to kill Rafe, I suggest you think about it long and hard. And if for some crazy reason you decide to do it again, then you should send your thugs for me, as well, because I promise you that I will do anything and everything to make sure you're a dead man. And this time you'll stay dead," Kate said.
In Horton Square, John asserted that, no matter how much it had hurt, Brady had done the right thing. "Who was it right for, Dad? Me or you?" Brady demanded. John insisted that everything he'd done had been for Brady. Brady stated that he'd gotten text messages from both John and Kristen asking Brady to go to Kristen's hotel room. "You both wanted me to come to that room to catch you guys doing it? Are you freakin' kidding me?" Brady demanded through gritted teeth.
John maintained that he had tried everything he could to get Brady to see the truth about Kristen. He revealed that Kristen had been coming on to him for months, so he had used it to his advantage. His jaw set firmly, Brady declared that he was man enough to admit that he had been wrong about Kristen -- but he wanted to know if John could swear that there wasn't a part of him that still wanted Kristen.
Without answering the question, John said that all that mattered was Brady had seen who Kristen really was. Brady argued that John had really only wanted to prove who the real man of the family was. He added that John and Kristen were just alike because they both used the word "love" to get what they wanted. "Go be with her. You deserve each other," Brady spat, stalking off.
Outside the Brady Pub, Marlena demanded that Kristen leave Salem and never return. She pointed out that there was nothing there for Kristen anymore -- and the police would soon build a case against Kristen for hiring the thugs who'd mugged Brady. Kristen calmly maintained that Marlena was afraid that something would happen between John and Kristen. Marlena threw her head back and laughed. "You want John? Go for it, honey," Marlena said.
Kristen stated that she had told John that she was done with him and with having to get even with him, because he wasn't worth it. "I think it's funny that now neither one of us wants him," Kristen noted. Marlena asserted that the one who had gotten hurt the most was Kristen because Kristen had lost her chance at love -- forever.
Kristen bitterly maintained that Marlena had ruined everything and hinted that she wasn't finished with Marlena yet. Marlena countered that there was nothing more that Kristen could do to her -- and Salem would only serve to remind Kristen of everything she'd lost. "So do yourself a favor -- do all of us a favor. Disappear again -- for a decade or two," Marlena advised before striding away.
Frustrated and furious, Kristen hurled her purse across the sidewalk onto a bench, then charged over, picked it up, and pounded it repeatedly against the seat before plopping down in defeat. Just then, John strolled through the gate. Out of breath, Kristen glowered up at him through disheveled hair. "Bad day?" John inquired.
When Kristen cracked a joke, John accused her of being glib after ruining four lives, including her own. With a shrug, Kristen pointed out that Marlena would soon forgive John his misdeeds like she always did. "My son hates you now, so I guess it was worth it," John rasped. "Was it worth it, really? Losing the love of your life, your precious Doc?" Kristen retorted. John observed that Kristen's demeanor had changed because she was only happy when she was hurting people -- and that was why he had been willing to lose everything to keep her away from Brady.
Kristen maintained that she was hurting, too, because she had been so obsessed with John that she hadn't been able to see that Brady was all she really wanted. John didn't buy it, but Kristen insisted that she had meant it when she'd said that she no longer cared about John or what happened to him. She added that she would never again think of him as the man who'd broken her heart because he no longer had any power over her. "I'm free!" Kristen declared with a confident smile before walking away.
Brady flung open the door of the Kiriakis mansion, declaring irritably, "Dad, give it up, all right?" His annoyance faded when he saw Marlena on the doorstep, although he admitted that he wasn't in the mood to talk. Marlena understood, but asked him with deep concern, "I just have to know one thing. Are you okay?"
Brady embraced his stepmother and offered an apology for how he'd treated her. Marlena assured him that there was no need because she knew that he was going to be all right. She asked if Brady had spoken to his father. Brady admitted, "Oh, yeah. I gotta be honest with you: I don't expect things to be okay with him for a long time, if ever."
After Marlena had gone, Brady deleted a picture of himself and Kristen from his phone. Meanwhile, at the DiMera mansion, Kristen eyed the same photo affectionately. Flipping to her contacts, she deleted John's phone number. She started to delete Marlena's number, as well, but then pressed "cancel" instead. "No, Marlena. I don't think I'm quite done with you yet. Bitch," Kristen declared.
At the hospital, Kate was alarmed when she heard a police officer ask Kayla for an update on Detective Bernardi's condition because she realized that Sami had shot a cop.
Later, Maxine warned Kate that Rafe wouldn't be able to do much to help Gabi with the baby because he was facing a lot of rehab when they took him out of the coma -- plus, Gabi didn't know where she and the baby were going to live. Kate vowed to make sure that Gabi and Arianna got everything they needed.
While Will enjoyed some onion rings in his hospital bed, Sonny divulged that he had just seen a bunch of cops in the lobby. Will and Sonny both wondered why the police were there -- and what was going on with Nick and Gabi. When Will spilled ketchup on his hospital gown, Sonny helped him clean it up, noting playfully that Will should get used to having food -- and other things -- on him. Will wondered what would happen if Gabi and Nick broke up -- both for Gabi and the baby.
Kate entered and gently broke the news to Will that Sami had shot someone who had gotten into Rafe's room. Sonny wanted to know why Sami had been in possession of a gun. Kate admitted that it was her fault; she had given Sami the gun as an engagement gift for protection against the DiMeras. Will demanded disbelievingly, "Are you nuts, Grandma?" Will and Sonny asked about the man Sami had shot. Kate informed them that the man was still in surgery -- and he was a detective.
Will was concerned about Gabi and wanted to go see her, but Kate convinced him to stay in bed. Kate informed her grandson that Gabi and Arianna were being discharged the next morning, but Will knew that Gabi didn't really have anywhere to go. "What would you think about Gabi and the baby moving in with me?" Kate asked. Will wanted to speak with Sonny about it in private, so Kate left.
Will knew that it would drive his mom crazy if she had to go through Kate to see the baby. As Will pondered what to do, Sonny revealed that he'd had a feeling about the situation with Nick and Gabi, so he had told the landlord that they wanted to rent the recently vacated place across the way -- a two-bedroom apartment -- and he'd even put down a deposit. "Are you talking about Gabi and the baby moving in with us?" Will asked with a hesitant smile. "What if I was?" Sonny replied.
In the waiting room, Sami freaked out when Abe and Hope informed her that they hadn't found a knife in Bernardi's possession or in Rafe's room. Hope and Abe asked if Sami were sure she'd seen a knife. Sami insisted, "I am telling you that I did what I had to do." When Hope and Abe responded with stony silence, Sami demanded incredulously, "Are you really standing here and accusing me of shooting an innocent man?"
E.J. maintained that the police needed to do another search of Rafe's room. When Abe asked Sami how Sami could be sure that Bernardi had been there to kill Rafe, E.J. asserted that Sami wouldn't answer any more questions. Hope pointed out that Sami wasn't being charged with anything, and Abe sternly reminded Sami, "The police aren't too happy when one of their own gets gunned down."
"Are you kidding me? Abe, how do they feel when one of their own tries to kill another one of their own?" Sami demanded stridently. E.J. urged Hope and Abe to go and try to find Bernardi's weapon. As Abe and Hope left the room, Sami firmly reiterated that she had done the right thing and saved Rafe's life.
As soon as Sami and E.J. were alone, Sami closed the waiting-room door and informed her fiancé, "Bernardi was on Stefano's payroll. Stefano put a hit out on Rafe." E.J. cautioned Sami against jumping to conclusions. Sami asserted that it was simply too much of a coincidence -- unless E.J. didn't believe her. E.J. sardonically maintained that he believed that Sami had seen Bernardi standing over Rafe's bed with a knife, but he didn't understand why she had been in Rafe's room in the first place.
An incredulous Sami pointed out that if she hadn't been there, Rafe would be dead. "Do you really wish Rafe was dead?" she demanded. E.J. admitted, "Yes. I would rather see Rafe dead than see you in the mess you're in." He reminded Sami that she had shot a cop in the back, and the knife she claimed to have seen was nowhere to be found. Sami pointed out that a lot of people had been in the room while Kayla had been working on Bernardi.
E.J. declared that he didn't want the mother of his children and the love of his life to spend the rest of her life in prison. Sami stated hopefully that it might not be that bad. E.J. asked her what she thought the police would think when they found out that she'd lied about knowing Bernardi. Sami reminded E.J. that Bernardi couldn't tell them that because then he would have to admit that he'd been stealing evidence against Will, and that would reveal that Bernardi was Stefano's mole on the police force.
Sami emphasized that when she'd fired the gun, she hadn't known she was shooting at Bernard; she had only done what she'd had to do to save Rafe's life. Sami noted that the hospital was full of cops, and perhaps Bernardi had a friend on the police force who had taken the knife to cover for him. E.J. agreed that it was a possibility. As E.J. left to see what he could do to make sure the knife was found, Sami grabbed his hand and reassured him, "The man I love is you, E.J."
Abe and Hope entered Rafe's old room to look for the knife. Hope declared that if they didn't find it, Sami would be in a lot of trouble. When E.J. arrived a little later, Abe informed him that they had gone over every inch of the room, but they had not found a knife. E.J. wanted to know if they had looked in the vent. Realizing that they had not searched there, Hope and Abe pushed the bed away from the air duct underneath. After handing E.J. a pair of rubber gloves to put on, Hope shone her flashlight into the vent and announced that she could see something inside it.
While Hope was removing the vent cover, Roman walked in and demanded to know why E.J. was at the crime scene. E.J. crossly answered that he was trying to help locate the weapon that Detective Bernardi had used to try to kill Detective Hernandez. Not buying E.J.'s story, Roman wanted to know where DiMera was getting his information. Hope and Abe informed Roman that Sami had claimed she had seen Bernardi standing over Rafe wielding a knife -- and Sami had shot Bernardi.
When Hope couldn't reach whatever was in the air duct, E.J. offered to try. Peeling off his jacket, he got down on the floor, reached his entire arm into the vent -- and retrieved a nail clipper. When Abe reacted with sarcasm, E.J. started demanding a list of everyone who had been in the room. Roman shut down the shouting match just as Hope noticed another vent in the room. "We've got to get Forensics back in here," she declared.
After Abe left, Roman demanded, "What the hell happened here? And don't leave anything out." After Hope and E.J. had related the whole story, Roman was stunned that his daughter had been walking around with a loaded gun.
A uniformed officer escorted Detective Bernardi's wife and son off the elevator, and Mrs. Bernardi asked Kayla about her husband. Kayla informed her that Bernardi was still in surgery. Kayla warned the woman that gunshot wounds at close range were very serious, but the doctors were doing everything they could. The officer waited with Mrs. Bernardi and her son in the chairs near the nurses' station. When the little boy became tired, a nurse directed Mrs. Bernardi to the waiting room, where there was a small couch where he could lie down.
Sami was trying to compose herself when Mrs. Bernardi and her son entered the room. Neither woman knew who the other was. Mrs. Bernardi sat on the small sofa, and the little boy curled up with his head in her lap. Sami noted that she had a son about the same age, and the women compared notes about how their boys were always full of questions and energy. When Mrs. Bernardi began to cry, Sami poured some coffee for her.
Sami alternately paced and stared out the window. Mrs. Bernardi asked if she were worried about someone. Sami admitted that she was concerned about her older son, who had just become a dad. Mrs. Bernardi assured Sami that she didn't look like a grandmother. Sami declared that the baby was so beautiful and perfect that she didn't mind being a grandma.
When Sami made an offhand remark about how short life was, Mrs. Bernardi began to cry. Unsure of what else to do, Sami rushed over and held the woman somewhat awkwardly as she sobbed. When Mrs. Bernardi had calmed a little, Sami took the seat across from her. Mrs. Bernardi admitted that she was worried about her husband.
"Why don't you tell me about him?" Sami suggested sympathetically, taking Mrs. Bernardi's hand. Smiling, Mrs. Bernardi described how her son, Timmy, would always make her promise to wake him up when his dad got home, no matter how late it was, so he could read the boy a story. Sami confided that her kids had two dads, both of whom would do anything for their children. "You're lucky," Mrs. Bernardi said. Sami agreed that they were both lucky.
As Roman, Hope, and E.J. exited Rafe's room on their way to see Sami in the waiting room, Roman spotted Kayla near the nurses' station and asked about Bernardi. Kayla informed them that although the surgery had gone well, when they had taken him to recovery, he had started to bleed.
"They couldn't control it, and they lost him," Kayla explained. Shocked, Roman wanted to tell Bernardi's wife. The officer who had arrived with Mrs. Bernardi informed Hope that Mrs. Bernardi and her son were in the waiting room. "That's where Samantha is," E.J. noted worriedly.
Roman entered the waiting room with E.J. and Hope right behind him. Sami got up as soon as she saw her dad and asked how Bernardi was. "You know my husband?" Mrs. Bernardi asked, surprised. Gently removing Timmy's head from her lap, she got up and asked Roman if there were any news about her husband. Her face began to crumple when she saw Roman's expression. "I'm sorry. I am so very, very sorry," Roman said softly. Mrs. Bernardi let out an anguished wail, and Roman put his arms around her while she wept. Sami's eyes widened in horror.
In Daniel's apartment, Abigail tried to apologize again for letting Parker out of her sight earlier, but Daniel didn't want her to blame herself, since she had assumed that Parker would be safe with J.J. Abigail stressed that J.J. felt horrible about the incident, explaining that he had been having trouble adjusting to life in Salem.
Daniel guessed that J.J. was really just having trouble adjusting to having Daniel in Jennifer's life. Abigail advised Daniel to refrain from taking J.J.'s recent behavior personally. Abigail reminded Daniel that she had also acted like a brat when he and Jennifer had first started dating each other. Abigail explained that she had behaved that way because she had been missing Jack and the life that she had once had with him, Jennifer, and J.J.
Abigail theorized that it was probably harder for J.J. to deal with the situation because he had missed out on the opportunity to spend time with Jack during the final months of Jack's life. Abigail was confident that J.J. would eventually learn to accept Daniel, although she predicted that it might take a while for that to happen. Daniel nodded and thanked Abigail for visiting him, claiming that he understood.
At the Horton house, Jennifer reluctantly asked if J.J. was the person who had been vandalizing Daniel's car, noting that an earlier conversation with Maggie had revealed that J.J. had been in the hospital garage around the time that the vandalism had occurred. Incredulous, J.J. wondered if Maggie or a surveillance camera had actually caught him doing something to Daniel's vehicle.
When Jennifer admitted that no one had witnessed the crime, J.J. guessed that Daniel was the person who had originally accused J.J. of wrongdoing. "I made one stupid mistake with Parker, and now [Daniel's] trying to turn you against me, Mom!" J.J. angrily concluded. Jennifer insisted that Daniel was simply trying to figure out the truth. J.J. countered that he had already told her the truth, and it had apparently not been enough for her.
Jennifer wanted to believe J.J., but she pointed out that he had previously destroyed some of Daniel's other belongings, establishing a pattern of behavior. Jennifer recalled that J.J. had also recently observed that the damage that had been done to Daniel's car seemed to indicate that someone had a grudge against Daniel. J.J. wondered if Jennifer was trying to suggest that no one else in Salem could possibly dislike Daniel.
Jennifer wondered if J.J. disliked Daniel. "He sure seems to dislike me. And I guess he's getting you on his side," J.J. evasively replied. Jennifer assured J.J. that she loved him. "Yeah, but you just don't believe me! If Dad were here, we'd never be having this conversation. God, he never, ever doubted me," J.J. mused with a mixture of sadness and frustration.
Later, when J.J. had the house to himself again, he invited Rory over. Rory suggested that he and J.J. could hang out with some other people later that night, but J.J. was forced to decline the offer, since he had once again managed to get on Jennifer's bad side. Hoping to make J.J. feel better, Rory said that his younger sister had once cracked her head open at a playground while their mother had been standing right next to the girl.
Rory argued that it wasn't J.J.'s fault that Parker was a monkey. J.J. insisted that he felt horrible about what had happened to Parker, but he added that he couldn't believe that Jennifer had accused him of trashing Daniel's car. Rory laughed and reminded J.J. that they had vandalized Daniel's car. "Say what? Nobody saw anything, so, hey, it wasn't us," J.J. reasoned.
J.J. believed that he had managed to convince Jennifer that he was innocent, but he predicted that she would no longer be willing to supply him with cash. Seemingly unconcerned, Rory reminded J.J. that they still had some marijuana left to sell. Meanwhile, J.J. heard a car approaching the house, and he realized that Abigail had just returned home. Rory used the back entrance to slip out of the house without being seen.
Abigail entered the living room and revealed that she had gone over to Daniel's apartment earlier to apologize for what had happened to Parker. "What, because forty-two 'I'm sorrys' weren't good enough? I bet you he'll never apologize once for grabbing me, though. Bet you the guy's so perfect, he's never made a mistake in his life," J.J. snapped.
J.J. apologized for lashing out at Abigail when he realized that he had hurt her feelings. J.J. explained that it felt like everyone had been ganging up on him recently, and he conceded that he might actually deserve the harsh treatment that he had been receiving. Certain that J.J. felt horrible about what had happened to Parker earlier, Abigail refused to let her brother believe that he was a bad person.
J.J. promised to extend another apology to Daniel the following day, but Abigail warned that she wasn't sure how Daniel would feel about the apology. "Why? What did he say to you about his stupid-ass car?" J.J. defensively asked. Abigail was confused at first, but she quickly deduced that Daniel suspected that J.J. had vandalized Daniel's car. Abigail demanded to know what was wrong with J.J.
J.J. sighed with frustration, disappointed to learn that even Abigail doubted his innocence. Abigail stressed that she wasn't saying that J.J. had or had not committed the crime, adding that she was simply trying to give him some advice. Certain that Jennifer and Daniel would be watching J.J. very closely in the future, Abigail urged J.J. to always do the right thing. "Definitely doing the right thing -- just need to be more careful about it," J.J. muttered after Abigail left the room.
In Daniel's apartment, Jennifer revealed that she had questioned J.J. about Daniel's car earlier. Daniel guessed that J.J. had claimed that he had not vandalized the vehicle. Jennifer suspected that Daniel didn't believe J.J., and Daniel confirmed her suspicion, although he also conceded that he couldn't prove that J.J. was guilty. Jennifer defended J.J. and wondered why Daniel had not shared his speculation with her earlier.
Daniel blurted out that he had kept his concerns to himself because he loved Jennifer and hadn't wanted to hurt her with unfounded accusations. Daniel added that he had trusted Jennifer to handle the situation herself. "Okay, so now you don't. So, pretty much, you're saying that I am a lousy parent who doesn't know my kid at all," Jennifer defensively summarized.
Daniel tried to assure Jennifer that he didn't think that she was a lousy parent, but she remained defensive, summarizing that he simply believed that she was a good parent who had raised a lousy kid. Jennifer insisted that J.J. was a good kid who would never vandalize a person's car. Still skeptical, Daniel hoped that Jennifer was right. Jennifer asserted that she was right before storming out of the apartment.
In Will's hospital room, Will was surprised when Sonny proposed a major change to their living arrangements. "Look, I know that it might seem a little weird, but like you said, Gabi can't move in with Kate. Rafe's in the hospital. And Arianna is your baby. You're the father. You want to be there to raise your daughter, right?" Sonny asked. Before Will could respond, Gabi entered the room and wondered if Will had heard about what Sami had done earlier.
Will nodded and hoped that the man whom Sami had shot would survive, since she could otherwise be facing murder charges. Gabi regretfully informed Will that she had overheard some police officers talking about the patient earlier, gleaning from the conversation that the man had died. Gabi and Sonny tried to assure Will that Sami would probably be okay, since she had simply been protecting Rafe, but Will seemed uncertain.
Will urged Gabi to sit down, noting that she looked like she wasn't feeling well. Gabi politely dismissed Will's concerns, explaining that she was simply tired and adding that he needed to focus on his own health instead of worrying about her, since he was the person who had nearly died recently. Gabi stressed that she didn't want to be a burden to Will, but he insisted that she and Arianna were his family and would never be a burden.
Will segued into a conversation about Gabi's search for a new place to live. Gabi admitted that she wasn't sure where she was going to be staying yet, but she assured Will and Sonny that she would figure something out. Noting that Arianna was also his responsibility, Will said that he and Sonny wanted to help Gabi take care of Arianna. Gabi confirmed that she wanted the same thing, and Will added that he and Sonny wanted her to have everything that she needed.
Confused, Gabi wondered what Will was talking about. "Will -- Will's asking, um -- well, actually, we're both asking -- if you and Arianna would like to move in with us," Sonny explained. Gabi said that she couldn't possibly ask Sonny to live with his boyfriend's ex-girlfriend and a screaming newborn. Sonny pointed out that Gabi hadn't asked, and Will added that Sonny was the person who had devised the plan in the first place.
Shocked, Gabi started to remind Sonny that she hadn't always treated him kindly, but he interrupted her. "I know you love this baby and you want her to have a good life. And I was there for the delivery, remember? The future is all that matters," Sonny reasoned. Before Gabi could respond, a nurse carried Arianna into the room and wondered who wanted to hold the infant first.
Will and Sonny simultaneously volunteered to hold Arianna, but the nurse heard Sonny's verbal request before she saw Will's raised hand, so she handed the infant to Sonny. Will folded his arms and glared at Sonny, jokingly pouting. Noting that Arianna had started to work her way out of the blanket that she was wrapped in, Sonny offered to fix it, and Gabi encouraged him to do so. "So, what do you say? You want to move in with us?" Will asked, smiling as he watched Sonny and Gabi bond with Arianna.
In the waiting area, Marlena warmly greeted Kate and asked if Will was awake, explaining that she wanted to deliver a cup of coffee to him, as well as an outfit that she had purchased for Arianna to wear when the infant was released from the hospital. Noticing Kate's troubled expression, Marlena guessed that Kate had also purchased an outfit for Arianna, and she cheerfully conceded that Arianna could wear Kate's outfit instead. Realizing that Marlena had not yet heard the news, Kate regretfully revealed that Sami had shot someone earlier.
Elsewhere, Roman asked E.J. and Sami to leave the break room so that he could talk to Mrs. Bernardi privately, but Mrs. Bernardi stopped them. Mrs. Bernardi tried to find out how Sami had known Bernardi, but E.J. interrupted and offered his condolences in an effort to change the subject. Frustrated that no one seemed to be willing to tell her what had happened, Mrs. Bernardi refused to let anyone leave until she received some answers.
Maxine escorted Bernardi's son out of the room, offering to treat the boy to a bowl of frozen yogurt. Hope promised to answer Mrs. Bernardi's questions, adding that it would be better to do so in a more private location. Ignoring the hint, Mrs. Bernardi wondered if Roman knew the identity of the shooter. Sami blurted out that she was the person who had shot Bernardi.
Mrs. Bernardi couldn't believe that the person whom she had been bonding with earlier that night was also the person who had killed Bernardi. Sami said that she was sorry, but Mrs. Bernardi countered that Sami hadn't simply spilled a glass of wine on Mrs. Bernardi's carpet. Mrs. Bernardi demanded to know why Sami had killed the greatest man whom Mrs. Bernardi had ever known.
Before Sami could respond, E.J. interrupted and advised her to refrain from making any further comments. Hope and Roman tried to usher Mrs. Bernardi out of the room, explaining that they didn't want to compromise the investigation, but Mrs. Bernardi didn't think that an investigation would be necessary, since Sami had just admitted the truth in front of everyone.
"I had to do it. I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this, but if I hadn't done it, your husband would have killed Rafe Hernandez," Sami explained. Mrs. Bernardi slapped Sami and lashed out at her for spreading lies about Bernardi. As she reluctantly followed Hope and one of the officers out of the room, Mrs. Bernardi labeled Sami a cop killer and vowed to make Sami pay for the crime.
Sami wondered if Roman had managed to find Bernardi's knife yet. Roman shook his head and reported that the forensics team was scouring the hospital and would eventually find the weapon if it was on the premises. The wording of Roman's statement prompted Sami to wonder if he doubted her story. Roman assured Sami that he believed her and that everything was going to be all right.
Meanwhile, Marlena entered the room and wrapped her arms tightly around Sami. Roman excused himself so that he could get an update from the forensics team, and E.J. also decided to leave so that Marlena and Sami could have some privacy. Sami proceeded to tell Marlena about everything that had happened earlier that night.
Sami admitted that she was worried about what would happen to her if the cops failed to locate Bernardi's knife. "This cop, um -- Bernardi, I mean -- if he was after Rafe, maybe he was dirty, you know? A dirty cop. And -- and maybe he's on someone's payroll -- someone with more power than me. And maybe they got rid of the evidence. And if that -- if that happens, then I'm gonna end up on death row again, Mom," Sami fearfully stated.
Marlena remained optimistic, pointing out that Roman was on Sami's side, but Sami defeatedly stated that he would not be able to help her if the evidence suggested that she had shot an innocent man. Undeterred, Marlena added that E.J. was also on Sami's side. Marlena admitted that, while she obviously had other reservations about E.J., she couldn't deny the fact that he was an excellent lawyer.
In the waiting area, E.J. placed a phone call to Justin. "Look, um, we may have to move up our timetable a little bit. My father seems preoccupied at the moment, so this might be a good opportunity to strike," E.J. said before spotting Kate standing nearby. E.J. abruptly ended the call and approached Kate, who asked if his felonious fiancée had been dragged away in handcuffs yet.
E.J. defended Sami, insisting that she was telling the truth about the events that had transpired earlier that night. "I don't doubt she is. But you and I both know the truth -- that Stefano is behind this. Bernardi was his insider on the police force. [Stefano] ordered the hit on Rafe. It only failed because of Sami. Now I'm going to make sure that Stefano goes down in flames," Kate vowed.
E.J. was certain that Kate would never be able to prove that Stefano was guilty, especially since Bernardi was dead. The news shocked Kate, who wondered how E.J. was coping with the knowledge that his future wife had been willing to kill someone to protect a former husband. Annoyed, E.J. told Kate to go away.
"Oh, dear. Hit a nerve. I know Sami and Rafe have been over -- what, a hundred times? He dropped her, moved on with me, but what if he hadn't? Where would Sami be right now?" Kate mused. E.J. insisted that Sami still would have chosen him. After encouraging E.J. to continue to comfort himself with that delusion, Kate walked away.
Kate delivered Marlena's gift to Will's room, where Sonny and Gabi were still visiting Will, who was holding his daughter. Kate informed the group that she had not heard any new information about Sami's situation recently. After optimistically assuring Will that everything was going to be okay, Kate changed the subject, revealing that she had ordered a crib, a changing table, and plenty of other supplies so that her place would be ready for Gabi's impending arrival.
Gabi thanked Kate for the generous offer, and Will happily announced that Gabi had decided to move in with him and Sonny. Surprised, Kate smiled and offered the group a nod of approval, seemingly pleased. After Kate left, Gabi hoped that she hadn't hurt Kate's feelings. Will shook his head and assured Gabi that Kate would be a much better great-grandmother from a distance.
"Tomorrow, we're all gonna go home. All four of us -- you got your mommy, your daddy, your -- your -- your Sonny," Will told Arianna, laughing as he glanced at Sonny. Gabi thanked Will and Sonny, admitting that she no longer felt like it was going to be her and Arianna against the world. Will smiled as he assured Gabi that everything was going to be okay. "A little...out of the ordinary...but definitely okay," Sonny agreed.
In the waiting area, Hope informed Roman that an officer had taken Mrs. Bernardi and Timmy, the woman's son, home earlier. Roman reported that the forensics team had searched the entire hospital and had been unable to locate the knife. Hope sighed and said that she was sorry, and Roman quietly stated that he was sorry, too. A short time later, Sami, E.J., and Marlena joined Roman and Hope.
Hope regretfully gave Sami the bad news about the missing knife. Sami pointed out that someone on the forensics team could have easily sabotaged the search to protect Bernardi, but Roman explained that he had personally supervised the entire investigation. Sami protested that, while she understood that Roman had a job to do, he was also her father and had to believe that she was telling the truth.
Meanwhile, two officers arrived at the hospital, and Hope quietly informed Roman that they couldn't wait any longer. "Samantha Brady, you are under arrest for the murder of Joseph Bernardi," Hope announced as Kate entered the waiting area. Not wanting to make matters worse, Kate stood nearby and observed the scene in stunned silence.
Roman placed a pair of handcuffs on Sami's wrists, apologetically informing her that he had to follow the proper procedures. "I can't believe this is happening again," Sami quietly stated, struggling to maintain her composure. Marlena firmly assured Sami that they weren't going to let history repeat itself.
Roman and Hope escorted Sami into the nearby elevator, and E.J., Marlena, and Kate watched as Sami disappeared behind the elevator doors.
As J.J. and Rory entered the Horton house, Rory remarked, "Man, if we had known we'd sell the whole stash in the first day, we could've bought, like, ten times as much." J.J. pointed out that they couldn't have afforded it then. When Abigail appeared on the stairs, Rory stashed the wad of cash he'd been counting in his backpack. Abigail demanded to know why J.J. wasn't in school. He claimed that since it was the first day, the teachers had just passed out the syllabus and sent them home.
Abigail demanded to know who Rory was, so J.J. introduced them. Grinning like a moron, Rory shook Abigail's hand and said something nonsensical about why he wished they'd met before. Abigail pointed out that summer school was too brief and intensive for teachers to send kids home and lose a day. "Are you calling me a liar?" J.J. asked defiantly. When Abigail and J.J. started to argue, Rory interrupted to feign keeping the peace.
J.J. accused Rory of being a jerk, but Abigail maintained that both boys were jerks. "You should both be in school, not sitting around here like a bunch of losers," Abigail declared. J.J. dared Abigail to call the school and check if she really thought he was cutting school. Abigail began to dial the number but declared, "If you want to be stupid and ignorant and blow your chances at any decent future, then go for it."
Cameron knocked on the front door just then, interrupting the argument. J.J. quickly made an excuse and left with Rory.
Outside, J.J. called Rory out for acting stoned. "At least she didn't call the school," Rory pointed out. "Yeah. We would've been so screwed if she did!" J.J. admitted. When Rory said something complimentary about Abigail, J.J. accused him of being hot for her. Rory maintained that Abigail was nice-looking. Changing the subject, J.J. asserted, "The money that we got today wasn't enough... We need a big score."
Rory suggested they rip off Dr. Jonas. J.J. said that they couldn't do that because Daniel already suspected J.J. of trashing his car -- and Daniel had almost convinced Jennifer of it, too. "As a matter of fact, I should do something about that. Come on," J.J. declared as he and Rory left.
Cameron explained that he had stopped by because of what had happened at the hospital, but Abigail didn't know what he was talking about. After Cameron had filled Abigail in, she fretted about her mom. Cameron assured Abigail that Jennifer was good at her job and could handle it. Cameron started to leave, since Abigail had plans with Chad, but she predicted that Chad would cancel because of the situation with Sami and, by extension, E.J.
Cameron believed that Chad was interested in Abigail and would never back out of plans with her. Abigail maintained that Chad respected her feelings for Cameron. Assuring her that he wasn't worried about Chad, Cameron kissed Abigail deeply. After a few minutes of kissing, Cameron announced reluctantly that he had to go to work -- but he was free later if Chad cancelled.
As Abigail walked Cameron to the door, J.J. eavesdropped from the kitchen. "I wish I didn't have to go, but I promised the pharmaceutical reps that I would check out the drug samples," Cameron said with a sigh. He started to kiss Abigail goodbye, but J.J. entered the foyer then. J.J. explained that he'd forgotten something as he headed upstairs. Abigail pulled Cameron outside so they would have some privacy for their goodbye kiss.
Meanwhile, J.J. left a message for Rory: "I know how to get all the money we need."
Daniel was rushing around in his apartment, getting ready for work when Joanna, the nanny, arrived with the morning newspaper. She showed Daniel the headline, which shouted, "MYSTERY SHOOTING AT UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL," above a photo of Sami.
Near the nurses' station at the hospital, reporters bombarded Jennifer with questions about the limited details they'd been given regarding the previous night's shooting. Jennifer acknowledged that the report she'd given had been incomplete. While Jennifer read from a prepared statement, Anne furtively escorted another reporter into the area and slipped him a list of questions.
The reporter interrupted and accused Jennifer of refusing to discuss anything about the shooter because she was covering up for her friends and family, pointing out that Jennifer's brother had kids with Sami Brady and the chief of staff was Jennifer's sister-in-law. Jennifer flatly denied that there was any kind of cover-up. A gleeful Anne listened in as the reporter continued loudly grilling Jennifer.
Becoming flustered and frustrated, Jennifer announced that the meeting was moving to her office, since they were probably disturbing the doctors and nurses who were trying to work. As Jennifer turned to head down the hallway, she spotted Anne, who sarcastic wished Jennifer luck. Anne's planted reporter stayed behind. She instructed him, "You just make it crystal clear that she is not qualified for the job and needs to step down."
When Daniel arrived for work, he overheard Anne on the phone at the nurses' station. "Jennifer is in hot water this time. Those reporters are out for blood. But hey, you know, she deserves what she gets," Anne declared spitefully. Glaring at Anne's turned back, Daniel charged off down the hallway.
In Jennifer's office, Jennifer was assuring the reporters that they had released information as soon as they'd been able to confirm it. Daniel arrived and started to knock on the open door, but waited to see how Jennifer would handle the rude, insistent questions from Anne's ringer about whether there was a cover-up. When some of the other reporters chimed in with similar questions, Jennifer put her foot down and demanded, "Excuse me -- are you questioning my personal integrity?"
She asked if any one of them could tell her any time she had ever lied to them, but they responded with silence. Jennifer reminded them that she had always been available to them at all hours of the day and night because she knew they had deadlines. Anne arrived outside the door just as her reporter fired off another question. Jennifer demanded to know what paper the man worked for, and he admitted that he was freelance.
Jennifer handed out printed statements to all the reporters that included quotes from the staff, a timeline of events, and a medical explanation of the cause of death. After promising to have another press release in time for the noon news, Jennifer thanked everyone for stopping by. As the reporters filed out, Jennifer spotted Anne leaning against the wall outside. Daniel entered and shut the door behind him.
Daniel was impressed with the way Jennifer had shut down the pushy reporter. Jennifer voiced her suspicions about who had fed the man his questions, which she admitted had blindsided her. "I was blindsided myself when I saw the paper this morning," Daniel said.
Jennifer immediately became defensive. "Does Chief of Surgery demand a heads-up too?" she asked somewhat sarcastically. Irked, she tried to get rid of Daniel so she could write the press release. Since he knew the reporters had Jennifer's home number, as well, Daniel suggested that she work at his place for a while to get some peace and quiet.
Soon Daniel was opening the door of his apartment for Jennifer. They found a note from Joanna saying that she'd taken Parker to the playground. Jennifer thanked Daniel for letting her work there, and he said that he was grateful for the chance to prove to her that they could get through anything.
After Jennifer had written the press release on her laptop, she told Daniel that she hadn't been able to access the Internet to send it out. Since Jennifer had already transferred the file to a flash drive, Daniel suggested that she use the computer in his room.
Right after Jennifer left the room, J.J. knocked on the door. He explained that he was there to apologize for what had happened with Parker. Jennifer stuck her head out the bedroom door as J.J. admitted that he was ignorant about how to handle kids because he hadn't spent much time around them. "I'm really sorry, man. I should've been smarter," J.J. stated sincerely. Daniel thanked him.
After J.J. left, Jennifer exited the bedroom, beaming with pride about her son's apology. Daniel said that he thought J.J. had meant it, but added, "J.J. does not have a problem with Parker." Jennifer noted, "You're making it sound like he still has a problem with you." She guessed that Daniel still believed J.J. was the one who had vandalized his car.
Daniel didn't want to get into it. Aggravated, Jennifer asserted that they were in the same place they'd been the night before. As she began to pack up her things to leave, Daniel got a phone call from Joanna. Daniel begged Jennifer to stay while he took the call so they could finish their conversation, but Jennifer left in a bit of a huff.
When Nicole rang the bell at the Kiriakis mansion, Brady answered it. Nicole announced breezily, "Ta-da! The goddess of amusement and good times is here!" She soon noticed that Brady was engrossed in the newspaper. To explain why, he showed her the headline. "Oh, my God. Sami's done it again," Nicole exclaimed. After reading the article, Nicole pointed out that it didn't contain a lot of details.
Brady said that even Roman hadn't been very forthcoming. Brady was anxious to go to the jail and talk to Sami to let her know that he was in her corner. As Brady left to retrieve his wallet, Nicole realized that Eric was probably a wreck. She hurried out.
John was reading the paper in Horton Square when Roman arrived. John asked if Samantha were all right and if there were anything he could do. Roman suggested that John "stay the hell away" from Marlena. John asserted that Marlena was going to need him, but Roman advised, "You take care of your family; I'll take care of mine." John maintained, "Doc is my family." "I don't think so. Not anymore," Roman said before walking away.
At St. Luke's, Marlena confided in Eric about her frustration and anxiety about Sami's situation. Eric reassured his mom that everything would be all right as soon as they found the weapon. He volunteered to cancel his trip to the capital so he could be with Sami and Marlena. Marlena refused to let him do that, reminding him that the school was depending on him -- and she wasn't going to fall apart. She declared that she fully intended to be there for Sami, especially since there had been so many times in the past when she'd been unable to do so.
Eric offered to call and reschedule some of Marlena's appointments. She gratefully handed over her phone, which contained her schedule as well as her contacts. Marlena declared that Eric was "indispensable" for providing an ear and a shoulder for her. With tears in her eyes, Marlena proudly embraced her son.
When Roman arrived, he agreed with Marlena that Eric had to go to the capital. Marlena and Roman reassured Eric that they would take care of Sami, who would not want the school to be sacrificed because of her. A breathless Nicole rushed in just then and asked about what had happened. Roman and Marlena left to let Eric update Nicole.
Nicole guessed that Eric was exhausted from taking care of other people and urged him to look out for himself. Eric confided that Sami had seemed scared and alone when he'd visited her. Nicole put her arms around him sympathetically. Eric then announced that he needed to make some phone calls to cancel his trip because Sami needed all of her family. "Eric, please! Don't let that woman's screw-ups ruin everything that you've worked so hard for. She's not worth it," Nicole protested. Eric was annoyed, but he let it slide.
Nicole cautioned Eric that if the school didn't open, the bishop might transfer him to another parish. Eric picked up the phone anyway, so Nicole dove across the desk to keep him from dialing. "If she shot some guy, then let her rot in jail, for [all] anyone cares!" Nicole declared. His patience exhausted, Eric declared, "I care! Nicole, she is my sister. How can you be so cold-hearted and insensitive? You know, sometimes I don't even know who you are." Stung, Nicole walked out.
Later, Eric tried to reach Nicole but got her voicemail instead.
John stopped Brady in Horton Square and said that he was on his way to see Sami if Brady wanted to go with him. Brady replied that he hadn't even been allowed in to see Sami. John wanted to sit down and talk things over with Brady, but Brady snapped, "Don't waste your time." Brady stalked off.
Back at the Kiriakis mansion, Brady left a message for Roman, asking Roman to pull some strings so Brady could visit Sami. After he hung up, a discouraged Brady said, "She needs me, and I'm useless." Suddenly, Brady saw Kristen sitting next to him on the couch. "That's not true. You can do anything you set your mind to," Kristen purred, trying to kiss him. Brady jumped up, but when he looked back at the sofa, there was no one there.
A bemused Brady was pacing and staring at the sofa when Nicole returned. Nicole immediately recognized that Brady was upset about something. She put her hands on his shoulders and declared that she was officially making it her job to take his mind off things. "Great," Brady conceded, chuckling. Their eyes locked then. Nicole took a deep breath, shrugged, and muttered, "Oh, what the hell," as she planted a kiss on Brady. Brady eagerly returned the kiss at first, but then pulled away. "This is probably...this is probably not a good idea," he stammered before giving in and kissing Nicole again.
When Stefano arrived downstairs at the DiMera mansion, rolling a suitcase behind him, Kristen asked if he'd heard about Sami. Without waiting for a reply, Kristen remarked, "Sometimes when you have a problem, [murder is] the only solution." Stefano questioned what she meant, but Kristen blamed her odd comment on a lack of sleep. Stefano seemed worried about Kristen, but she insisted that she had moved on. "All right, fine. Tell me just what your plans are," Stefano inquired.
Dodging the question, Kristen asked where Stefano was going with the suitcase. Stefano merely stood silently, his arms folded, an inscrutable, patient smile on his face. Since she knew he wasn't going to tell her anything, Kristen wanted to know if he had at least made the phone call she'd asked him to. "Let me ask you something. I mean, do you really want this...him...here?" Stefano clarified. "Yes, I want. I want. I want," Kristen replied, eyes gleaming.
Stefano assured her that he had called the man, who would be there soon. Kristen promised not to tell anyone that she'd seen Stefano that morning, then kissed him on the cheek and wished him a nice trip. Stefano got his suitcase and left.
When the doorbell rang later, Kristen answered it, assuming that it was the man Stefano had called for her. Instead, it was Marlena, who was there to pick up the children. After a servant had taken the kids to the car, Kristen taunted Marlena, first about Sami and then about John. Marlena refused to engage with Kristen, so Kristen declared, "I don't want to talk about John, anyway." Kristen declared happily that she didn't care even a little about John.
"Oh, that's wonderful. Maybe now you can stop obsessing over Brady -- and stop fretting over me. We had our war. I won, and now we're done," Marlena declared. After Marlena walked away, Kristen muttered, "Yeah, about that. I don't think we're done. I think we're just getting started. This time it's for keeps."
After Marlena dropped off the kids with Caroline at the Brady Pub, she ran into John out front. Marlena made it clear that she didn't have time to deal with him, but John pleaded with her to let him help out. "We don't have to deal with any of our stuff right now. Sami is what's important," John reassured her. "You want to help me? Walk away," Marlena said.
When the doorbell rang again later, a man was on the doorstep. "Ms. DiMera? Your father contacted me," the man with an accent explained as he removed a small box from his breast pocket. "Yes, I've been expecting you. I'm very happy to see you. You just might be my last hope," Kristen stated, eyeing the box.
