At Common Grounds, Jennifer greeted Daniel and asked him about Rafe's condition. Daniel reported that the process to take Rafe out of his medically induced coma had started earlier.
As Daniel started to leave, Jennifer wondered how his Fourth of July holiday had gone. Daniel impatiently informed Jennifer that he wasn't interested in having idle conversations with her and pretending that everything was all right. Jennifer nodded and asked if Daniel could at least tell her how Parker was doing.
Daniel reported that he had taken Parker to see Chloe -- presumably for the Fourth of July -- and that Chloe and Parker had been happy to see each other. Daniel said that Chloe seemed to be doing well, and Jennifer wondered if that meant that Chloe would soon return to Salem. Daniel replied that Chloe would not be returning to town, although he added that if she did return at some point, she would not bother Jennifer.
Jennifer said that she wasn't worried about Chloe and simply wanted to know what was going on in Daniel's life. Daniel replied that he would love to share every detail of his life with Jennifer. Daniel reported that he was planning to slowly arrange for Chloe to get shared custody of Parker. Daniel added that he would love to hear about Abigail, Jennifer's new assistant at the hospital, and J.J.
"But you can't have it both ways, Jen. You know, we are supposed to be taking some sort of break, which means that you want me to stay away from you so that, as you expressed it, J.J. will have you in his life, and I really won't be complicating it. And what is ultimately frustrating about all of this is that I know -- and I'm pretty sure that you do, too, deep down -- that my leaving you alone is not going to be good for J.J. In fact, it is going to be worse," Daniel predicted.
Daniel said that J.J. was terrorizing Jennifer, making her give up the man whom she loved in exchange for the possibility that J.J. might start to act responsibly. "Okay, okay, all right. Just come back to me when Parker's a teenager, okay? Do you think I don't know this? Do you think I don't know that I am being manipulated? But this is my son, and he is so lost, and I am scared to death for him, and I have to do everything that I can to fight my way back into his life. Do you understand that?" Jennifer asked.
Daniel nodded and agreed to keep his distance, but he stressed that he needed Jennifer to return the favor. Jennifer said that she understood, and Daniel abruptly exited the coffeehouse. A short time later, Jennifer received a phone call from someone who asked if she was J.J.'s mother.
At the lake, Rory wondered what Jennifer would do if she found out that J.J. had skipped study hall. "Hmm. Good point. Maybe I won't tell her that. Dude, can you tell me when you...became...such a...wuss? Oh, my God," J.J. said as his attention turned to the attractive bikini-clad young woman who had just emerged from the lake -- the same young woman whom J.J. had met earlier.
"Dude, that is the definition of 'out of your league,'" Rory told J.J. as the woman started to dry herself off. Rory's negativity annoyed J.J., who asked Rory to leave. Rory predicted that J.J. was going to crash and burn. Realizing that J.J. wasn't going to change his mind, Rory sarcastically wished him luck before walking away. J.J. confidently approached the woman and wondered if she was stalking him, stressing that he wouldn't mind if she was.
Pointing out that she had arrived at the lake before J.J. had, the woman sarcastically stated that she was a clairvoyant stalker. J.J. laughed and observed that the worst kind of stalker was a clairvoyant one. The woman reminded J.J. that he had previously promised to hook her up. "Oh, yeah. That's exactly what I plan to do," J.J. suggestively replied.
J.J. said that he only dealt with friends, reminding the woman that she had not yet introduced herself. The woman finally revealed that her name was Theresa. "Theresa. Hmm. It's just one name? Oh, like Beyoncé. Well, hey, it's, uh -- it's a start. Eventually, you know, I want to know all about you," J.J. replied. Theresa said that she and J.J. would have to take that journey later, vaguely stating that she had something that she needed to do.
J.J. asked for a phone number, a Facebook address, or some other way of finding Theresa, who replied that she would find him if she needed him. After Theresa left, J.J. received a phone call from Jennifer, who demanded to know where he was. J.J. claimed that he had been delayed on his way to study hall, but Jennifer wasn't fooled. Jennifer ordered J.J. to meet her at her office right away.
At the DiMera mansion, E.J. received a phone call from Justin, who reported that there was a big problem that they needed to take care of right away. When E.J. ended the call, Sami revealed that she had just received a text message from Roman, who had informed her that Rafe might emerge from his coma later that day. Secretly eager to get Sami out of the mansion, E.J. urged her to go to the hospital to visit Rafe.
E.J. claimed that he wasn't worried about Sami's feelings for Rafe, whom E.J. understood that she would always care about. Impressed, Sami wondered if she and E.J. had finally grown up. "God, I hope not," E.J. dryly replied. Sami conceded that, while she hadn't been planning to visit Rafe that day, she certainly had time to do so before checking on Eric later.
Outside Common Grounds, Rafe ran into Sami, who was pleased to see that he was all right. Sami tried to start a conversation with Rafe, but he interrupted her and abruptly excused himself. As Rafe walked away from Sami, she shouted that she couldn't lose him again. Rafe ignored Sami, who pulled a gun out of her purse and fired it at him.
In Rafe's hospital room, the machine that was monitoring Rafe's vital signs started to beep rapidly. Gabi and Kate were concerned, but Kayla assured them that everything was all right. Kayla suspected that Rafe had been having a nightmare, and she explained that it was common for comatose patients to have really vivid dreams.
In Rafe's apartment, Kate roused Rafe from his slumber and told him that she needed to leave. Rafe insisted that he and Kate still had time, but she wasn't convinced. Kate admitted that she was scared, and she stressed that no one could ever find out the truth about their relationship. As Kate started to walk away, Rafe noticed that Stefano was hovering over the bed. Stefano growled savagely as he struck Rafe with a heavy metal pipe.
In Rafe's hospital room, Abe joined Kayla, Kate, and Gabi. Kayla warned that, while most comatose patients' memories remained intact when they emerged from their comas, Rafe might initially show signs of disorientation and confusion. "He may not be able to differentiate between what's happening in the present time [and] what his mind was telling him when he was in the coma. That confusion could go on for a few days or, in some cases, a few weeks," Kayla explained.
Kayla left Rafe's room and went to her office. A short time later, Kayla received a visit from Abe, who had some additional questions about Rafe's potential memory loss. Kayla admitted that Rafe could possibly wake up and find that he had forgotten the previous six months of his life, if not more. Kayla noted that if Rafe had forgotten the previous six months of his life, he would have no idea why Kate was waiting at his bedside.
Abe pointed out that if Rafe had forgotten the previous year of his life, he would still believe that he and Sami were married. Abe left Kayla's office and returned to Rafe's room. Gabi wondered if Abe knew why Bernardi had tried to hurt Rafe. Abe hoped that Rafe would eventually be able to help the police solve that particular mystery.
Gabi showed Abe a framed photograph of Arianna that was perched on Rafe's bedside table. Gabi explained that she had been placing a new photograph in the frame each day so that Rafe's first view of Arianna would not be an outdated one. Gabi said that she had also been keeping the old photographs to ensure that Rafe wouldn't feel like he had missed a single moment of Arianna's life.
In the waiting area, Sami asked Kate if Rafe had emerged from his coma yet. "No. I'm sure he knows better than to come out of his month-long coma [before] it suits your schedule," Kate dryly replied. Kate tried to convince Sami to leave Rafe alone, stating that the last thing that he needed was to wake up and find Sami hovering over his bed, waiting for him to praise her for saving his life.
Kate explained that Kayla had previously stated that Rafe needed to surround himself with people who loved and supported him. Kate guessed that when Rafe emerged from his coma, the only thing that he would remember about Sami would be the fact that she had broken his heart. Sami countered that she hoped that Rafe had sustained some sort of memory loss so that he wouldn't have to remember sleeping with Kate.
After urging Sami to think about Rafe's needs instead of focusing on her own, Kate realized that it was futile to try to convince Sami to behave selflessly. Kate encouraged Sami to barge into Rafe's room and make herself the center of attention. As Sami walked away, Kate spotted Daniel and asked him some questions about Rafe's recovery process.
Daniel explained that Rafe was going to need a lot of physical therapy due to the length of time that he had spent in a completely immobile state. Daniel said that Rafe would probably need to relearn all of his motor skills, adding that Rafe wouldn't even be allowed to do that until the doctors were certain that he had mentally adjusted to his new situation. The news concerned Kate, who noted that Rafe hated asking people for help.
Daniel observed that Kate seemed to know Rafe really well. Kate said that Rafe was an open book, unlike the other men in her life. Kate guessed that Daniel believed that her relationship with Rafe was inappropriate. Daniel diplomatically stated that he was glad that Rafe had a lot of strong, stubborn women in his corner who were willing to help him get through the difficult recovery process that he was going to be facing.
A nurse interrupted and announced that Rafe was starting to wake up. Kate followed Daniel into Rafe's room, where Sami was already waiting with Gabi and Abe. Rafe slowly opened his eyes and looked around the room, spotting Gabi, Kate, Abe, and, finally, Sami. The machine that was monitoring Rafe's vital signs once again started to beep rapidly as he stared at Sami.
Kate observed that Sami's presence seemed to be upsetting Rafe. Sami tried to protest, but Daniel agreed with Kate's observation. At Daniel's request, Abe escorted Sami into the hallway, where she insisted that Rafe's strange reaction had not had anything to do with her. A short time later, Daniel exited Rafe's room and informed Sami and Abe that Rafe was fine.
Still convinced that Sami's presence had upset Rafe earlier, Daniel refused to let her visit Rafe. Sami reluctantly agreed to give Rafe a few minutes to calm down, prompting Daniel to clarify that he wasn't going to let Sami visit Rafe until he was certain that doing so would not harm Rafe's recovery in any way.
In Jennifer's office, Kayla was thanking Jennifer for something when J.J. arrived. Kayla hugged J.J. before quickly excusing herself. After Kayla left, J.J. started to say something, but Jennifer interrupted and said that J.J. was going to listen to her for a change.
J.J. had left school grounds during his lunch hour and hadn't returned in time for study hall, so Jennifer decided that he would no longer be receiving lunch money from her. J.J. wondered if Jennifer expected him to starve. Jennifer replied that J.J. could wake up early every day to pack a lunch for himself.
J.J. complained that most kids had stopped packing their lunches years earlier, but Jennifer countered that most kids also knew that shoplifting wasn't a good idea. Jennifer stressed that J.J. would no longer be able to party, hang out with his friends, or invite anyone -- especially inappropriately aged women -- over to the Horton house.
"Rule of thumb -- if it sounds fun to you, don't do it," Jennifer summarized. J.J. muttered that Jennifer seemed to really have it in for him. After confirming that he understood Jennifer's instructions, J.J. stormed out of the office. Jennifer sighed as she thought of Jack, muttering that she didn't know what had happened to their son.
A short time later, J.J. returned and guessed that he was also going to get yelled at for forgetting his backpack when he had left the office earlier. Theresa spun Jennifer's chair around to face J.J. and asked if he wanted her to yell at him. Surprised, J.J. wondered what Theresa was doing in his mother's office. Theresa laughed as she absorbed the implications of J.J.'s statement.
Meanwhile, Jennifer returned to her office and was shocked to find Theresa sitting behind the desk. Jennifer started to chastise J.J. for once again defying her orders, but he interrupted and insisted that he didn't know why Theresa was in Jennifer's office. "I can explain. I'm your new assistant," Theresa announced, extending a hand as she smiled at Jennifer.
Aboard Stefano's private jet, the pilot informed Stefano and Cecily that they would soon be landing in Salem. Later, Stefano received a phone call from someone, and they proceeded to have a conversation that was presumably about E.J.'s plan to seize control of DiMera Enterprises. Stefano said that he had heard that Justin Kiriakis was involved, and the caller apparently confirmed that information.
The caller assured Stefano that the problem had already been taken care of. Stefano instructed the caller to refrain from talking to E.J. about the situation, stressing that he wanted to keep E.J. in the dark for a while. After Stefano ended the call, the pilot announced that the jet was beginning its descent into Salem. Stefano laughed as he kissed Cecily's hand, predicting that E.J. wasn't going to be very happy to see Stefano.
At the DiMera mansion, E.J. called Justin, who explained that Shin had once again changed his mind about supporting E.J. Justin added that the London subsidiary's board meeting had been delayed. E.J. asked Justin to meet him at the DiMera mansion right away, stressing that their plan absolutely had to be executed that day. Justin calmly stated that there was no need to panic. E.J. shouted that he wasn't panicking before he abruptly ended the call.
"And don't you start gloating! I've got a few more moves left up my sleeve, believe me," E.J. assured Stefano's portrait. When Justin arrived a short time later, E.J. was in the middle of a phone conversation with Shin. E.J. gave Shin thirty minutes to make a final decision about which DiMera Shin would be supporting. E.J. pointedly warned that Stefano had taught him to make an example out of people who chose to break their promises.
After E.J. ended the call, Justin observed that E.J.'s warning had been kind of heavy-handed. E.J. replied that he had simply been speaking the truth. E.J. pointed out that Justin had promised that everything would be resolved before they reached their deadline. "I think you underestimated your father's ability to balance business with whatever sadistic pleasure he might be pursuing at the time," Justin countered.
Justin received a phone call from Mr. Benedict, one of the members of the London subsidiary. Justin handed the phone to E.J., who proceeded to charm Benedict into compliance. After ending the call, E.J. muttered that Benedict was a "supercilious twit." Justin summarized that E.J. had just promised Benedict a substantial slice of the pie. "What the lord giveth, the lord can taketh away," E.J. replied, clearly referring to himself.
Justin showed E.J. a document that contained information that they might be able to use to convince Shin to side with them. E.J. referred to the idea as a "hail Mary" tactic, but Justin pointed out that such tactics were employed when no other options were available. E.J. warned that if the move failed, Stefano would know exactly what E.J. had tried to do, as well as the identity of the person who had helped E.J.
"I'll pray. You dial," Justin calmly replied. When E.J.'s latest attempt to reason with Shin failed to deliver the desired result, E.J. revealed that he had heard that Shin's son had applied to a very prestigious Ivy League law school. E.J. offered to use his connections to help Shin's son, which was apparently enough to solidify Shin's support.
"Sort of ironic, isn't it? That the fate of Stefano DiMera -- a man who would not lift a finger to help his son -- is sealed by a man who would do anything for his," E.J. mused after ending the call. Justin cautioned that E.J. had not yet won the battle, but E.J. replied that the vote was about the take place, which meant that, one way or another, the axe would soon fall. E.J. advised Justin to hope that the axe would fall on Stefano's neck instead of falling on their necks.
A short time later, E.J. and Justin simultaneously received phone calls. Justin and E.J. stared at each other in disbelief as they ended their respective calls. Justin offered his condolences to E.J., who had just gained complete control of DiMera Enterprises. E.J. jubilantly pounded the nearby desk before hugging Justin and thanking him for his help.
"Look, I have to get going, but listen -- before I go, I need to tell you something. I found out that Stefano, for tax shelter purposes, put the deed of this house in the name of one of his corporations. So now, not only did you take his company, you now also own his home. Cheerio," Justin said before exiting the mansion. Bursting with excitement, E.J. grinned as he eyed Stefano's portrait. "There are going to be some changes around here, old man, and you -- you -- are gonna be the first to go," E.J. happily announced.
Later, Stefano and Cecily entered the mansion. E.J. wanted to have a private conversation with Stefano, so Cecily grabbed a bottle of champagne and excused herself. Stefano sighed and said that it was good to be home. E.J. announced that the mansion was no longer Stefano's home. E.J. advised Stefano to refrain from getting comfortable, since E.J. expected Stefano and Cecily to leave his house immediately.
"That's a good joke," Stefano said, chuckling as E.J. glared at him.
In the park, Kristen called her editor, Sarah, about the video and asked why there was a delay. Sarah explained that she was a perfectionist, but Kristen threatened Sarah to speed it up or answer to an unhappy Kristen. "Forgiveness is for other people. It's not for me," Kristen muttered to herself.
An emotional Sami marched into the rectory and hugged her brother, Eric. When Eric asked what was wrong, Sami explained that she was upset about Rafe. Eric's strength faltered, and he sagged for a moment before Sami caught him and helped him sit. Worried, Sami asked what was wrong, but he started to shake and could not answer her. Sami called for an ambulance, but Eric asked her to stop because he felt better.
Eric explained that he had experienced a recurrence of the symptoms previously. Shaking her head, Sami grabbed the phone and announced that she was calling Marlena. Eric asked Sami not to call Marlena because he needed to concentrate on the school consecration. When Sami asked Eric to see a doctor, Eric told her that Daniel had previously examined him.
Daniel arrived at the rectory with Eric's test results. Daniel explained that he had consulted with a toxicologist about the test results but that he was waiting for more information. Sami angrily pushed Daniel to find an answer, and Daniel informed Eric that Sami was defensive because Daniel had asked her to leave Rafe's room.
Rolling his eyes, Eric said that he was not surprised that Sami's presence had aggravated Rafe. Eric asked Sami to leave, and he shoved her out the door. "I'm going to make sure you are okay, whether you like it or not," Sami said in the hallway outside the rectory.
Daniel examined Eric and urged Eric to go to the hospital. Eric declined. Worried, Daniel took some blood from Eric for more tests and ordered Eric to rest. Cocking an eyebrow, Eric asked Daniel what was bothering him. Daniel explained that he had hit a rough patch with Jennifer.
Eric countered that if Nicole had believed that Daniel and Jennifer were good together, then it meant that Daniel and Jennifer would be able to work through their problems. Eric counseled Daniel to have faith, but Daniel argued that he needed to face facts. Eric urged Daniel to remain hopeful and wait out the complications in his relationship.
Jennifer was surprised to find J.J. talking to Theresa in Jennifer's office. When Jennifer asked J.J. what he was doing, Theresa announced that she was Jennifer's new assistant. Jennifer disagreed and noted that the position had been filled. As Theresa smiled in defiance, Kayla entered the office and explained that Theresa was her niece. Confused, Jennifer noted that she had hired Shane and Kim's daughter, Jeannie.
Shaking her head, Theresa said that she went by her middle name. Jennifer took her son by the arm and led him into the hallway. Alone in Jennifer's office, Kayla asked Theresa why she was treating Jennifer like she was stupid. Theresa explained that she had met Jennifer in the square and that Jennifer had treated Theresa like a stranger.
Kayla warned Theresa to lose the attitude. Angry, Theresa countered that she was tired of how her mother treated her and that she did not want Kayla to treat her the same way. Kayla explained that she was concerned about Theresa and urged Theresa to patch things up with Jennifer.
At the nurses' station, Jennifer asked J.J. why he had been alone in Jennifer's office with Theresa. J.J. explained that he had been surprised to find Theresa in the office and that he had not known that she was Shane and Kim's daughter. Kristen interrupted to say hello, and Jennifer introduced Kristen to J.J. When J.J. joked that he had missed English class because Jennifer had been lecturing him, Jennifer ordered J.J. to copy notes from someone and go home to study.
After J.J. left, Kristen asked Jennifer what was wrong with J.J. Jennifer admitted that she was not sure if J.J. was having difficulties adjusting to living in Salem or if J.J. was upset with Jennifer. Changing the subject, Kristen asked about Daniel. With a sigh, Jennifer explained that she and Daniel were taking a break from one another.
Kristen told Jennifer that she hoped Jennifer found happiness because she deserved it. Jennifer responded that she felt the same way about Kristen. When Jennifer said that she knew Kristen had loved Brady, Kristen noted that she had moved on. Jennifer was surprised, but Kristen explained that she did not have a choice.
Jennifer returned to her office, and Kayla told Jennifer that Theresa would work hard. After Kayla left, Jennifer asked Theresa why she had been at the Horton house with J.J. Theresa explained that she had been lost and had stopped at the Horton house to ask for directions because it had looked familiar to her. Not buying Theresa's explanation, Jennifer nodded warily. Jennifer said that she would buy Theresa a map of Salem so that Theresa would not need to go to Jennifer's house again.
As Jennifer and Theresa started to leave the office for a tour, Sami burst in and welcomed Theresa to Salem. When Sami asked Theresa how long she would be in town, Theresa explained that she would be living in Salem and working with Jennifer. Sami told Theresa that Jennifer was the best boss and that Theresa was lucky to work with Jennifer at the hospital. Theresa excused herself, and Jennifer cautioned Theresa not to get lost on her way to human resources.
"Something about her just, I don't know, reminds me of myself when I was her age. Just quite can't put my finger on it," Sami said. When Jennifer asked Sami what she wanted, Sami explained that she wanted information about Eric's medical condition. Jennifer said no. Sami pleaded for help, but Jennifer noted that she had not been aware that Daniel had treated Eric. Jennifer urged Sami to talk to Daniel directly. Sami apologized and ran out of the office.
Jennifer answered her office phone and Anne's shouts greeted her. When Jennifer noted that Theresa had left to go to human resources, Anne explained that Theresa had never shown up. Jennifer promised to talk to Theresa.
In the Horton living room, J.J. searched for information about Theresa on the Internet, using Jennifer's computer. J.J. answered a knock at the front door and was surprised to find Theresa on the front porch. Theresa explained that after she had seen J.J.'s Facebook message, she had ditched Jennifer at the hospital. Smiling, Theresa noted that she was a bad influence.
J.J. retrieved a bag with several joints in it and handed it to Theresa as a gift. Theresa thanked J.J. J.J. offered to meet with Theresa at her place the next time, and smiling, she told him maybe. As Theresa walked away, the house phone rang. When J.J. answered the phone, Jennifer was on the line. Jennifer thanked J.J. for going home after she had asked him.
In the DiMera mansion, E.J. ordered Stefano to leave the house. Stefano laughed at E.J. Grinning, E.J. urged Stefano to check the messages on his phone. Stefano chuckled and looked at his phone. "What did you do?" Stefano growled.
"I believe it's called beating you at your own game," E.J. countered. E.J. explained that he had planned to take over the business since Stefano had returned to Salem because he had not forgiven Stefano for disowning him as a son. Stefano argued that he had admitted his mistake when he had turned his back on E.J. after Stefano had learned that he might not be related to E.J. Stefano asked E.J. if their relationship had been a lie.
"You are not my father," E.J. stressed. When Stefano said that he had loved E.J., E.J. countered that Stefano used the word "love" like a bludgeon to hurt people. "Your love killed Alexandra, killed Tony, ruined Kate's life," E.J. said. E.J. continued that Stefano had hurt Kate like he had hurt E.J. when he thought E.J. was not his son. E.J. explained that when Stefano had been preoccupied with his revenge on Kate, E.J. had been able to put his plan into motion.
Stefano swore to exact revenge on E.J. Smiling, E.J. said, "The Phoenix is not going to rise up again." Stefano accused Sami of forcing E.J. to lash out, but E.J. explained that Sami was not aware of E.J.'s plan to take down Stefano. Smiling, E.J. noted that Sami would be thrilled to hear about E.J.'s coup. When Stefano argued that he had never hurt Sami, E.J. told Stefano that outside of Stefano's decades-old vendetta against the Brady family, Stefano had also ordered a hit on Rafe, which Sami had stopped.
E.J. argued that if Sami had been indicted in Bernardi's murder, Stefano would have let Sami go to prison in order to save himself. Stefano grinned. Kristen returned home and greeted Stefano. Noticing the mood, Kristen asked what was wrong. E.J. explained that Stefano was leaving the house. "It's no longer his house. It's mine," E.J. said. Stefano promised Kristen that he would be in touch, and then he left.
Surprised, Kristen asked E.J. what he had done. E.J. explained that he had taken over DiMera Enterprises. E.J. admitted that he had never forgiven Stefano. Kristen wondered aloud that if someone a person loved hurt them whether they had any choice but to hurt that person in return. E.J. said that there was no choice and that it was necessary to hurt that person. Kristen warned E.J. that he had provoked a war with Stefano. E.J. noted that he was ready for Stefano.
"Whose side are you going to be on?" E.J. asked Kristen. When Kristen said that she loved both Stefano and E.J., E.J. surmised that Kristen would support whichever family member came out on top in the war. Kristen apologized. Smiling, E.J. noted that he would expect no less from Kristen, and he hugged her.
E.J. answered a phone call from Sami. Sami explained that Daniel had kicked her out of Rafe's room and then she had visited Eric, who had fallen ill. Kristen eavesdropped on E.J.'s conversation with Sami when E.J. mentioned Eric's name. Sami complained that Daniel had no idea what was wrong with Eric and had called in a specialist. E.J. told Sami he was looking forward to talking to her when she returned home.
After E.J. hung up the phone, Kristen asked E.J. if Sami was aware of what had happened with Stefano. E.J. said no. Kristen encouraged E.J. to celebrate his coup, and she warned him to prepare for Stefano to strike back. Kristen walked into the foyer, called Dr. Chyka, and ordered the doctor to meet her in the square.
Kristen met with Dr. Chyka in the park by the square. Kristen informed Dr. Chyka that Eric had relapsed and that the doctor was calling in a specialist to review Eric's blood. Dr. Chyka promised that everything would be fine. Upset, Kristen called the doctor an idiot.
In the DiMera living room, E.J. celebrated with a drink as Stefano walked into the room. E.J. promised Stefano that he would send Stefano's things to him once Stefano had found a place to live. With a scowl, Stefano warned E.J. that E.J. would beg Stefano to take back DiMera Enterprises eventually. Once Stefano was gone, E.J.'s smile faltered, and his eyes watered with sadness.
In his apartment, Daniel reviewed Eric's file. As Daniel reviewed the lab reports, he said, "What the hell?"
At the nurses' station, Sami muttered about being kicked out of Rafe's room. As Sami looked around, she realized that Daniel was nowhere in sight. Grinning, Sami walked toward Rafe's room.
Chad entered the DiMera mansion and overheard E.J. instructing some workmen to store the portrait of Stefano in the warehouse -- until they burned the painting in a bonfire. Chad was worried that Stefano would "lose it" when he found out. "He already has," E.J. began, and explained that he had successfully taken control of DiMera Enterprises -- and the house -- away from Stefano. After E.J. instructed the men to begin work on the master suite, he continued that it had been a great pleasure to be able to tell Stefano the news to his face.
Chad was in awe of what E.J. had managed to pull off. When Chad learned that the plan had been in the works for months, he guessed that it hadn't just been payback for Sami taking the blame for Bernardi's shooting. "No, it's not, but if I ever doubted for a second that I was doing the right thing, that sealed it." Chad was shocked when E.J. added that Sami didn't know about what had happened yet. E.J. explained that the plan had required complete secrecy, or Stefano might have found out, although it had helped that Stefano had been distracted after learning about Kate's affair with Rafe.
E.J. stopped the workmen before they took away the portrait of Stefano to commemorate the occasion with champagne. After pouring a glass for himself and one for Chad, E.J. declared, "To our father, a heartless, hollow bastard who I spent far too much time trying to please. Goodbye and good riddance. May you never darken my door or hurt those I love ever again." Chad added, "Amen." The brothers clinked glasses then the workmen carried the painting out. "You won't be missed, old man," E.J. said.
As E.J. removed some knickknacks, including an abacus, he informed Chad that he planned to do some redecorating -- and make some changes around there. "Samantha always said this place reminds her of a mausoleum. Not anymore. I want this to be a real home. I want everybody here. I want us to be a real family," E.J. declared, and Chad deduced that E.J. wanted him to move in.
E.J. assured his brother that he would have plenty of privacy. Chad agreed to think about it. When Chad rose to leave, he got dizzy, but blamed it on the champagne. After Chad had gone, the workmen returned with a large painting. The men removed the cloth covering it, and E.J. chuckled, pronouncing it "perfect."
At the hospital, Cameron reassured Gabi and Kate that the agitation they'd been witnessing while Rafe slept was probably a result of vivid dreams, a normal side effect of the medication they'd used to induce the coma. He cautioned them that Rafe would be "fuzzy" for a while until the drugs worked their way out of his system.
When Sami crept into Rafe's room and his alarms didn't go off, she reassured herself, "See? You're not upset that I'm here, are you?" Sami pulled up a chair and began talking to him in a quiet, conversational tone. She joked about his relationship with Kate, but added more seriously, "Sleeping with her almost got you killed." As she was filling him in about what Johnny and Sydney had been up to, Rafe's eyes slowly opened.
Rafe turned his gaze toward Sami, who told him that Gabi would be there soon, maybe even with Arianna. Rafe looked confused, so Sami reassured him that Arianna was fine. Sami noted with a happy sigh, "It's so nice to see your eyes. When I think about how close you came to... Thank God I had that gun." Rafe suddenly recalled his nightmare in which Sami had shot him outside Common Grounds, and his alarm monitors began to sound.
Sami called for help, and Cameron rushed in, followed quickly by Kate and Gabi. Cameron ordered Sami to leave, and Gabi and Kate hustled Sami out the door. Out by the nurses' station, Sami insisted that Rafe had been about to tell her something before Kate and Gabi had jumped all over him. Kate demanded to know what Sami had been talking to Rafe about. Sami explained that she'd been telling that he would get to see Arianna soon.
Gabi quickly realized that Rafe had been confused, because although he had known that she had planned to name the baby Arianna, he had been unconscious when she was born. "So the only Arianna he's thinking about is our sister!" Gabi concluded. A horrified Sami apologized sincerely for confusing Rafe by telling him he was going to see his dead sister. Kate and Gabi lit into Sami for always doing whatever she wanted no matter whom she hurt.
Cameron emerged from Rafe's room and announced that Rafe was doing better, so Gabi went in to see her brother. Kate urged Sami to go home, reminding Sami that Daniel had told her that she would upset Rafe. Cameron said that he agreed with Daniel and warned Sami that if she tried to return to Rafe's room, hospital security would call the police. Sami reluctantly left.
Gabi was frustrated because she wanted to stay with Rafe but there was no one available to take care of Arianna. Kate promised that she would be there for Rafe. Chad arrived as Gabi was leaving. Chad informed Kate, "E.J. did some ninja corporate thing and took over the DiMera enterprises. E.J. kicked the old man out of his own company." Kate was stunned but clearly impressed.
When Chad approached Cameron later, Cameron asked if Chad were there to have his head checked out after the spill he'd taken at the lake. "My head's fine. Listen, um, there's some things going on that you don't know about," Chad began. Cameron stated that he couldn't talk because he was the on-call doctor for the whole floor.
As Kate sat with Rafe, he struggled to talk. "Why?" he said weakly. Kate inquired, "Why what?" With great effort, Rafe managed, "Why...did...Sami...try and kill me?"
Sami returned to the DiMera mansion, slamming both the front door and her keys on the foyer table. When E.J. greeted her in the entryway, she launched into a tirade about what had happened at the hospital. Grinning patiently, E.J. spoke to her in a soothing voice as he tried to calm her down then told her that he had something that might cheer her up.
E.J. led Sami into the living room and asked if she noticed anything different. "Uh, no, it's still the same mausoleum...the chessboard and the ancient furniture," Sami noted with a bemused frown. E.J. steered her further into the room, and when Sami turned around, she saw that instead of Stefano's picture looming down over the room, there was a portrait of her and E.J. "Oh, my God," she exclaimed, eyes wide.
Sami worried that Stefano would be furious when he found out that E.J. had replaced his portrait. "My father is never setting foot in this house ever again!" E.J. declared, adding, "He's out. My father came back into Salem this morning to learn that he'd been the victim of a hostile takeover. He lost the company."
An amazed Sami quickly figured out that E.J. had been responsible, but she noted that it would take years of planning to pull off something like that. "For a lesser man, maybe. Took me five months," E.J. said. Sami was proud of her fiancé -- until she realized that he had been planning it for that long but had never told her.
At St. Luke's, Maggie was picking up tickets for the school dedication and private reception from Eric. After commending Eric for his hard work in getting the school finished, Maggie remarked, "I heard that you ran yourself so ragged that you got sick. In fact, you still look a little peaked." Eric assured Maggie that he was all right, thanks to her son.
When Maggie asked if there were anything she could do to help with the event, Eric confided that things had been tense between Nicole and Victor the last time Eric had witnessed them together. Maggie reassured Eric that she would make sure Victor behaved, and Eric promised to do the same with Nicole. Maggie thought it was nice that Eric still looked out for his first love. Eric stressed, "We look out for each other. I mean, she's the one who saved the school. She saved my life."
When Nicole arrived at the Kiriakis mansion, she handed Brady the mail, which she had gotten from the mailman on her way up the front walk. While Brady looked through the mail, Nicole picked up the donation that he'd left in the entryway for St. Luke's new school. Observing Brady's odd reaction to a letter, Nicole asked what was wrong. Brady showed her the letter, which was from the adoption agency, asking if Brady and Kristen were ready to proceed with their adoption.
When Nicole started to tear up the letter, Brady stopped her. She offered to call the agency for Brady, but he declined, insisting that he could handle it. Nicole was worried that Brady was thinking about getting back together with Kristen. Brady insisted that he wasn't, although he couldn't tell Nicole why he didn't want her to call the adoption agency. Nicole proclaimed that Brady was a great man, and Kristen was a "worthless user" to have turned on Brady.
Brady maintained that Kristen had grown to love him; even Jennifer had seen it. "Stop buying into her lies!" Nicole ordered. She asked why Brady wouldn't let her rip up the adoption papers. Brady mused that perhaps the idea of having kids didn't really have anything to do with Kristen. "Maybe I saw the chance to have --" Brady began, but he stopped and apologized when he saw how the words had affected Nicole.
Nicole acknowledged that the idea of having children was a hard thing to let go of. Brady asked if Nicole had ever considered adoption. "I don't know. Maybe I'm just not meant to be a parent," Nicole said with a shrug. Brady grabbed her and embraced her, declaring that she would be a great parent. As Brady walked Nicole out, he paused to stew over the adoption papers again. Nicole encouraged him not to hang on to something that was only going to hurt him, because he deserved to be happy.
When Maggie returned home, Brady was still in the foyer, staring at the adoption documents. When he didn't hear a word she said praising the new school, she realized that something was troubling him and asked him to tell her all about it. As they went into the living room and sat on the sofa, Brady reminded Maggie of the warning they'd received in A.A. about replacing drug and alcohol addiction with something else. Brady wondered if one could become addicted to falling in love and breaking up.
Maggie said that it was possible because there was a lot of adrenaline involved in both of those things -- but real love didn't jerk people like Brady had been. Brady confided, "The feeling that I have right now...is like withdrawal. It feels just like it, like I can't let go." Maggie encouraged Brady to go to a meeting. "You have discovered something really smart today, Brady. Don't let it slip away," Maggie cautioned.
Brady vowed that he was going to end his downward spiral right away. Maggie reminded Brady to take things one day at a time -- and if he ever needed his sponsor, she was just down the hall. Brady was grateful. After Maggie left the room, Brady ripped up the adoption papers.
When Nicole arrived at St. Luke's, Eric had the phone in his hand, but he placed it back in the cradle before dialing. Nicole asked whom he'd been about to call. Eric explained that Dr. Jonas had run the second set of tests because Eric had experienced a slight relapse. Although she was a little freaked out, Nicole hoped that the new tests would provide some answers about what had made Eric sick.
A little later, Eric informed Nicole that the programs were ready at the printer. Nicole volunteered to pick them up, but first she made Eric promise to call her if he heard anything from Daniel. Once he was alone in the rectory, Eric knelt at the small altar and prayed, "Please, Lord, just help me find some answers. Help me find out why I'm sick so I can serve you better." Eric suddenly recalled running into the woman -- really Kristen in disguise -- in the lobby of his hotel in the state capital.
In the park, Kristen read Dr. Chyka the riot act and informed him that Father Eric's doctor had called in a specialist to try to figure out what was wrong with the priest. Dr. Chyka tried to reassure Kristen that the chances of the drug being detected were minuscule -- but he added that he would feel more comfortable if he could look at the lab results.
Kristen made a phone call during which she stated, "Thank you so much. I will call Dr. Jonas tomorrow." After she hung up, she muttered, "And I will get in his face today." Dr. Chyka was alarmed. Kristen told him to shut up and wait for her call.
Daniel was on the phone at his apartment, discussing Father Eric's lab tests with another doctor, Kevin. "I think I found the key to Father Eric's illness," Daniel declared, pointing out a slightly out-of-range number. Daniel asked Kevin to put a rush on things in case Eric really had been poisoned.
Daniel was making notes in Eric's file when his pen ran out of ink. He opened a desk drawer to get another one and ran across a note from Jennifer. Trying to shove the feelings aside, Daniel had just sat back down with the file when Kristen stopped by on the pretense of talking to him about Jennifer. Daniel asserted that it was none of Kristen's business and asked her to leave.
Stalling for time, Kristen reminded Daniel how she had butted in and kept him and Jennifer from breaking up after Chloe had pretended that they'd slept together. Daniel pointed out that the situation was different, but Kristen begged him to let her help him. Daniel asserted that Kristen was only there for the same reason she had visited Eric in the hospital: to score points with Brady via his friends and family. Kristen maintained that she truly cared about Brady's friends and family.
Daniel declared that there was no way he was getting involved in Kristen's relationship with Brady. Kristen reminisced about how close the four of them -- her, Brady, Daniel, and Jennifer -- had all been and how much fun they'd had together. She acknowledged sadly that she had lost Brady for good. Daniel expressed his regrets about what had happened between Kristen and Brady -- but suggested that Kristen should visit Jennifer if she really wanted to help Daniel and Jennifer.
Parker called out to his daddy from the bedroom. "Is that Parker? He sounds so cute!" Kristen said with a giggle. She reminded Daniel that she'd never met his son, and Daniel somewhat reluctantly agreed. After Daniel left the room, Kristen whipped out her cell phone and began taking pictures of Eric's file.
Kristen put her phone away when she was finished, but noticed that she hadn't left the papers from the file the way she'd found them. Daniel returned to the room and found Kristen at his desk, straightening the papers. "What in the hell are you doing?" he demanded angrily.
At St. Luke's, Jennifer asked Eric to verify that the press release that she had written for the school project was acceptable. After confirming that the press release was fine, Eric thanked Jennifer for agreeing to do the work pro bono.
Noting that Eric looked kind of pale, Jennifer hoped that he hadn't been working too hard lately. Eric assured Jennifer that he was fine -- or, at least, that he hoped that he was fine. Eric explained that Daniel was still trying to figure out what had caused Eric's mysterious illness. Pointedly stating that he had talked to Daniel earlier, Eric wondered if there was anything that he could do for Jennifer.
Avoiding the implied reason for Eric's question, Jennifer admitted that she wouldn't mind a few prayers for J.J., who had made some poor choices recently. Eric advised Jennifer to give J.J. a chance, reasoning that every child simply needed someone who was willing to believe in them. Eric added that he had heard that Jennifer had hired his cousin, Theresa.
Eric was glad that Theresa was working for someone who was understanding and wouldn't hold things against her. Eric's statement confused Jennifer, so he elaborated that Kim and Shane had a lot of parenting stories of their own that they might one day be willing to share with Jennifer. Eric advised Jennifer to talk to Daniel, noting that relationships rarely seemed to work unless both parties were willing to communicate with each other.
Eric pointed out that Jennifer could still make J.J. her top priority without removing everyone else from her life in the process. Eric urged Jennifer to share her true feelings with Daniel. After leaving Eric's office, Jennifer considered calling Daniel, but she decided that she didn't want to send him mixed signals.
In Daniel's apartment, Daniel accused Kristen of invading his privacy and snooping through a patient's confidential medical files. Kristen feigned ignorance, claiming that she had actually been reading a note from Jennifer that Daniel had left on his desk. Kristen apologized and conceded that she had a tendency to overstep sometimes. Kristen hoped that Daniel would believe that her heart had been in the right place.
Kristen explained that she simply didn't want Daniel and Jennifer to get their hearts broken the same way that Kristen's heart had been broken. Daniel pointed out that Brady's heart had also been broken, and he observed that Kristen probably wasn't the best person to seek relationship advice from. Conceding Daniel's point, Kristen agreed to leave.
Maggie arrived as Kristen was leaving Daniel's apartment. Daniel told Maggie that Kristen had been trying to repair the rift in his relationship with Jennifer. Maggie was surprised to learn that she and Kristen actually had a common goal for once. Daniel said that he had asked Kristen to stay out of the situation, and he admitted that he wished that Maggie had stayed out of it, too.
Maggie apologized, guessing that her interference had only made things worse. Daniel informed Maggie that he and Jennifer had decided to take a break. Maggie tried to probe for additional information, but Daniel asked her to drop the subject. Ignoring Daniel's request, Maggie pointed out that she knew Jennifer better than he did, and she insisted that Jennifer didn't really want to be left alone.
Maggie urged Daniel to tell Jennifer that he didn't want to take a break. Daniel considered calling Jennifer, but he decided that he needed to respect her decision. Daniel thanked Maggie for agreeing to watch Parker for a while so that Daniel could continue to work on figuring out what had happened to Eric. Later, after Maggie and Parker left, Daniel received a phone call from the specialist who had agreed to examine Eric's medical files.
The specialist assured Daniel that there was nothing out of the ordinary in the files. Daniel thanked the specialist and ended the call, but he was clearly not satisfied with the answer that he had received. Refusing to give up, Daniel started to examine the files again.
At the Brady Pub, Caroline offered to let Theresa live in the vacant room above the pub, but Theresa insisted that she hadn't moved to Salem to take advantage of her family members. Caroline noted that, according to Kim, Theresa hadn't wanted to move to Salem at all. Theresa believed that her parents had simply wanted to get rid of her for a while, but Caroline asserted that Kim and Shane had just wanted Theresa to have a fresh start.
Theresa admitted that seeing Caroline in the hospital in California the previous fall had been scary. Caroline warned that she would still need Theresa's patience occasionally, prompting Theresa to reply that Caroline had always been patient with her. Theresa didn't know what she would have done if she hadn't had Caroline to talk to about her problems lately. Caroline stressed that she would always be there when Theresa needed someone to talk to.
After Theresa left, Eric visited Caroline, who was thrilled that she had been lucky enough to receive a visit from two of her grandchildren on the same day. "[Theresa] looks wonderful, you know. Sometimes I wonder if that could be a curse more than a blessing, if you know what I mean. Well, I mean, you should know, my handsome grandson -- you should know more about that than most people," Caroline told Eric.
In a secluded section of Horton Town Square, Kristen met with Chyka, who said that he had examined the images of Eric's medical files that she had sent him earlier. Chyka assured Kristen that the masking agents in the drugs were working properly, meaning that no one would be able to look at the files and figure out what she had done to Eric.
"All I've gotta do is one more thing. It's all gonna come out when and where I want it...to the people I want to show it to," Kristen muttered after Chyka left. Later, Kristen met with Sarah, the woman whom Kristen had hired to make sure that no one would be able to tell that the video of Kristen drugging and seducing Eric had been edited. Watching the video clearly made Sarah uncomfortable, but she confirmed that it looked authentic.
"I've said it before, Marlena -- karma's a bitch, and she's coming after you in spades," Kristen muttered after Sarah left. Later, Kristen visited Eric at St. Luke's. "I just wanted to share something with you," Kristen cryptically stated as she smiled at Eric.
At the hospital, Theresa rushed into Jennifer's office, where Jennifer was already waiting for her. Jennifer said that she had heard that Theresa had never made it to the human resources department earlier. Jennifer reminded Theresa that the hospital wouldn't be able to start paying her until she filled out the human resources department's paperwork. Jennifer pointedly added that Theresa would only get paid when she was actually doing work.
Theresa apologized for her tardiness, explaining that she had gone to the pub to visit Caroline earlier. Jennifer sweetly assured Theresa that she understood, adding that she was simply trying to make sure that Theresa didn't get off on the wrong foot at the hospital. Unconvinced, Theresa suspected that Jennifer was really just trying to show Theresa who the boss was.
Theresa guessed that Jennifer was probably still upset about Theresa's earlier visit to the Horton house. After confirming Theresa's suspicion, Jennifer suggested that it would probably be best for them to just put that incident behind them and focus on their work. As Jennifer assembled a packet of documents for Theresa to work on, she pointedly informed Theresa that J.J. was about to start his senior year of high school.
Jennifer guessed that Theresa was probably at the point in her life where she no longer had any interest in the high school scene. Theresa guessed that Jennifer was trying to tell her to stay away from J.J., but Jennifer simply advised Theresa to use her time wisely. After Jennifer left the room, Theresa eyed the bag of joints in her purse. "Sorry, J.J.'s mom. I might be yours nine-to-five, but when I'm home, my life is all mine," Theresa muttered.
At the DiMera mansion, Sami wondered how Stefano had reacted to being kicked out of his company and his house. E.J. gloated that Stefano had been furious. E.J. laughed as he recalled the threats that Stefano had made before leaving the mansion, but Sami wasn't amused. Sami's reaction puzzled E.J., who couldn't believe that she was actually upset about what he had done to Stefano.
Sami said that she had every right to be upset about the fact that E.J. had never bothered to warn her that he had been planning to destroy their lives. E.J. told Sami that he had actually improved their lives exponentially. E.J. insisted that he deserved some praise for pulling off the coup of the century. E.J. proudly summarized that he had just ensured that Sami and the kids would never have to worry about Stefano again.
"You kidding me? I'm more worried now than I ever have been in my entire life, and that's actually saying a lot. You're really standing there, crowing about how you pulled off the coup of the century? E.J., from where I stand, you're a fool," Sami angrily replied. E.J. warned Sami to refrain from insulting him in the future, but she dismissively reminded him that they regularly called each other names.
E.J. wondered why Sami always felt the need to act like a petulant, disrespectful adolescent every time that he dared to make a decision without asking for her approval first. Sami guessed that E.J. hadn't asked for her approval because he had known that she never would have given it to him. "The reason I didn't tell you about it is because I knew that you wouldn't be able to keep your bloody mouth shut!" E.J. snapped.
Sami incredulously replied that she was better at lying and keeping secrets than anyone else on the planet. E.J. claimed that he had simply been trying to protect Sami, although he admitted that he had also been trying to protect himself, since he had known that she would have driven him crazy if she had known the truth. Sami said that E.J. was being unfair.
E.J. countered that Sami was the person who was being unfair, since she had chosen to "bitch and moan" about being left out of the planning stages of E.J.'s scheme instead of celebrating its success. "Oh, my God, you are missing the point! You left me out of the planning stage of this because you knew I would never agree to it. I would never, in a million years, have agreed to you making a mortal enemy out of Stefano DiMera, because now he will dedicate himself to getting revenge against you, me, and our children!" Sami snapped.
E.J. once again called Sami a petulant adolescent, insisting that if she would just listen to him for a moment, she would realize that Stefano no longer had the power to hurt them. Still skeptical, Sami wondered if Stefano had been left penniless. E.J. admitted that Stefano was not penniless, but he impatiently added that Stefano had lost everything that was important, such as the company, the mansion, and the private jet.
"So what about his pride? Did you take that from him, too? Did you take back his need for revenge? Have you forgotten what he's holding over us, or do you just not care that Stefano DiMera is not the kind of man who is just going to crawl away and disappear? No, I'm pretty sure he's going to be licking his wounds and planning his revenge -- his vengeance against you -- and anyone who stands in his way will be history, including my son. He has evidence that could put Will in prison, but you're too busy dealing with your daddy issues to realize that I might lose my son forever!" Sami angrily shouted.
E.J. reasoned that Stefano could not expose Will without also exposing Stefano's connection to Bernardi. E.J. was certain that Stefano did not want anyone to find out about that connection, since Stefano had fled town the moment that he had heard about Bernardi's death. E.J. added that Stefano liked Will and would never punish Will for something that E.J. had done.
Sami sarcastically agreed that Stefano had always played fairly. Sami added that Stefano knew that the best way to hurt E.J. would be to hurt E.J.'s loved ones. E.J. impatiently pounded his fists against the nearby desk, loudly reiterating that he and Sami no longer had to worry about Stefano.
"You saying that -- you shouting that at me -- does not make it true! You are standing there, callously -- irrationally -- being so cavalier about -- about the safety of our children. If you think Stefano isn't gonna come at you guns blazing, then you are a fool!" Sami countered. E.J. wondered why Sami -- who seemed to think that he was a foolish, callous, irresponsible, delusional man who didn't love her or the kids enough to protect them and put their lives ahead of everything else -- had agreed to marry him in the first place.
Sami said that she had agreed to marry E.J. because she loved him. E.J. wanted to know why Sami loved him, so she replied that he had shown her a side of himself that no one else had ever been allowed to see. Advancing toward Sami, E.J. wondered if she also loved the side of him that other people did get to see -- the side that was strong and ruthless.
Sami said that she loved E.J.'s ruthless side when he was being ruthless for the sake of their family. E.J. shouted that everything that he did was for the sake of his family. E.J. grabbed Sami and pushed her against the nearby chess table, wondering if she believed that he was more powerful than Stefano was. Sami whispered that she believed that E.J. was the most powerful man whom she had ever known.
Sami and E.J.'s anger quickly turned to passion, and they started to make love. Afterward, E.J. asked Sami to say that she didn't doubt him and that she knew that he had done the right thing, and she happily complied. "Stefano is never going to be able to hurt you or anybody in our family ever again. If he does, I'll kill him," E.J. assured Sami.
E.J. claimed that he had seized control of DiMera Enterprises for Sami's benefit, but she found it hard to believe that his desire to make Stefano pay for disowning him hadn't been a motivating factor. E.J. conceded that letting a good opportunity for revenge go to waste would have been a pity. E.J. predicted that he and Sami were going to be one of history's most compelling power couples, prompting Sami to name a few.
After Sami named Bonnie and Clyde and Antony and Cleopatra, E.J. changed his mind, deciding that no known power couple was a match for him and Sami. "I'll tell you this much -- we're going to have a very different, very happy ending in our future," E.J. confidently predicted, referring to the tragic endings of the power couples that Sami had mentioned.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Adrienne stormed into the living room and demanded to know when Justin had been planning to tell her that he had gotten into bed with the DiMeras. Justin calmly replied that he was on his way to a meeting and didn't have time to get caught up in Adrienne's drama. Adrienne countered that Justin was the person who had inflicted drama on their entire family. Justin said that he had simply been doing his job.
Adrienne was concerned about what was going to happen next, but Justin failed to understand why that was their problem to worry about. "How clueless are you? What, do you think Stefano DiMera's just gonna pick up his marbles and go home? You think he's gonna suddenly morph into a gentle, passive person? Guess what, Justin -- I don't have your faith in the man's essential humanity finally surfacing now that you and his son have royally screwed him! He's gonna be out for blood -- yours, mine, and Sonny's, too!" Adrienne predicted.
Justin wondered if Adrienne really believed that he would have agreed to do something that would have endangered his family. Adrienne suggested that E.J. had managed to fool Justin into thinking that their scheme would be perfectly safe. Adrienne said that Justin's willingness to help Sami get away with murdering a cop had been humiliating enough before Adrienne had learned that he had also gotten himself involved in the DiMera family's illegal activities.
Justin stressed that everything that he and E.J. had done had been completely legitimate. Adrienne shook her head and wondered what had happened to Justin. "It's like the man I married has suddenly morphed into some amoral bastard who doesn't give a damn about anything but getting ahead -- or wherever you think this sickening alliance is gonna get you. Where's your self-respect? Where's your integrity?" Adrienne tearfully asked.
Insulted, Justin started to leave, but Adrienne stopped him. Adrienne insisted that there had never been anything legitimate about the DiMeras. Justin pointed out that Adrienne had never complained about living in the forty-room mansion that Victor's money had paid for. Adrienne noted that, with Justin's help, Victor had turned his business into something that the whole family could be proud of, prompting Justin to wonder if she believed that E.J. was incapable of doing the same thing.
"Look, you know what? I really don't care what people are saying about this deal. I really don't care, because it's all on the up-and-up. So you can just keep on second-guessing me and -- and taking this morally superior tone -- which is, as I pointed out, hypocritical, at the very least -- but that's your problem, not mine!" Justin snapped. Adrienne suggested that Justin needed to start thinking about someone other than himself.
"Oh, I know. I hate thinking about other people!" Justin sarcastically replied. Adrienne wondered if knowing that Sonny was living with Will or that Sami was about to marry E.J. concerned Justin at all. "No, it doesn't! Sonny is a grown man, and I trust him to make the right decisions. But lately, I'm not sure I can say the same thing about you," Justin said before storming out of the mansion.
Later, while Adrienne and Maggie were playing with Parker, Adrienne decided to show him the video of Will and Arianna that Sonny had sent to her cell phone earlier. Meanwhile, Maggie poured drinks for everyone at the nearby bar. When Adrienne noticed that Maggie was having trouble carrying all of the drinks back to the couch, she rushed over to help Maggie, leaving the cell phone laying on the coffee table.
When the video of Will and Arianna ended, the video of Sami's argument with Bernardi automatically started playing.
At St. Luke's, Kristen told Eric that she needed to share something with him -- and she thought it would shock a lot of people. She stroked the tablet inside her purse. "I guess you haven't heard about E.J. and my father. It's like the Civil War all over again," Kristen said, adding, "Actually, it's the upheaval at home that's brought me here to you." Eric asked her to please get to the point, since things were a little hectic at the church.
Kristen explained that she was a bit of a lapsed Catholic in need of spiritual nourishment, because since her breakup from Brady, she'd been feeling all alone and disconnected from everything she'd thought she believed in. Eric admitted that he wasn't sure what she was talking about. Kristen spoke vaguely about how little there was in life that truly lasted, so it was important to always think about the hereafter.
"But if you already know that you're going to hell, what's the point of even trying?" Kristen wondered. Eric asserted that God always forgave. Kristen countered that people did not, and since she knew that she would never be redeemed in the eyes of the people she cared about, she felt free of responsibility and she could focus on her own needs and wants -- and that was why she was there.
Eric gently hinted that she should stop beating around the bush. Kristen explained that she needed to get something off her chest, and Eric assured her that she could tell him anything. "Be careful what you wish for," Kristen cautioned him. Eric was puzzled. Kristen reminded Eric of all the time, energy, and money she'd put into the school project. Eric assured her of his gratitude. "Did my invitation to the reception with the bishop get lost in the mail?" Kristen asked.
Kristen explained that after everything she'd lost, it would mean a lot to her to be able to attend the reception. Eric was reluctant, because Marlena and Brady would both be there. Kristen promised she wouldn't cause a scene, and reminded Eric again of all the money she and her family had spent on the school project.
Ciara and a friend ran into the rectory just then. After hugging her Uncle Eric, a surprised Ciara said hello Kristen. "I didn't know you guys were friends," Ciara admitted, then introduced Eric to her friend, Jamey, who would also be attending St. Luke's School in the fall. Getting down to the kid's level, Eric shook the boy's hand and assured Jamey that he would like the new school.
Ciara informed Eric that Jamey's school didn't have computers in the classrooms or a real playground with a ball field. Jamey added that his school had a barbed-wire fence. "You won't need a fence here at St. Luke's. You'll be safe," Eric promised the boy. Eric offered to give the kids a tour of the new school, and on his way out, he told Kristen to wait while he instructed Sister Margaret to give her a ticket to the reception. Kristen thanked him demurely.
Alone in the rectory, Kristen seemed to find the pictures of Jesus annoying. She became emotional as she addressed a painting, "I get it. He's a good man. You don't have to parade little kids in here to show me how he's changed their lives, okay? That's overkill, even for you." Pacing, she told another picture of Jesus that he'd made her that way by taking love away from her again and again.
"All I have is this burning hatred that I've gotta get rid of, and there's only one way to do it!" Kristen shrieked tearfully. "And no, I'm not going to do it your way! I tried it your way and it doesn't work! I'm not gonna do it the right way!" Sobbing, she hurled her purse across the room, where it struck the wall. Inside the purse, the screen of Kristen's tablet turned on.
In Rafe's hospital room, Kate was worried because Rafe was sleeping again when the sedatives should have worn off. Cameron reminded her that Rafe had been in an induced coma for a long time after a severe trauma.
In the waiting area near the nurses' station, Abe confided to Kayla that the morale in the police department was low after Bernardi's shooting at the hands of the commissioner's daughter. Abe thought everyone could use some good news to get them through it, like perhaps hearing that Rafe was going to be all right. Cameron returned from Rafe's room just then, with Kate close behind.
Cameron advised the others that Rafe's EEG had shown no change, and Kayla explained that it meant no further indication of distress. Kate filled Abe in on Rafe's reaction to seeing Sami, and Cameron confirmed it. After Cameron left for lunch, Kayla pointed out that Sami had elicited the only communication they'd gotten from Rafe so far. Kate reluctantly admitted that Rafe had talked to her, as well, but she didn't want to divulge what he'd said.
Kayla pointed out that what Rafe had said might be important. After reminding Kayla that she had said that Rafe might have a hard time distinguishing between his dreams and reality, Kate admitted, "He asked me why Sami tried to kill him." Kayla was angry that Kate hadn't told her sooner, and Abe wondered if Kate had kept quiet in order to protect Sami. Kate maintained that she had merely been trying to protect Rafe from more of Sami's dramatics.
Kayla impatiently pointed out that if the doctors had gotten a chance to examine Rafe at that time, they might have been able to get a better idea of how his recovery was progressing. A nurse arrived and informed Kayla that Rafe seemed to be waking up again. After making Kate promise not to upset Rafe, Kayla reluctantly consented to let Kate be in the room.
Kayla leaned over Rafe's bed while Kate and Abe hovered nearby. Kayla asked Rafe if he knew who she was, and he nodded. He also confirmed with a nod that he knew where he was and who Kate was. Kayla said that was a good sign. Straining to speak, Rafe demanded, "Why?" Kayla urged Rafe to focus on getting better, but he insisted, "Need...to know...why!" Kayla suggested that Abe explain. Speaking softly, Abe noted that the last thing Rafe probably remembered was cutting across the alley.
Rafe again recalled his nightmare in which Sami had shot him outside Common Grounds. Abe continued, "You were hit from behind, so there's no way that you could..." Rafe's monitors began beeping rapidly. "She shot me. Why?" he demanded, freaked out and short of breath. "Why did Sami -- why did she shoot me?" Rafe kept repeating. He became more and more agitated, the monitors beeping wildly, so Kayla called in a nurse to administer a sedative to Rafe.
Abigail was passing by the Brady Pub when she spotted Chad inside, so she went in -- just in time to hear Chad leaving a message for Cameron to meet him there later. "Chad, please don't do this," Abigail pleaded as she sat down across from him. She explained that it wasn't Cameron's decision; it was hers. Smirking amusedly, Chad informed her that E.J. had kicked taken over DiMera Enterprises, kicked Stefano out of the house, and asked Chad to move back into the mansion. A stunned Abigail admitted that she hadn't heard the news.
Chad was joking about challenging Cameron to a duel over Abigail when Cameron arrived. After Chad assured Cameron they would not have to fight to the death, he asked both Cameron and Abigail for their advice about moving into the mansion. Chad explained that before, he would have spoken to Lexie about it. Abigail wanted to know if Chad had talked to Will and Sonny.
Chad said that he'd tried, but Sonny and Will had a lot on their plates -- and Chad trusted Abigail and Cameron's judgment. Cameron seemed concerned that Chad was moving into a war zone and pointed out, "[Stefano] asked you to move in before, right? And you wait until his son kicks him out on his ass to decide to say yes?" Abigail didn't think Stefano would take that news well.
Without any further discussion, Chad thanked the others for their advice then abruptly rose to leave. Cameron stopped Chad to ask if he'd followed up with a doctor about his head. Chad insisted that he was fine. After Chad had gone, Cameron had to go back to the hospital.
Will was putting a sleeping Arianna down in her bassinette when someone knocked on the door. Assuming it was Lucas, Will whispered loudly for his dad to enter -- but instead, Brent walked in, looking for Sonny. Brent explained that Sonny had left his watch in Brent's car the night before, and Will admitted that it wasn't the first time Sonny's watch had fallen off. Lucas arrived a moment later, so Will introduced them.
While Lucas took a peek at his granddaughter, Brent offered to drop off the watch at the coffee shop. Will said that wouldn't be necessary since Sonny would be home soon. When Will asked Brent about the previous night, Brent confessed, "We had a great time. I haven't been to a party like that since...well, since probably the last time I went out with Sonny." Will admitted that he and the baby had both slept.
After Brent had gone, Lucas remarked, "You let Sonny go out with that guy last night while you stayed home and took a nap with the baby? And Sonny's watch didn't make it home? Come on, man, is something wrong with this picture?" Will informed his dad that Sonny and Brent were just friends -- plus Will had told Sonny to go out. Lucas was incredulous. Will pointed out that he wasn't going to ask Sonny, who had been adventurous before they'd met, to give up everything he had once loved.
Will continued that he knew when Arianna was older, he and Sonny would travel and have adventures together. Lucas was impressed with his son's maturity. Will guessed that it had something to do with being a parent, but Lucas lightheartedly pointed out that it hadn't worked that way for him or Sami. Lucas declared that Will's great-grandma Alice would be as proud of him as Lucas was.
At the coffeehouse, Adrienne fretted that Sonny's life could be in danger because of what his father had done involving the DiMeras. Sonny didn't want to get in the middle of whatever was doing on between his parents. Adrienne noticed that her son looked tired, and Sonny admitted that he'd opened that morning after being out late the night before at a party with Brent. Adrienne seemed a little too happy that Sonny was going out and having a social life with other people, and he took offense.
Adrienne explained, "You're much too young to be trapped in an apartment, night after night, cooking, cleaning, and babysitting." Sonny irritably corrected her that he wasn't trapped and that he shared household responsibilities equally with Will and Gabi -- plus the three of them actually had fun together. Adrienne insisted that she'd only meant young people should meet other young people and have some variety in their lives.
Sonny angrily asserted, "I know that's code for, 'If you would just break up with Will, I would be happy." Adrienne maintained sadly that she only wanted her son to have some fun -- and to return to the simple, happy life he'd lived before. Sonny assured his mom that she should feel as lucky as he felt to be living with the man he loved.
Brent arrived just then and apologized for keeping Sonny out so late. After Sonny had reintroduced his mom to his old friend, Brent told Sonny, "If you're missing your watch, I left it with Will." Sonny admitted that he had planned to tell Will about the rave that morning but when Sonny had left the house, Will had been sleeping. Adrienne asked Brent what he'd been doing since the last time they'd seen each other.
Brent recounted how he'd been studying architecture and design while traveling in the United Kingdom. Adrienne enthusiastically told Brent about the building Sonny had built, destroyed, and rebuilt as a child. She added that she hoped to see more of Brent, since he was back in Salem for a while. After Brent left, Sonny lashed out at Adrienne for pushing him and Brent together.
Adrienne insisted that all she'd meant by the architecture story was that she thought Brent should talk to Victor. "It's simple: I love Will, and he loves me. He's a great guy. Is that not good enough for you?" Adrienne maintained that she wanted the very best for her son. "I have the very best," Sonny declared firmly, adding, "We might not have the most conventional family, but it's working or us. So you have a choice to make. You can accept us -- or forget about us." Sonny left.
Lucas had gone and Arianna was asleep in the bedroom when Sonny got home from work. Sonny apologized for not telling Will about the rave, but Will was grateful that Sonny had let him sleep. Will suggested that maybe they should get a new clasp for Sonny's watch, since it kept falling off, but Sonny said that it was fine.
Sonny offered to stay home and let Will go out the next time there was a party, but Will admitted that he'd never been into the party scene. Sonny suggested that the two of them could go on a romantic date while Gabi stayed home with Arianna, and Will thought that sounded much better. After Sonny went to take a shower, Will cradled Arianna and wistfully eyed Sonny's watch.
When Adrienne bumped into Lucas in Horton Square, she teasingly informed him, "I was just with Parker a little while ago. I showed him this video of Arianna, and he would like to pencil in a play-date with her just as soon as she can talk." Adrienne offered to show Lucas the video, but when she got out her phone, she discovered that its battery was dead. Adrienne promised to send Lucas the video later.
Lucas expressed his and the family's appreciation for how great Adrienne had been about the baby. Laughing, Adrienne asked if Lucas would say that to Sonny, who seemed to be finding fault with everything she did. Lucas chuckled but declined. Adrienne asked him to put himself in her shoes and imagine how he would feel if Sonny had fathered the baby and then invited the baby's mother to live with him and Will -- and Adrienne had killed a man.
"How excited would you be for your son to be with my son?" she asked. When Lucas' only reply was a sigh of resignation, Adrienne noted, "My point exactly."
