Sarah approached Eric's apartment and started to unlock the door, but it swung open just then.
Eric, who was carrying a suitcase, awkwardly greeted Sarah, who stared at the suitcase in disbelief. "I thought we agreed that you weren't gonna leave Salem!" she protested. "I can explain --" he began, but she interrupted, assuring him that there was no need to do so. "I get it -- you were just shining me on so you could make a quick escape and leave town without saying goodbye to me!" she guessed, hurt.
"I'm not leaving town; I just packed up a few of my winter things to store at my Dad's so you and Rex could have more closet space," Eric clarified, prompting Sarah to sheepishly apologize for having jumped to the wrong conclusion. "You [didn't] have to do that -- I mean, this is your place, so..." Sarah began to acknowledge. "You're both welcome to stay here until you find a place of your own," Eric stressed. "You want us to leave," Sarah assumed, disappointed. "I didn't say that... I just thought, being newlyweds and all, you'd want more privacy," Eric explained, shrugging.
At the Salem Inn, Kate shakily filled a glass with vodka from the minibar while thinking about Kristen's recent threats.
After realizing that the ice bucket was empty, Kate nervously headed off to the nearest ice machine, leaving the hotel room door slightly ajar. A short time later, Kate returned and found a woman standing in the hotel room, facing away from the door. Alarmed, Kate swung the ice bucket at the woman's head. The woman fell to the floor, unconscious. Relieved, Kate turned the woman over -- and gasped in shock.
"Sorry -- I actually thought you were someone that...Stefan...sent by, so..." Kate explained after managing to revive Sarah. "Isn't he still locked up?" Sarah asked, confused. "Well, obviously, you don't know the DiMeras the way I do, because if they want someone dead, they're not going to let a little thing like incarceration stop them," Kate replied, shuddering.
Kate quickly changed the subject, wanting to know the reason for Sarah's unexpected visit. "I was bringing you this," Sarah explained, directing Kate's attention to a brown bag that was sitting on the desk. "This is for the elderly and the sick," Kate grumbled after removing a six-pack of nutritional shakes from the bag. "It's for people who need nutrition," Sarah clarified, adding that Kate qualified for the time being.
"So...thoughtful...of you -- and not as personal as a wedding invitation, I'll give you that," Kate pointedly declared. "You clocked me over the head with an ice bucket...but, please, let's continue to talk about all the things that I've done wrong," Sarah dryly countered. "Well, I am so sorry that I was so edgy -- you know, it gets that way when people try to kill me," Kate defensively stressed.
Kate quickly changed the subject again, wondering how married life was treating Sarah. "Pretty much the same as it was before," Sarah vaguely replied, clearly not happy with Kate's new choice of topic. "Does that mean you're still living with Eric? Because that should really change -- as soon as possible," Kate insisted. "We've been too busy to look for another place," Sarah explained. "You need to make some time, because Eric and Rex -- they're brothers, [so] the whole thing is incestuous," Kate declared. "There is nothing incestuous about it, and I would thank you to keep your opinions to yourself," Sarah countered.
"Wow -- looks like I hit a nerve," Kate curiously observed. "You're just butting into my life, and I don't like it," Sarah defensively clarified. "You're married to my son. I am not passive about my children," Kate unapologetically stressed. "That's a nice way to put it..." Sarah sarcastically noted. Just then, Lani knocked on the hotel room door, interrupting Kate and Sarah's argument.
"We have a problem -- you and Mr. Laurent both said in your statements that Xander kidnapped you at Stefan DiMera's behest, [but if] you only have Xander's word that Stefan was behind your kidnapping, [then] that's hearsay, [and it's] inadmissible [in court]," Lani revealed when Kate opened the door. "Would it be considered hearsay if I heard Stefan talking to Xander outside the door?" Kate asked Lani without missing a beat.
"Because I did -- and I would swear to it," Kate stressed. "Then...why didn't you put that in your statement?" Lani skeptically wondered. "Gee, I don't know -- maybe it's because I had been thrown into a dungeon, and I thought I was going to die, [so] I wasn't exactly feeling like myself," Kate irritably replied. "[And I'm still not], so if you don't mind leaving..." Kate continued, speaking to Sarah as well as Lani.
"[So you can] line up your story with Ted Laurent?" Lani guessed before exiting the hotel room with Sarah.
Eric entered the Brady Pub with a suitcase while Roman and Marlena were in the midst of a conversation. Roman was quick to note that Eric would no longer need to clear space at home if Rex and Sarah finally moved to a different place, but Eric ignored the point and changed the subject, wanting to know what Roman and Marlena had been discussing earlier. "We were talking about the three of you," Marlena admitted to Eric, who wasn't surprised. "I really wish that you would stop worrying about me," Eric stressed. "Look, I have a world of faith in you, but the things that Nicole has said and done could put anybody over --" Marlena began before stopping.
"The edge," Eric knowingly concluded for Marlena, who nodded apologetically. "Listen, I know [that], because of my past, you have a lot of reasons to worry, [but] I'm keeping up with my meetings, [and] I'm taking care of myself," Eric assured Marlena and Roman. "This is his adorable way of telling us to step back," Marlena guessed, speaking to Roman. "That's right," Eric confirmed with a laugh before giving Marlena and Roman a hug.
After leaving the pub, Eric returned home and found Sarah sitting on the couch, nursing the head wound that Kate had caused earlier. Sarah started recapping everything that had happened, including the part about Kate's seemingly bogus amendment to the initial statement about the kidnapping, but stopped short of telling Eric what had been said about their living arrangement.
At the Horton Town Square, Brady curiously wondered how Gabi had ended up with Xander's briefcase. "I stole it," Gabi admitted before proceeding to tell Brady the whole story. "Wow -- you do have it bad for [Stefan, if you were willing] to break the law to help him out," Brady teasingly observed at the end of the tale, but Gabi defensively denied the accusation then stormed off, leaving the briefcase behind.
Gabi headed over to the police station to give Stefan an update. "I'm sorry... I -- I just feel like I let you down..." Gabi stressed at the end of the recap, but Stefan dismissed the concern. "You have no idea what it means to me that you're helping me out...[and] all is not lost, 'cause [earlier], Lani almost admitted that something's wrong with [Ted and Kate's] statements," Stefan assured Gabi, who was pleased to hear that.
Lani soon interrupted and announced that Stefan's bail had just been posted. "Now it's my turn to talk to Kate. I'm gonna find out why she's screwing me over, and she's gonna learn [that] you don't mess with a DiMera and get away with it," Stefan announced, causing Gabi to squirm a bit. After Stefan rushed off, Gabi impatiently ordered Lani to find out why Kate, Ted, and Xander were all lying about the kidnapping scheme.
At the park, Xander delighted in toying with Kristen, who was still disguised as Susan. "If I feel like it, I can make sure you're trapped [like that] for the rest of your life," Xander warned Kristen with a teasing chuckle while inspecting the various unflattering elements of the disguise. "You are making a terrible mistake [by] crossing me," Kristen insisted. "What are you gonna do -- shoot me?" Xander asked dismissively. "God, I would love to...but the choirboy Will took away my gun," Kristen replied, scowling. "So, now you're unarmed [as well as] dowdy and bucktoothed?" Xander teasingly summarized, chuckling again.
"People who laugh at me end up with very unhappy lives. And when one's last name is DiMera, it's not a problem [to get another] gun. So, my 'friend'...bottom line -- you give me that mask, or I will kill you," Kristen vowed through gritted teeth while glaring at Xander. "If you kill me, there's no way you're getting that mask back," he coolly countered, further annoying her.
"If you want that mask back now, you're gonna have to get on your knees," Xander told Kristen. "I'd rather die than service you," she insisted. "I don't want you to 'service' me; I want you to bend your knee to me. You sneered that I wasn't a man because I wouldn't kill at your command, [so] now I command you to kneel and ask me -- no, beg me -- for that mask," he clarified.
Kristen reluctantly complied, and Xander turned over the mask in response -- the novelty mask. "You little --" Kristen angrily began before stopping abruptly. "By George, I think she's got it!" Xander teasingly observed. "You have to be nice [to me], because there's no way you're taking over DiMera Enterprises with that face -- and, even more than that, you won't get Brady back, [because] Kristen DiMera will never get Brady into her bed, and Susan Banks has even less of a chance. Only Nicole has a chance at that consummation so devoutly wished. And that's what you want, isn't it -- him in your bed?" Xander continued.
"Yes," Kristen confirmed. "And that all depends on me...so, repeat after me -- 'you have power over me, [and] I was stupid to underestimate you,'" Xander ordered Kristen, who again complied with great reluctance. "You're so lucky I'm a romantic at heart. I could never stand in the way of true lust," Xander stressed afterward, seemingly satisfied. "[Then] you'll give me the mask?" Kristen asked hopefully. "Well, I don't have it on me...but I'll go get it and bring it back," Xander replied, having received a text message about the briefcase from Brady earlier. "Hurry!" Kristen demanded. "Please," Kristen grudgingly added when Xander balked.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Will and Sonny curiously admitted that it was a surprise to see Susan back so soon after the previous visit. "Well, it's just hard for me to stay away," Susan explained with a shrug, thinking of a different visit than the one that Will and Sonny had in mind. "I am just so happy that you didn't die!" Susan stressed, raising a hand to caress Will's face. "Yeah, you're not alone in that..." Sonny agreed, exchanging a look with Will, who was equally confused. "Susan, um, did you -- is this a new outfit?" Will asked. "I just bought it! Thank you so much for noticing!" Susan replied with a giggle of delight.
Susan barged into the mansion without waiting for an invitation. Will and Sonny shared another look of confusion then hesitantly followed Susan into the living room. "Do you think she got even battier in the two minutes she was gone?" Sonny quietly asked Will while watching Susan, who had spotted a duck figurine and was squawking at it. "Yes," Will replied before giving Sonny a shrug, unable to explain Susan's behavior.
"Or...maybe she's not as crazy as we think, and maybe she came back, thinking we weren't gonna be here, so she could get her hands on the gun," Sonny quietly suggested to Will, who quickly decided that there was only one way to find out if that was indeed the case. "Susan, uh, were you able to find that gun permit?" Will asked. "'Find' it? Do you think I would lose something that important?" Susan replied with a dismissive scoff before starting to rummage through a purse in search of the permit. "Is that a new purse?" Sonny wondered. "I just got it!" Susan confirmed with another giggle of delight.
Susan soon found the permit and showed it to Will and Sonny, who both agreed, with obvious surprise, that it certainly looked real, at least. Sonny gave Will a shrug then walked over to the wall safe, unlocked it, removed the gun, and handed it to Susan, who squealed in shock. "Oh, you boys -- this is just like Christmas in July!" Susan excitedly declared before thanking Will and Sonny with a hug.
Susan soon began pointing the gun at various figurines to test its aim, prompting Sonny to stress, with obvious relief, that it wasn't loaded. "We are not comfortable with loaded guns, uh, in this house when Ari lives here," Will explained. "Well, I -- I would never want to make anyone uncomfortable!" Susan insisted. "And there's the segue..." Sonny began before carefully trying to help Susan understand that what had happened earlier had made Brady feel a bit uncomfortable. "John Black's son? How could I make him uncomfortable?" Susan asked, confused. "By throwing yourself at him," Will clarified.
"That's just slander! Or is it libel? Well, that doesn't matter; it's just not true!" Susan defensively argued. "I'm afraid it is," Brady, who had just entered the mansion, countered. "That is just crazy talk!" Susan insisted. "I would not betray Roger!" Susan continued. "You...said you...had an open relationship...?" Brady recalled, confused. "An open relationship? [That's] an oxen-moron!" Susan declared with a scoff of outrage. "I think you mean oxy-moron," Will helpfully interjected. "I know what it is -- it's when two things don't belong together! And everyone knows that an oxen is very smart!" Susan dismissively maintained.
"A relationship is about commitment, not openness," Susan stressed with obvious disapproval. "You seemed, you know, to be very willing to be...open...uh, upstairs, a little while ago, when you said I reminded you of Elvis," Brady argued, confusing Susan. "Do you know what 'delusional' means?" Susan asked. "Yes...?" Brady replied. "The King...was a man. You're...you," Susan dismissively summarized before bluntly announcing that it was time for an emergency trip to the bathroom. "Don't get lost again," Will dryly advised. "Well, I won't do that, 'cause I know this place like the back of my own hands!" Susan defensively insisted.
"That woman [must have] severe memory loss, because she was tugging at my towel twenty minutes ago," Brady curiously declared once the coast was clear. "I think I know what's going on," Will announced. "She's bats?" Sonny guessed. "She's in denial. She was so embarrassed earlier, when [Brady] shot her down, that her subconscious is telling her that never happened," Will clarified. "Well, did her subconscious also change her outfit?" Sonny asked, still confused. Before Will could respond, Sonny changed the subject, having just noticed that Brady was carrying Xander's briefcase.
Brady told Will and Sonny the whole story. "I sure love hearing about how the mother of my child is covering up for a guy who kidnapped my grandmother," Will sarcastically declared afterward, groaning. "What a surprise -- Gabi doing something stupid over a man," Sonny mused with a shake of the head. "Why are you [planning to give the briefcase] back to Xander?" Sonny wondered. "Can't you give it to Hope? Or Lani?" Will suggested. "I'm hoping that whatever's in here will finally give me the leverage to get rid of Xander -- once and for all," Brady explained.
Just then, Susan returned and started saying goodbye to the men. "I'm off," Susan announced. "That's an understatement..." Brady dryly mused. "Where to?" Will wondered. "Well, now that I know that you are all right, I'm gonna go see Dr. Marlena Evans," Susan clarified. "[Marlena's] gonna have her work cut out for her..." Brady muttered, earning a light elbow blow to the ribs from Sonny.
Oblivious, Susan seized a hug from Will -- then refused to let go. "You need to keep an eye on Brady -- you know, that, um, Elvis, you know, delusion -- [because] I think it, um, could be a symptom of a deeper problem," Susan whispered in Will's left ear as Sonny watched protectively, making sure that Susan's hands stayed far above Will's waist. "I'm on it," Will promised after Susan finally pulled away. "Of course, he might just be trying to impress me -- I think he has an ush-cray on me," Susan mused before rushing off. "Well, you can't say she's...predictable...can you?" Brady noted once the coast was clear.
"So, anyway...Xander is on his way over here to get the briefcase?" Will summarized. "Yeah," Brady confirmed. "Suddenly, I want to get the hell out of here," Will announced, giving Sonny a pointed look. "Let me join you," Sonny offered, getting the hint. "I wish the guy who saved my life wasn't a disgusting creep..." Will mused while exiting the mansion with Sonny. "Yeah -- it's, uh...awkward," Sonny agreed.
A short time later, Xander entered the mansion and started to take the briefcase from Brady. "Hold on -- if you want this back, Xander, you're going to have to open it up [and] show me what's inside," Brady demanded.
Will and Sonny ran into Marlena in the town square. "You have the 'I just talked to Susan Banks' look on your face," Will observed before apologizing for having failed to warn Marlena of the possibility of an encounter with Susan. "There is no way to prepare yourself for running into Susan," Marlena acknowledged, dismissing Will's concern. "She threw herself at Brady [earlier]," Will told Marlena, who had already heard Susan's side of the story.
Kristen was waiting for Xander in the park when Susan approached from behind to ask for directions. Kristen, still in disguise, turned around and stared in shock at Susan, who recoiled with a gasp of confusion and fear.
In Eric's living room, Eric held frozen corn to Sarah's neck as she talked about her run-in with Kate. Sarah told Eric that Kate had implied that Sarah, Eric, and Rex's living situation was incestuous. Sarah turned to face Eric, and they stared at one another wordlessly.
"Leave it to my mom to call it like she sees it," Rex said as he walked in. Feeling guilty, Sarah announced that she could explain what Rex had walked in on. "I just can't believe I didn't see it sooner," Rex said. Eric interrupted to note that Kate had not meant the term incestuous literally.
"All the signs were there, I just chose to ignore them," Rex said. Sarah proclaimed that there was nothing going on between her and Eric. "I know that. Why did you think you had to tell me that?" Rex asked with a confused grin. Sarah stammered that it had sounded like Rex had believed Kate's implication.
"That's an odd thing to jump to," Rex said with a chuckle. Eric asked Rex what he had meant by "all the signs were there." Rex explained that he had meant that it should have been obvious that Kate would play mind games with Sarah. "She can't help herself. She always gets in the middle of her kids' marriages," Rex noted. Sarah said she would try to not let Kate's jealousy bother her. Rex asked about the bag of frozen corn on the couch.
"It's for the bump on the back of my head where your mother whacked me with an ice bucket," Sarah explained. Rex was outraged. Sarah interjected that she had surprised Kate, and Kate had thought she was a henchman sent by Stefan. With a sigh, Rex said he would talk to Kate about respecting his wife and his marriage. Annoyed, Rex marched out.
"I hope Rex isn't too hard on Kate. She was just trying to protect her son," Sarah said. Sarah added that her mother had behaved worse than Kate. "Given Rex's history, you can't really blame her," Eric said. Sarah pointed out that she had strayed, too. When Eric noted that Sarah's fling with Xander had been a one-time thing, Sarah countered, "I meant with my heart. With you."
"It's all behind us," Eric whispered. Sarah admitted that a part of her and Eric continued to do things to be near one another. "If we keep going the way we are, aren't we just tempting fate?" Sarah asked. "As much as I love being near you, Kate isn't the only one who is concerned. My parents, they're worried too," Eric said. Sarah asked Eric if he was concerned. Eric admitted that he felt a twinge of jealousy when he saw Rex with Sarah.
"When I said yes to Rex's proposal, it was because I thought that you and Nicole were going to be together. If I would have known that we had a chance," Sarah said. Eric interrupted to note that the best way to ease the tension was for Sarah to be the best wife she could be for Rex.
As Kate opened the door to her hotel room to leave, she was startled to find Stefan glowering in the hallway. "I made bail, and we both know I didn't deserve to be locked up. I didn't kidnap you and Ted," Stefan announced. Kate asked Stefan to leave. As Kate started to close the door in Stefan's face, he braced it open with his hand.
"I'm not going anywhere until you admit that you're lying," Stefan said. Kate refused to keep silent about Stefan's "crimes." "You are the criminal here. You and Ted made this whole thing up," Stefan protested. Kate took out her phone to call the police, and Stefan grabbed it and threw it aside. Stefan told Kate that he knew she had schemed with Nicole to frame him and that he would prove it.
"Does Nicole have something on you?" Stefan inquired. Kate dismissed the idea as laughable. Stefan asked Kate if Nicole had offered Kate a deal. "Whatever she offered you, I'll beat it. All you gotta to do is tell the cops I'm innocent, and she is behind the whole thing," Stefan said. Kate said it was too late for a deal.
"All you need to do is explain why you're doing this," Stefan said. "I had no choice," Kate responded. Stefan asked why Kate had followed Nicole's plan. Kate again asked Stefan to leave. Stefan promised he could protect Kate from Nicole. "I don't need your help," Kate said. "But I need yours," Stefan countered.
"You know I hate you, but I'm not afraid to admit that. You have me right where you want me. Name your price," Stefan said. "It's not about the money, you idiot," Kate said. Stefan pointed out that it was obvious that Kate was scared. Stefan offered to join forces with Kate and destroy Nicole if Kate told him the truth.
"Why would I ever trust you? You just told me that you hated me," Kate countered. "I hate prison even more," Stefan said. Rex walked in and asked what was going on. "Your mother was just about to tell me why she tried to frame me for kidnapping," Stefan said. Kate glanced at Rex and thought about Kristen's threat to kill Rex if Kate did not frame Stefan.
Kate yelled that Stefan was harassing her. Stefan took a step toward Kate and begged her to reconsider, but Rex put a hand on Stefan's chest and gently pushed him away.
"This isn't over," Stefan said as he walked out. Rex slammed the door. Kate said Stefan had attempted to intimidate her into rescinding her statement. "That's a crime. I'm calling the cops," Rex announced as he pulled his phone from his pocket.
In the town square, Ted left a voicemail for Kate about her message. Ted asked Kate to call him and update him on the revisions to their story for the police. As Ted ended his call, he turned and found Lani was behind him. Lani noted that she had left several messages for Ted to call her. Ted said he had been busy. Lani motioned to a nearby table, and she and Ted sat down. Lani asked Ted if he had any changes to his statement.
"Very unlikely. I'm a lawyer. I play close attention to details," Ted said. Lani explained that she needed more than hearsay to convict Stefan of kidnapping. Ted shrugged. Lani told Ted that Kate had revised her statement, and Lani needed Ted to corroborate the changes. Ted reiterated that he had told Lani everything. When Lani noted that Kate had added a significant detail, Ted asked if he could review his statement down at the station. Lani pulled out a copy and handed it to Ted.
Ted reviewed the statement and told Lani that it appeared to be complete. Lani asked Ted to confirm that he had only dealt with Xander in the tunnel. Concerned, Ted asked Lani what she was asking. Lani's phone rang. "Salem Inn room 2119? I'll be right there," Lani said aloud. Ted noted that 2119 was Kate's room.
"Apparently, Stefan DiMera paid her a visit," Lani announced. Ted asked Lani if Kate was okay. Lani confirmed that Rex had intervened and that Stefan had verbally harassed Kate. Ted demanded to go with Lani, but she countered that it was a police matter. Lani told Ted to stay away, and she left. "The hell I will," Ted muttered as he followed Lani.
When Lani arrived at the Salem Inn, she took Rex's statement about Stefan's confrontation with Kate. Kate asked Lani if she should obtain a restraining order. With a shake of her head, Lani said that the court would place Stefan on notice and that a restraining order was not necessary.
After Lani left, Kate thanked Rex for helping her with Stefan. Kate asked Rex the reason for his timely visit. Reluctantly, Rex told Kate that he was there because Kate had upset his wife. When Kate rolled her eyes, Rex said he would spare Kate a lecture, since she had suffered enough that afternoon with Stefan. When Rex joked about the nearby ice bucket, Kate apologized for hitting Sarah on the head.
"I really thought that she was someone that Stefan had sent over, and then Stefan did show up, so it kind of proves my point," Kate said defensively. Rex said it was okay. Kate apologized for her "incestuous" comment, but she added that she wanted to know why the comment had stricken a nerve with Sarah. Rex asked Kate to get along with his wife. Kate promised to try, but she noted that Maggie needed to do the same with Rex.
After Rex left, Ted knocked on Kate's door. Ted asked about Kate's confrontation with Stefan. Kate said she was fine and that Stefan had asked her about why Kate and Ted had lied.
"I was tempted to tell him the truth," Kate admitted. When Ted asked Kate why she had not told Stefan about Kristen, Kate explained that she did not think Stefan could beat Kristen.
Kate changed the subject to Lani. Ted admitted that Lani had questioned him in the square but that he had been able to stall until the station had called Lani about Kate's fight with Stefan. Worried, Ted asked Kate what new information she had given to Lani.
"I told her that Xander and Stefan were talking right outside the room where we were being held captive. So, it no longer is hearsay that Stefan is behind the abduction," Kate said. Ted asked Kate why she had not told him that in her message. Kate said she had worried about privacy. Kate promised that Kristen would no longer be a problem once Stefan was in prison.
In the park, Lani spotted Stefan walking by, and she asked him why he had done something as foolish as confront Kate in her hotel room. "A judge could have your bail revoked for trying to threaten a witness," Lani explained. Stefan countered that the judge should prosecute Kate for perjury. Lani warned Stefan to stay away from any witnesses in the case, or she would throw Stefan back in jail.
In the Kiriakis mansion, Brady offered to return Xander's briefcase on the condition that he showed Brady the contents. "I don't have to show you anything. I don't have anything to hide in my briefcase or anywhere else," Xander said. With a nod, Brady countered that Xander should not have any objection to opening the briefcase in front of him. Xander sighed.
"Why should you believe a word Gabi says? She works for and is sleeping with our main rival," Xander said. Brady countered that Gabi would not have taken the briefcase if she had not been sure that it contained evidence that would exonerate Stefan. When Xander asked why Gabi had not opened it, Brady explained that Rafe had informed Gabi that any evidence taken from the briefcase would be inadmissible in court.
"For such a terrible cop, Rafe offered remarkably good advice," Xander said as he reached for the briefcase. Brady slapped his hand onto the case. Brady noted that Stefan was their biggest rival and that if Xander had evidence against Stefan, Brady needed to see it.
"It's time for you to show me you're a true Kiriakis," Brady said. With a deep sigh, Xander opened the briefcase so that the lid faced Brady. Underneath some folders was the "Nicole" mask. Xander pulled out one of the files and handed it to Brady.
"Intel on businesses DiMera's considering acquiring," Xander explained. Xander said he had acted proactively in his new job. Suspicious, Brady asked Xander why he had not mentioned the intel when Brady had threatened to fire him. Xander explained that he had not finished vetting the information. With a grunt, Brady noted that Xander was too secretive.
"I can't have you running around making deals with Stefan DiMera that involve kidnapping," Brady said. "This is the thanks I get for getting Kate out of your hair?" Xander asked. Brady said he could handle Kate on his own.
"You work for me. I can't have you out there going rogue any time you want to," Brady stressed. Brady asked what else was in the briefcase. As Xander stalled, Brady reminded Xander that he had said he had nothing to hide. Maggie interrupted to tell Brady that she needed to go to a meeting. Xander took Maggie's hand in his.
"You hang in there, Maggie. You're a strong woman. You can beat this. I'm behind you all the way," Xander said with a smile. "Sure you are," Maggie said quietly. Xander asked what was wrong. Maggie said she had been willing to give Xander a second chance to become a better person, and he had instead decided to kidnap two people. Maggie said she did not trust Xander. Brady promised Maggie that he was watching Xander.
After Brady and Maggie left, Xander opened the briefcase and looked at the mask. "Brady might be watching me, but he didn't get a look at you, did he?" Xander said to the mask. "Let's have some fun," Xander added.
In the park, Susan tapped a woman on the shoulder to ask her a question. The woman was Kristen dressed as Susan. Susan gasped. "You're me! That's impossible," Susan said. Kristen glared at Susan but remained silent. Susan poked Kristen's cheek. "You are real!" Susan yelped.
"Calm down. I can explain," Kristen said in her best "Susan" voice. When Susan continued to get worked up, Kristen slapped her. Still speaking in a fake Susan voice, Kristen apologized and warned Susan not to carry on. Recognition crossed Susan's face.
"I know exactly who you are. You are the mean, mean Kristen DiMera," Susan said. Susan reminded Kristen that she had locked her in a freezer and attempted to murder Marlena the last time Kristen had impersonated Susan. "You're here to finish the job!" Susan exclaimed. Kristen promised that she was not out to hurt Marlena.
"Darn right you're not!" Susan cried out as she pulled a gun from her purse and pointed it at Kristen. Kristen asked Susan to lower the weapon. "I just want you to go to jail so that you don't hurt anybody," Susan said. Susan called out for the police.
"I'm not Kristen," Kristen protested. As Susan raised a questioning eyebrow, Kristen lied and said she was her sister, Sister Mary Moira. When Susan asked Kristen why she was not dressed in her nun's habit, "Mary Moira" explained that he had fallen in love with a gardener, Hank, at the convent.
"It reminds me of Roger!" Susan said excitedly. "Mary Moira" said she had been sure that Susan would understand how she felt about Hank. With a nod, Susan asked "Mary Moira" why she was in Salem. "Mary Moira" said she had wanted to share her happiness with her sister before she left on a cruise around the world with Hank. "Mary Moira" asked Susan not to tell anyone she was in Salem in case the nuns from the convent tracked her down.
"I won't say a word," Susan promised. Susan asked "Mary Moira" to visit her and Roger in Memphis after her cruise. With a squeal, "Mary Moira" agreed. "I really am glad that you're my sister," "Mary Moira" said. Susan apologized for pointing a gun at her sister. With a giggle, Susan hugged "Mary Moira" and wished her well on her trip.
After Susan left, Kristen wondered aloud why Xander was not there with her mask. When Xander arrived, an impatient Kristen warned Xander that he would suffer if he did not return her mask. "I hold the power now. Which means I'm not scared of you, but I've had my fun. Your days of masquerading as Susan Banks are over," Xander said as he placed the briefcase on a ledge. Kristen complained about her run-in with the real Susan Banks.
"Give me the mask back. If I'm not disguised as Nicole, I can't get near Brady," Kristen grumbled. Xander noted that Brady had almost discovered the mask. Xander pulled the mask out of the briefcase and held it aloft to tease Kristen. When Kristen sighed, Xander noted, "Messing with me can be deadly." Kristen growled that she was done working with Xander.
"Now that my little brother is out of the picture, no one will stop me or Nicole from taking over DiMera Enterprises," Kristen said. When Xander mentioned Gabi, Kristen noted she would crush Gabi. Xander reminded Kristen that he knew her true identity and would expose her if she did anything to him. With narrowed eyes, Kristen grabbed the mask from Xander's hand and stomped off. Xander smiled.
After their A.A. meeting, Brady and Maggie walked through the square. Maggie asked if Brady and Xander had been arguing before she had entered the living room at the mansion. Hesitantly, Brady explained that he had returned Xander's briefcase to him and that Xander had acted suspiciously.
"Xander had me convinced that he had turned over a new leaf, but I'm having my doubts about that," Maggie said. Brady promised that he would destroy Xander if Xander did anything to hurt the family. Susan spotted Maggie and Brady in the square, and she rushed over to say hello.
Susan said she needed to head back to Roger. When Susan mentioned that strange things happened in Salem, Brady asked her what she meant. Susan asked Brady if he remembered the movie Sister Act. When Brady shrugged, Susan reconsidered and said, "Never mind." Susan whispered to Brady that she hoped he would get over his crush on her and find love with someone else. After Susan left, Maggie raised a questioning eyebrow.
When Rex returned to Eric's apartment, he told Sarah and Eric about what had happened at Kate's hotel room. Rex mentioned that he had spoken to Kate about the "incestuous" comment, and Sarah interrupted to noted that Kate "had a point." Sarah suggested that she and Rex move out of Eric's apartment.
"I thought you loved living here," Rex said. Eric noted that Sarah wanted an upgrade from a bachelor's apartment. "Your brother is being polite. He is using humor to avoid the truth. We're imposing. Eric needs his space, and we need ours," Sarah said. Sarah added that they would still spend time with Eric. Rex hugged Sarah and commented that she was a natural beauty. "That she is," Eric said as he looked into Sarah's eyes.
At Eric's apartment, Rex began carrying boxes of belongings from a bedroom to the living room.
"I know that you two decided that you were gonna move out and all, but I didn't think it was gonna be so soon," Eric, who was making breakfast in the kitchen, admitted. "Sarah wanted to move out [first thing] this morning. [And she says it's because] she wants some privacy...but we're moving into the Kiriakis mansion, which has a ton of people -- including her mom, who hates me," Rex explained, clearly confused.
"Maybe it's about Maggie. I mean, you know [Sarah's] been worried about her [mother lately], so maybe she wanted to be closer so they could spend more time together," Eric innocently suggested. "I think it has to do with you," Rex countered. "Why would Sarah want to move out because of me?" Eric asked nervously. "Well, she just thinks we're being insensitive -- you know, rubbing our newlywed bliss in your face when you're still heartbroken over Nicole," Rex replied, drawing a sigh of relief from Eric, who dismissed the concern.
Sarah entered the Kiriakis mansion with two suitcases while Xander was in the midst of a series of exercises in the living room. "Does this mean what I think it means?" Xander asked excitedly, stopping the exercise routine at once. "It means I'm moving back in," Sarah confirmed, putting a smile on Xander's face. "With my husband," Sarah continued, causing Xander's smile to fade in an instant.
"I'm no expert on marriage, but it doesn't seem like a great idea for newlyweds to move in with family -- especially when [the bride's] mom hates [the groom's] guts," Xander noted. "That's not true...anymore...and [it's] also none of your concern," Sarah snapped before changing the subject, eager to question Xander about Ted and Kate's kidnapping. "I have been trying to convince Rex that you're not that bad of a guy, and then I find out [about your part in] the most heartless and cruel thing I have ever heard in my entire --" Sarah began. "It was all her idea!" Xander defensively blurted out.
"Her?" Sarah curiously repeated. "Did I say 'her idea'? Slip of the tongue -- I meant to say 'his idea'; I was talking about Stefan, obviously. He came up with the whole plan," Xander innocently clarified. "But you went along with it," Sarah pointed out. "Actually, I was just pretending to go along with it. [See], I played the vicious mercenary, [but] all the while, I was secretly keeping Ted and Kate alive [and] leaving a trail for Hope to find them, and now that it's all over, I can [help] put Stefan away for good," Xander explained. "Oh -- so...you're the hero," Sarah summarized, clearly skeptical.
"All I want -- all I've ever wanted -- is the respect of my family...and, yeah, I think I deserve it, now [that] I've destroyed their main rival. And I regret if anyone had to suffer along the way, but my only motivation was to protect the Kiriakis legacy and prove myself to Victor and Brady," Xander coolly stressed. "[And] my mission was a huge success," Xander continued, grinning proudly. "The only thing that you were successful in [doing] is making yourself look bad in everyone's eyes -- including mine," Sarah declared, hurting Xander, who defensively claimed to simply be misunderstood.
"I swear, if Hope hadn't gotten to Ted and Kate, I was gonna save them [myself]!" Xander assured Sarah. "You have to believe me -- I really am a good person! I feel terrible that I've disappointed you! Please, Sarah -- there must be some way I can get back into your good graces...?" Xander continued. "Move out," Sarah demanded, surprising Xander, who apologetically insisted that wasn't going to happen anytime soon.
Just then, Rex and Eric entered the mansion, both carrying boxes. Xander started to rush off, but Rex blocked the exit. "I cannot believe that you got immunity [for my mom's kidnapping]. Just looking at you makes me sick," Rex spat. "Yeah, well, seeing as we all feel that way, I asked Xander to move out, but he declined," Sarah revealed. "You may be living in this house, but as of today, so [am] I, so I'll be watching you," Rex warned. "As opposed to watching [for] women you can cheat on Sarah with?" Xander countered.
Rex lunged toward Xander in anger, but Eric intervened before things could get physical. "Don't say I didn't warn you," Xander told Sarah before shoving past Rex and heading upstairs.
Still furious, Rex went to get some air, giving Sarah and Eric a private moment to say goodbye to each other -- and their old living arrangement. Rex returned just in time to see Sarah and Eric share a curiously long hug.
At the loft apartment, Haley awoke with a series of long, piercing screams. Tripp, who had been preparing breakfast in the kitchen, rushed into Haley and J.J.'s bedroom -- which had once been Claire's bedroom -- to find out what was wrong. "Where's J.J.?" Haley asked breathlessly. "He left for work. He didn't want to wake you," Tripp replied. "I had a nightmare about Claire... It was so real... [She] was standing [by the bed, and] she had a lighter in her hand... She [had broken] out of Bayview to find me because I ruined her life... I thought she was gonna kill us," Haley explained. "Us?" Tripp curiously repeated. "You were in [the nightmare], too," Haley clarified.
After calming down a bit, Haley joined Tripp in the kitchen -- and screamed again. "Claire's back!" Haley fretted, directing Tripp's attention to a corner of the kitchen. "She had a knife, and she stabbed you --" Haley continued before realizing that Tripp was fine. "You might have PTSD," Tripp gently informed Haley, who found that hard to believe. "The fire [at the Horton cabin] was weeks ago -- [and] you went through the same thing, [and] you're fine," Haley pointed out. "Everyone deals with trauma differently, all right? It's all about the chemicals in your brain," Tripp explained. "Look, PTSD is very, very common, and it's very treatable," Tripp assured Haley.
"But before we jump to any conclusions, we should probably take you to the hospital and get you a real diagnosis --" Tripp began to suggest. "J.J.'s working there today, and he can't know about this, [because] he's already done too much for me, and I don't want him to worry," Haley insisted. "Okay, [but you still] need to talk to someone, [so]...Kayla -- maybe she can write you a prescription for a mild sedative --" Tripp continued. "After my suicide attempt? Do you know how many red flags that'll raise? [I mean], I could lose my job [or] jeopardize my chance at getting a green card! [No], I'll find a way to handle this on my own," Haley assured Tripp with finality.
"I don't mean to push, but...going through PTSD on your own --" Tripp began to warn. "I can handle it," Haley maintained. "What about Dr. Evans? [Or] I'll find you a doctor out of town -- I'll drive you to Chicago or --" Tripp continued. "Are you listening? How many times do I have to tell you? No doctors! Okay? Now, will you just...please back off!" Haley tiredly snapped. "Yeah, sorry -- I'll stop," Tripp reluctantly agreed.
"But...look, Haley, you are exhausted, [so]...at least try to get some sleep -- I think it'll help," Tripp advised. "I don't know if I can -- especially in Claire's bedroom," Haley fretted. "You can sleep in my room," Tripp offered.
Jennifer went to the hospital to see Henry, who didn't exactly offer the warmest of greetings -- and bluntly declared, when asked, that he wasn't interested in having dinner with her.
Shortly after Henry walked away, Jennifer spotted J.J., who was in the middle of a work shift. "How's the new digs?" Jennifer asked after greeting J.J. with a hug. "It's a little weird -- being in the loft, in Claire's old room," J.J. replied before changing the subject, eager to know how Jack had reacted to Jennifer's recent editorial. "He revoked my press pass," Jennifer began before telling J.J. the rest of the story.
J.J. was disappointed to learn that Jack apparently had no interest in ever taking Rolf's memory-jogging serum. "Forget Dad [and] move on. [He] does not deserve you," J.J. advised Jennifer.
Shortly after J.J. left, Henry returned, en route to another location. "I understand if you never want to speak to me again, but can I just have five minutes?" Jennifer hopefully requested. "Guess that's not asking too much," Henry decided after a moment of thought. "I really just want to apologize for how I treated you in the past...and [explain] why I asked you out to dinner [again] out of the blue," Jennifer began. "It was unexpected... I honestly didn't think I'd ever hear from you again," Henry admitted. "Please don't take my silence as indifference. [I mean], I liked you -- [and] I still do like you," Jennifer stressed.
"Henry, Jack was the love of my life, and I really thought that I had lost him forever, so when he walked into that [New Year's Eve party], I literally felt like the world stopped spinning...and I know that probably was so awkward for you, and so confusing, but Jack and I built a life together -- we have children, and we have grandchildren -- and I was just wanting to see if there was another chance for us... [And] I tried -- for months -- but Jack made it very clear that he is not interested in me -- or the life that he had with me -- [because] he is happily married, [so I've decided] I need to accept that and move on," Jennifer explained.
"With me?" Henry asked with a scoff. "Well, I'm not saying to jump into a relationship, but...hey, if you're not seeing anyone..." Jennifer replied. "I'm not," Henry confirmed.
"[Then] maybe it would be fun to go out and...you know, see how it goes," Jennifer suggested with a shrug. "But I totally understand if you're not interested --" Jennifer continued. "I'm interested -- you know I am -- [but] the question is...are you?" Henry replied. "I just said --" Jennifer began. "But is that because you really want to be with me...or am I just a consolation prize?" Henry asked. "You are definitely not a consolation prize," Jennifer insisted. "But I can understand why you feel that way," Jennifer admitted with a sigh of regret. "When I made a decision to move on, you were the only person that I wanted to see," Jennifer stressed.
"Why?" Henry wondered. "Because you're really kind, and you're smart, and you're very handsome, and I just think it would be nice to spend some time together," Jennifer explained. "It's true -- I am handsome..." Henry jokingly agreed, drawing a laugh from Jennifer. "But we only go out on holidays -- Valentine's Day, New Year's Eve -- [so]...what's July 24th?" Henry continued. "You know, I had a feeling that you were gonna say that, so before I called you, I looked it up, and today is National Tequila Day, Tell an Old Joke Day, Five Random Meetings Day...and it's my friend Mary Jo's birthday," Jennifer revealed.
Henry chuckled and agreed to have dinner with Jennifer, conceding that each of those holidays desperately needed to be celebrated.
Shortly after Jennifer rushed off to make the necessary arrangements, Tripp approached and asked for a moment of Henry's time. "I'm just dealing with some anxiety [and] having trouble sleeping, and I was just wondering if you could give me a prescription to help me get through this rough patch -- like...a mild sedative or something," Tripp explained.
Meanwhile, at the loft apartment, Claire appeared again and stopped Haley from entering Tripp's bedroom. "If you think for a split second that I'm gonna let you sleep in my boyfriend's bed, you are crazier than I am!" Claire declared. "They're gonna lock you up in Bayview, Haley -- right next to me...and then I'm gonna finish you off," Claire continued.
Horrified, Haley started to flee from the apartment -- just as J.J. arrived. "What's wrong?" he asked worriedly.
At the Salem Inn, Jack breathed a sigh of relief as Eve entered their hotel room. "You were gone all night," he curiously pointed out. "I was at the office," she explained. "I needed some time alone to think...[and now] I want to talk about the decision that I [have] made about us," she continued, worrying him. "I have decided that I am gonna let go of my insecurities [and] support you," she concluded.
Jack was relieved to hear that -- but couldn't help noting that it seemed out of character for Eve to just give up a fight so easily. "I've had to survive probably the greatest pain any person should ever have to endure -- losing a child -- and all I have left are my beautiful memories of my daughter, and they mean the world to me... If I lost them, I would do everything I possibly could to get them back, and now you have that opportunity [to] get your memories back of your children, and to reconnect with them and build new memories, [and] I want to support you on that, [so] I just want you to do whatever you need to do now," she explained with a shrug.
Delighted, Jack excitedly showed Eve a package that had arrived earlier -- a package that contained Rolf's memory-jogging serum as well as the antidote for the brain tumor that could develop after taking the serum.
"If somebody finds out that you're dealing in black-market drugs --" Eve began to warn Jack. "I've taken every precaution. The lab that manufactured the serum is private, and it was addressed to a third party, [so] everything in this box is completely untraceable. [The lab] is known for its work [as well as] its discretion," he assured her before nervously preparing to inject the serum into one of his arms. "If you're gonna do this, we need to get a real doctor over here --" she began to protest. "No, no, no -- no one from the hospital can be involved in this in any way, so...I will have to do it myself," he explained.
Eve snatched the syringe from Jack and insisted on helping out -- an offer that left him pleasantly surprised.
"So...you feel anything [yet]? I mean, I'm sure it's [probably gonna take some time] for it to properly kick in..." Eve began afterward. "Right...[and] I can't sit around here [in the meantime, so] I am gonna go to the office [and] do some work [to] take my mind off...my mind," Jack decided. "I'll go with you," Eve offered. "You've been up all night, [so] I think you should just stay here and relax," Jack insisted before rushing off.
While passing through Horton Town Square a short time later, Jack spotted Jennifer, who tried to ignore him. "Please -- uh, there's something I need to tell you, and it's really important," he stressed, stopping her.
Meanwhile, Eve received a visit from Xander. "Just came to see if everything went as planned," he began. "I did my part and switched the vials, so...tell me -- did your husband take the fake serum?" he continued, smirking.
At the DiMera mansion, Stefan and Gabi tried to figure out the point of the kidnapping scheme -- and ultimately decided that it was Nicole's way of trying to take over DiMera Enterprises.
Stefan retrieved a cell phone and dialed Shin's number, wanting to warn the board that Nicole was up to no good and needed to be officially removed from DiMera Enterprises before it was too late. "What happened?" Gabi asked after Stefan ended the call. "I've been suspended as CEO of DiMera Enterprises," Stefan revealed, stunned. "[Until the kidnapping charges go away], I have absolutely no power, so I cannot fire Nicole," Stefan elaborated. "[Then] we need to find a way to expose her," Gabi insisted. "Well, we better think of something fast...because, from the sound of it, Shin and the board are already looking for my replacement," Stefan fretted.
Kristen -- relieved to finally be able to pose as Nicole once again -- went to the Kiriakis mansion to see Brady, who was quick to ask about the mask.
Kristen squirmed and feigned ignorance then relaxed after realizing that Brady was referring to the novelty mask that had recently been used to scare Gabi away from the Salem Inn. "Nicole" claimed to have been crying about the loss of Basic Black at that time -- and added that the mask had simply been donned as a prideful way of hiding the telltale signs of the breakdown from Gabi, who had been partly responsible for it. "Nicole" also implied, when asked, that the mask had been a kinky gift from Xander -- a huge wrestling fan who got off on making women wear such things during sexual encounters. "Too much information," Brady insisted, cringing.
"Nicole" suggestively offered to do something to thank Brady for having managed to force Xander to grant a divorce months earlier. When Brady again refused to betray Eric, "Nicole" claimed to have had something else in mind all along -- a takeover of DiMera Enterprises. "The DiMera corporate charter dictates that the CEO has to be family, [and] you are not a DiMera," Brady pointed out, prompting "Nicole" to insist that wasn't a problem.
At the Horton Town Square, Jennifer tiredly guessed that the important thing Jack wanted to tell her was that he believed she was a self-righteous blowhard -- something he had already made quite clear on more than one occasion in the past. "Before you say anything, there's something that I have to tell you first," she insisted before revealing that she had decided to move on with life and forget about trying to change him.
"So...what is it you wanted to tell me?" Jennifer asked Jack afterward. "I've decided..." he began. "To restore your press credentials," he spontaneously claimed after she impatiently reminded him that she needed to start preparing soon for a dinner date. "That...is almost...decent...of you..." she curiously admitted as he produced her press badge and handed it over. "I'm not the monster you make me out to be. I do care about you and our children, [and while] I may not know or remember you or [them] --" he tried to stress. "You have had every opportunity to remember," she pointed out before walking away.
At the loft apartment, Haley assured a concerned J.J. that nothing was wrong -- and that she had simply been en route to the lobby of their complex to buy a newspaper. "Barefoot, in your jammies?" he asked skeptically. "You read the news on your tablet every morning," he pointed out. "You look like you've seen a ghost," he observed. "Ghosts? What? No -- no ghosts... Um...I must look like one, though; I didn't -- I didn't really sleep that well last night," she evasively replied. "I think you look as beautiful as ever," he insisted. "But you were tossing and turning, [so]...you sure everything is okay?" he continued. "New place, new sounds," she claimed.
J.J. encouraged Haley to go back to bed and try again to get some rest. "No, no -- I can't!" Haley fearfully insisted, believing that Claire was guarding the entrance to the bedroom. "[I mean]...how can I sleep [when] you haven't even eaten [yet]? What kind of girlfriend would I be if I [couldn't] make my man an amazing breakfast?" Haley calmly clarified after J.J. again expressed concern. "What about some fabulous, fancy, totally gourmet...cereal and milk?" Haley offered. "Just like I like it," J.J. stressed, amused. "But I like you a little better," J.J. added before leaning in for a kiss -- just as someone knocked on the apartment door.
Haley dodged J.J.'s kiss and rushed to the door with a sigh of relief, not wanting to go back to bed for any reason. "Oh -- hi, um..." Jack began when Haley opened the door. "Her name is Haley," J.J. irritably reminded Jack. "Right!" Jack agreed. "Haley -- hi, it's, um...it's nice to see you," Jack awkwardly concluded. "How did you know I was here?" J.J. asked impatiently. "Your mother told me what happened," Jack explained. "That a racist Jack Deveraux supporter threw us out of my apartment?" J.J. helpfully summarized. "Thank you [for that]. Is there anything else?" J.J. continued.
"Yes, actually -- I would like to talk to you alone..." Jack began. "Whatever you have to say to me, you can say it in front of my girlfriend," J.J. insisted. "Right... Uh, well, this is it -- um, I wanted you to know that I had the serum made up, and I took the first dose," Jack continued. "You're lying!" J.J. incredulously snapped. "I'm not lying. I took my first dose of the serum this morning," Jack maintained. "Mom told me you decided not to take it," J.J. revealed, still skeptical. "I changed my mind," Jack explained, shrugging. "I want to remember my family -- [and I was hoping that] maybe seeing you would trigger something..." Jack elaborated.
"Isn't it risky for you to take that stuff?" J.J. asked. "I [have] the antidote, so I'm ready at the first sign of trouble," Jack replied. "That's no guarantee," J.J. pointed out. "Doesn't matter. Remembering my life, my family -- that's worth the risk," Jack insisted. "What about your new family?" J.J. wondered. "Eve has been incredibly supportive," Jack stressed, but J.J. found that hard to believe, knowing Eve.
J.J. wanted to know how Jack felt about the idea of remembering being in love with Jennifer, but Jack dodged the question, revealing that Jennifer had decided to move on with someone else. "She was very excited -- not just about the date but [also] about the prospect of moving on from any hope about the two of us -- [and] I didn't want to confuse her [or] give her any sort of false hope," Jack explained.
"[So], could we just keep this between us?" Jack asked. "We've got some things to do this morning, so [if] there's nothing else..." J.J. replied, refusing to promise anything.
Jack took the hint and reluctantly started to exit the apartment. "Hey, Dad...good luck," J.J. called out right before Jack disappeared from view. Jack smiled and nodded in response then continued walking away.
"You okay?" Haley asked once the coast was clear. "Yeah... I think that was my dad actually trying to do something right [for a change]," J.J. replied, fighting back tears.
At the hospital, Tripp ran into Kayla while en route to the pharmacy. "What are you doing here?" Kayla wondered after giving Tripp a hug. "Just waiting for a prescription that Dr. Shah called in for me," Tripp explained. "Are you sick?" Kayla asked. "No, I'm good -- uh, it's just...ever since the fire at the [Horton] cabin, I've been kind of stressed [and] not sleeping very well, so I just asked Dr. Shah for a mild sedative," Tripp clarified. "Why wouldn't you ask me?" Kayla wondered. "I didn't want to worry you," Tripp claimed. "But I'm your stepmom, and worrying is part of my job -- a job that I love, by the way," Kayla stressed.
"You want to maybe just tell me what's going on with you?" Kayla continued. "Um... Well, like I said, I...I haven't been sleeping that well; I've been having dreams about the fire [and] Claire -- crazy dreams -- and I was afraid to fall asleep... [And then] there's my guilt -- [knowing] I'm part of the reason Claire spun out of control," Tripp elaborated. "Tripp, you cannot take that on yourself; [I mean], there were so many contributing factors to Claire's mental illness," Kayla insisted. "Have you heard how she's doing at Bayview?" Tripp asked. "She seems to be settling in, [and] she's determined to get better," Kayla replied.
"What about Haley? Have you seen her? How's she doing?" Kayla wondered. "Uh... Yeah, she actually moved back in the loft," Tripp revealed. "I thought that your marriage was annulled," Kayla admitted, confused. "It was, [but] she's with J.J. now, [and] they both moved into Claire's old room," Tripp clarified. "Do you think that's a good idea?" Kayla asked. "J.J. and Haley needed a place to stay, [and] Ciara and I need [help covering] the rent now that Claire's gone, [so]..." Tripp explained, shrugging. "I understand that it might make sense financially...[but] if there's any feelings whatsoever between you and Haley, it could get complicated," Kayla warned.
"Haley might be my ex-wife, but the marriage was fake, okay? We're friends -- that's it," Tripp assured Kayla before rushing off, having just received an alert from the pharmacy about the prescription.
At the loft apartment, Haley again offered to make J.J. something to eat. He declined, having decided to instead pick up something to eat while running a few errands. He left after again advising her to get some rest.
Alone in the apartment, Haley started having terrifying visions of Claire once again. Tripp soon returned home and found Haley in tears, desperate to stop the visions but unable to do so.
While on a lunch break, Kayla -- who was still preoccupied with concerns about Tripp -- ran into Jennifer outside the Brady Pub and found out about the planned dinner date with Henry. "When I think of all the time that I have wasted [while] pining away for the Jack that I love to return, it makes me so angry," Jennifer explained. "I understand... [I've been holding] out hope for you and Jack, just like I've been holding [out] hope for me and Steve...[but] if it's not going to happen, [then] I'm proud of you for taking care of yourself and doing what's best [for you]," Kayla stressed.
Shortly after parting ways with Kayla, Jennifer ran into J.J., who knowingly observed that someone was in a good mood. "It seems that moving on isn't as hard as I thought it would be. I have a date with Dr. Shah tonight," Jennifer explained. "He's a great guy, but, uh..." J.J. hesitantly began. "What?" Jennifer asked expectantly. "Maybe you shouldn't go on that date," J.J. continued. "Why not?" Jennifer wondered, confused.
At the Salem Inn, Xander smirked while recalling how Eve had burst into the Kiriakis mansion the previous night and had demanded help with a plan to break into a lab and replace Rolf's memory-jogging serum with a placebo so Jack would never have a chance to take the real thing. Eve had warned that it wasn't too late for Xander's immunity deal to be taken off the table -- and that refusing to cooperate would therefore be a very bad idea. Xander teasingly declared that seeing Eve that way -- desperate for help but also desperate to appear intimidating, despite having no real control over the immunity deal -- had been a major turn-on.
Xander produced vials of the real serum and offered them to Eve for safekeeping, just in case. She tried to refuse them, but he ignored her protests and exited the hotel room without taking them with him.
Once the coast was clear, Eve began tearing pages out of Rolf's diary in a fit of rage.
Eve tossed the remains of the diary in a trash can then started a fire to reduce the remains to ashes -- just as Jack entered the hotel room.
In the loft, Tripp comforted a panicked Haley as she suffered through another panic attack from her PTSD. Haley wondered aloud why she had been having visions of Claire, since Claire was in the hospital and Haley was on a path to citizenship.
"Maybe you are finally letting yourself feel all the sadness and fear you had to push down," Tripp said. Haley worried aloud that she would always have panic attacks. Tripp handed Haley a bottle of tranquilizers from Dr. Shah to help her sleep.
"Don't worry. I said they were for me," Tripp assured Haley. Haley said she did not think the sedative would help her sleep. Tripp urged Haley to talk to Kayla about her PTSD so that Kayla could help her seek proper treatment. With a nod, Haley agreed to think about Tripp's suggestion. Tripp handed Haley a pill and asked her to take it so that she could get some sleep. Reluctantly, Haley took the pill.
In the square, J.J. told Jennifer that Jack had taken the serum. "I just saw him, too, and he didn't say a word about it," Jennifer said. J.J. explained that Jack had not wanted to get Jennifer's hopes up when she had decided to move on with her life. Jennifer said she could not digest the idea that Jack's memory might return. J.J. suggested that Jennifer was struggling because her heart still belonged to Jack. With a shake of her head, Jennifer said she did not believe Jack had changed.
"I didn't believe him, either, but then he told me the reason why he changed his mind," J.J. said. Jennifer raised a questioning eyebrow. "He said he would do anything to remember me and Abigail," J.J added. J.J. said he believed Jack. With a nod, Jennifer said she hoped that Jack would remember his children, but she wanted to move on. J.J. said he understood.
At the loft, Haley woke up from a nap on the couch with her head on Tripp's shoulder. Haley apologized for trapping Tripp on the couch. With a shake of his head, Tripp told Haley he would help her into her room. Haley gingerly rose to her feet but refused to go into Claire's room. Tripp told Haley to take a nap in his room instead.
"You're the best," Haley said. Tripp put his arm around Haley and guided her toward the staircase. J.J. returned home. Haley rushed into J.J.'s arms and told him that she had been napping on the couch and was headed to bed to sleep more. J.J. said he wanted a nap, as well, and he headed into the bedroom with Haley.
At Doug's Place, Julie was surprised to see Dr. Henry Shah walk in. Julie noted that there was no reservation for him, and Henry explained that the reservation was under Jennifer's name. Once seated, Henry called Jennifer to see if she was on her way. When Jennifer arrived, she apologized for running late, and she assured Henry that he had every reason to worry that she might bail on their date.
"Considering the last two times we had dinner, they were crashed by my exes. That's not going to happen this time," Jennifer promised Henry. Henry countered that he wanted to get to know Jennifer better. With a grin, Jennifer thanked Henry for being so gracious. As the date progressed, Jennifer and Henry made awkward small talk, and Jennifer talked about her children.
"You must miss them very much," Henry said. "I do. I miss the day to day with my family more than I can say," Jennifer agreed. Jennifer thought about a moment from her past with Jack, where Jack had told her that he did not want to waste any more time without her. Jack had kissed Jennifer, and they had started to make love. Jennifer shook off the memory. An annoyed Henry told Jennifer that he had asked her three times if she had been ready to order, and she had not heard him.
"It's obvious you're distracted, and I'm guessing it's Jack you're thinking about," Henry said with a scowl. Jennifer apologized for her preoccupation. With a sigh, Jennifer told Henry about her conversation with J.J. about Jack's decision to take the serum.
"So, there is a chance he will remember you and your life together," Henry said. Jennifer told Henry that she and Jack had not been together before he had died and that she was ready to move on from Jack.
"I'm sorry, Jennifer, but I have to think of my own feelings, and frankly, I don't want to get hurt again. I hope you can understand that," Henry said. Henry asked to cut the date short. Jennifer apologized for hurting Henry a third time. "I hope Jack remembers you and makes you as happy as you deserve to be," Henry said. With a nod, Henry rose and walked out.
When Julie arrived with two glasses of wine, Jennifer informed her that Henry had left because he had been worried that Jennifer would break his heart again. Jennifer informed Julie that Jack had decided to take the serum, and she had been preoccupied with the situation during her date. "Jack could be remembering everything right now," Jennifer whispered.
Jack returned to his hotel room and found Eve burning papers in the trash. "This is Rolf's diary! You set this fire! Why did you do this?" Jack shouted. Eve confessed that she had burned the diary because they had been the writings of an evil man, and the diary was no longer needed. Jack argued that he needed the diary as a backup in case the serum did not work right away.
"If you don't get your memory back, that's okay, too, because we can focus on the future," Eve said. Jack told Eve that it sounded like she was lying to him. Jack asked why she had burned the journal, and Eve said she did not know why. "I'm sick of that thing sitting around here. I should have burned it eight months ago," Eve blurted out. Jack furrowed his brow.
"Eight months ago was November. That's when that diary mysteriously disappeared from the hospital," Jack exclaimed. Jack accused Eve of stealing the diary. "I did it. I stole the diary," Eve quietly confessed. Eve added that she had not had the diary the whole eight months.
"You kept all this to yourself because you had a vested interest in keeping me from remembering my past. So much for you and me against the world, huh? So much for the two of us being two of a kind, ready to do whatever it took to get what we wanted. But when it comes to being honest, having each other's backs, that was just talk because you were conning me the whole time!" Jack said.
"You used me! You used me to get to Jennifer. You didn't give a damn about what that did to me!" Jack yelled. As Jack turned to leave, Eve stepped in front of the door and asked Jack to listen to her. Eve spun the story to say that she had not kept the diary a secret because she hated Jennifer but because she had wanted to protect Jack from Jennifer.
"So, you admit it. You used me," Jack said with hurt in his voice. "At first I did, absolutely," Eve confessed. Eve noted that she had believed that she would be a good match for Jack. Eve explained that she had repeatedly watched Jennifer hurt Jack, and she had not wanted Jack to recover those painful memories.
"[Jennifer] broke your heart over and over again, and I hated how she treated you," Eve said. Eve added that she had fallen in love with Jack along the way. Jack turned away, unable to look Eve in the eye. After a moment, Jack accused Eve of using Paige's memory against him.
"You say you love me -- you don't know the meaning of the word. You don't know what love is!" Jack yelled. Jack told Eve that there was a rehearsed quality to the way she spoke about the murder of her daughter. "[Paige] probably got used the same way when she was alive. She probably never felt loved by you. Not once. She never did!" Jack said. Offended, Eve drew back her hand to slap Jack, but he grabbed her wrist and stopped her.
"'I'm going to divorce you. And if there is a God in heaven, he'll let me forget that I ever met you," Jack said. Jack promised to continue to take the serum until he remembered his past. "You and the diary can just burn in hell for all I care!" Jack said as he started to walk out. Eve commented that Jack would never remember his old life because she had given Jack a vial of sugar water.
"I know because I switched it out myself," Eve growled. Jack told Eve that he did not believe her. In her defense, Eve retrieved the box with the real serum from the bedside table drawer and waggled it at Jack. A triumphant grin spread across Eve's face. Jack reached for the vials, but Eve held them above her head and warned Jack not to step a foot closer.
"That's the only chance I have to remember my kids," Jack pleaded. "And Jennifer," Eve added. Eve noted, "You snatched what was left of my future. I'm going to snatch your past." Eve held up the box as if she was about to smash the vials against the wall. Jack gasped.
In the DiMera mansion, Stefan told Gabi that the board of DiMera Enterprises had suspended him as CEO. Stefan said the company charter offered some protection. "If they decide to fire me, they have to find another DiMera to replace me," Stefan said. Gabi asked if Stefan had any support on the board. With a shrug, Stefan said the vote had been close. Gabi suggested that they work to change the minds of enough board members to reinstate Stefan. Gabi called Abe.
When Abe arrived, Stefan and Gabi updated him on the situation and asked him to issue a press release in support of Stefan. "DiMera's chief rival is trying to frame me for a crime I didn't commit. If we go public with the facts, we might be able to convince enough of the members of the board that my suspension should be lifted," Stefan said. Abe agreed to issue the statement, but only if they discussed Nicole first.
"You still intend to press charges against [Nicole]?" Abe asked. Gabi jumped in and said that Nicole had attempted to kill Stefan, but Stefan waved her off. "I appreciate your concern for Nicole; I do. And I understand that she was grieving, and I also understand that she was not herself when she came after me," Stefan said. When Gabi asked Stefan if he was siding with Nicole, Stefan shook his head no.
"I don't think Nicole should be getting away with doing violent, hurtful things to people because she is grieving. Nor do I think that a public fight with her right now is good for my image. So, I've decided to deal with my issues with Nicole after the current crisis has passed. Hopefully, we can resolve it amicably," Stefan said. Abe agreed to issue the press release for Stefan.
In the Kiriakis living room, "Nicole" told Brady that an adopted DiMera had the same rights to run DiMera Enterprises as a blood relative. Confused, Brady pointed out that "Nicole" had not been adopted. "Nicole" realized she could not tell Brady that she was Kristen, so she suggested that Tate might be the loophole they needed for Brady to lay claim to DiMera Enterprises. "Nicole" explained that Kristen had carried Tate to term. Annoyed, Brady reminded "Nicole" that Kristen had stolen the fetus from Theresa, but Theresa's name had been listed at Tate's biological mother on the birth certificate.
"I remember the fact that I was so in love with Kristen at one point in time that we were going to have a family. There was a point in time that I thought that was possible. Must have been out of my mind, right? The whole time, she was just trying to manipulate me so she could stick it to my father and Marlena," Brady recounted bitterly. "Nicole" guiltily shifted her eyes away. Brady reminded "Nicole" that revenge could lead good people to do bad things.
"Kristen DiMera never regretted a thing in her life, but luckily, you are not her," Brady said. "Nicole" sighed. "You're right. I am not like Kristen," "Nicole" said. With a groan, Brady admitted that he had not been able to have a successful relationship since his breakup with Kristen. "Nicole" noted that she had been a fool to chase after Eric instead of Brady. Brady told "Nicole" not to feel guilty.
"I start talking about Kristen, and I get fired up. I get thrown. I don't know if I'm ever gonna be able to get past what happened with us," Brady said. "Maybe she is just in your blood. Maybe you're not supposed to get over her," "Nicole" suggested. Brady bristled at the suggestion that he and Kristen were "meant to be." Brady reminded "Nicole" of the horrible things that Kristen had done. "Nicole" changed the subject back to revenge.
"It seems like this idea of getting revenge against Stefan and pushing him out of DiMera, it feels very personal," Brady said. "Nicole" argued that Stefan had left Holly exposed in the house. Brady asked "Nicole" if she had been involved with Xander in the kidnapping. "Nicole" sighed in frustration and asked Brady why he would think that. Brady explained that Gabi had suggested the idea. "Nicole" bad-mouthed Gabi then she argued that she was not stupid enough to kidnap Kate and Ted. Brady agreed that it did not seem like Nicole. "Nicole" argued they needed to proceed with her plan to take over DiMera Enterprises.
"That still doesn't change the fact that you have to be a DiMera to be the CEO of the company. So, unless you plan on having Stefan adopt you before you boot him out..." Brady said with a shrug. "Nicole" said she had not been serious about adoption. When "Nicole" suggested that marrying into the family was another option, Brady chuckled. Brady noted that Stefan was not interested, and all other members of the family were missing, dead, or married already.
"I will find a way around it for you. I have a foothold at DiMera now, and I'm going to use it to get you everything you want," "Nicole" said. Brady asked "Nicole" not to get into trouble, because he believed that DiMera Enterprises would self-destruct without "Nicole's" help.
"I'm sure you won't mind me helping it along," "Nicole" purred as she leaned in close to Brady. "Nicole" kissed Brady on the cheek and leaned past him to reach for her purse. Brady held his breath as "Nicole" brushed against him. With a smile, "Nicole" walked out.
At the DiMera mansion, Abe confirmed that the press release had gone out. Mr. Shin called Stefan to inform him that the press release had not swayed any of the board members and that they were all firmly committed to Stefan's suspension. "If we don't come up with something fast, they are going to terminate me," Stefan grumbled.
"I don't want another press release, Abe. I want you to marry us," Gabi announced as she sidled up next to Stefan. Stefan asked Gabi if she had lost her mind. "If we're going to save this company, then I need to become Mrs. Stefan DiMera," Gabi said. With a grimace, Stefan downed his whiskey.
In Chicago, "Nicole" entered a hotel room. Inside, a man in a wheelchair sat in front of the window. The man's jacket had the initials A.D. It was Andre DiMera.
