At the Horton Town Square, Lani insisted that Eli couldn't marry Gabi. "I don't need your permission!" Eli dismissively snapped. "You don't want to do this," Gabi pointedly advised. "Almost everyone [who is here today] was [also] here when you stopped your wedding to Eli -- for no good reason -- and broke his heart, [and] 'Sister,' if you are here for an instant replay of that, you're gonna do it over my dead body!" Julie tiredly stressed. "The only body that anybody has to worry about at this wedding is the bride's," Lani angrily declared while glaring at Gabi, who returned the glare.
"What the hell's going on?" Abe wondered. "I promised you that I would come back here and answer all of your questions [one day, and] this is that day," Lani replied. "Now is not the time [nor] the place to have it out with Gabi," Rafe insisted. "You took vows -- you're supposed to be some holy person [now -- but] what kind of nun crashes a wedding and then threatens to kill the bride? 'Thou shall not kill' -- that's one of the commandments, [you know -- or] did you miss that day in nun school?" Gabi snapped. "It's the sixth commandment," Lani clarified.
"[And] you are right -- if I'm gonna march in here and go all Old Testament on your ass, I should make my confession first. [And] I'm pretty sure I'll get absolution," Lani countered before ripping off the habit, revealing a black dress underneath. "I never became a nun," Lani explained to the startled crowd. "And the only vow I ever took was that I would come back here and make you pay for all of your sins," Lani continued, speaking directly to Gabi again. "I'm not surprised you left the convent -- having a little trouble with commitment [again], are we?" Julie dryly interjected. "Be careful, Lani -- you are on thin ice," Gabi pointedly warned.
"Get to the point, Lani -- what are you accusing Gabi of?" Eli snapped. "I'm so glad you asked..." Lani began, giving Gabi a look of fierce determination. "Don't listen to her, okay? She's just trying to hurt you again, all right? We can get married anywhere, at any time -- let's just go," Gabi desperately urged Eli, getting Lani's message. "No," Eli replied after a moment of thought, drawing a sigh of defeat from Gabi. "You got this thing about stopping my weddings with big dramatic speeches," Eli noted, turning to face Lani. "So, just go ahead -- and then I want you to get out of here [and] stay out of my life for good," Eli demanded.
"There's only one reason why you and I didn't get married [and] start our life together -- and it's Gabi. [See], she forced me to break it off with you, Eli -- and to do it in such a cruel way. She is the only reason why I broke things off," Lani revealed, prompting Rafe to rush to Gabi's defense -- along with Julie, who even tried to hurriedly pronounce Eli and Gabi husband and wife.
Lani interrupted Julie and begged Eli to wait. "That's it -- I'm gonna throw you out myself," Gabi announced before storming toward Lani.
"She made me leave you, Eli, and she made me do it in public, [and] she said that if I didn't, she would kill Julie," Lani elaborated, ignoring Gabi.
"Do you really think, after everything that we have been through, [that] I would just hurt you like that if I had any choice at all? Leaving you at this altar was her idea, okay? [And] she didn't 'fall in love' with you; she went after you, [because] she blamed me for Stefan's death, [and] she decided [that] I took her man away, [so] she was gonna take mine. [And] I left town without saying a word about why because I knew that her threat was still alive...[but when she decided to marry you], that was taking it way too far, and I just couldn't let that happen," Lani continued.
"This doesn't make any sense -- [Gabi] saved my grandmother's life [by donating] Stefan's heart!" Eli protested, and Rafe agreed. "Lani...tell them," J.J. advised.
"Gabi rigged Julie's pacemaker. [See], the device was made by a company that DiMera owns, and Gabi has an app on her phone that can manipulate [Julie's] heart," Lani revealed. "Is that even possible?" Abe wondered as the crowd reacted to the revelation. "The technology is there...but it was never made for that purpose," Valerie stressed. "I didn't want to believe it at first when she told me she could do it, so she walked me over to [Julie's] hospital window and gave me a little demonstration. She pushed a button on her phone that made [Julie's] heart monitor go crazy," Lani continued. "I remember that!" Julie admitted with a gasp.
"Is this true?" Eli asked Gabi incredulously. "Of course not! Can't -- can't you see? Isn't it obvious? She's crazy!" Gabi defensively replied.
"One more thing, Eli -- I still love you; I never stopped, [and] I never will," Lani stressed.
"She's lying -- about loving you [and] about what I did!" Gabi told Eli. "No, she's not," J.J. insisted before revealing that Lani had been hiding out in Salem for weeks, trying to find a way to neutralize the threat to Julie's life. "I didn't believe [this at first, either -- but then] I saw the app on Gabi's phone. [And] I tried, but I couldn't disable it," J.J. continued. "So...it's still on her phone, right? Which I just happen to have here, in her purse..." Abigail interjected before opening Gabi's purse and locating the device. "No!" Gabi protested, storming forward and snatching the device from Abigail.
"Please tell me that this is a misunderstanding," Eli begged Gabi. "No, no -- it's the truth," Julie realized. "What an idiot I've been to think that you could ever change!" Julie snapped at Gabi.
"Are they telling the truth? Did you lie to me? Answer me!" Eli challenged Gabi. "Yes!" Gabi admitted before holding up the cell phone and warning that Julie could still be killed at any time.
"Put the phone down. Think of Arianna," Rafe advised, but Gabi didn't listen. "I'm not afraid of you!" Julie stressed before starting to hurl insults at Gabi, who eventually got fed up and started messing with the pacemaker app. Julie continued hurling insults but eventually collapsed, horrifying the crowd. "Oh, my God -- what have you done?" Rafe snapped at Gabi, who still refused to hand over the cell phone.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Sonny tried to contact Gabi, but the call went to voicemail. "You're probably getting married right now, but I want to let you know that Ari is feeling way better, and [we're] sorry that we can't be there for your big day, but we wish you and Eli a lifetime of happiness," Sonny, who was en route to the living room with a tablet computer, said before ending the call -- just as the tablet computer chimed, announcing the arrival of a news alert. "Cellmate denies any knowledge of Weston's escape," Sonny read aloud from the news alert, which led to an article that included a picture of Will. "Oh, my God -- Will!" Sonny exclaimed.
At Statesville, Will attached a handmade Valentine's Day card from Arianna to a wall of his cell, right next to the top bunk, then fidgeted with his wedding band, which he was no longer wearing, while staring longingly at a photograph of Sonny. Eventually, Will set aside the wedding band and the photograph then began writing a new entry in a journal: "Oh, Sonny... I'm sitting in my cell, remembering where we were last Valentine's Day..."
Will entered the Kiriakis mansion, carrying a gift bag, and greeted Sonny with a kiss. "Did you drop Ari off at Gabi's?" Sonny asked after Will pulled away. "I did...and Gabi wants to keep her until tomorrow, [so I guess] we got the evening to ourselves," Will replied with a shrug of disbelief, drawing a grin from Sonny. "That's great, 'cause I've been thinking that is all too rare," Sonny stressed, and Will agreed. "As much as I love -- I mean, more than anything -- hanging out with our daughter, it'd be nice to have some alone time with you -- just the two of us," Sonny continued, and Will agreed again.
"So, to that end..." Sonny began while backing away, as if worried about how Will might react to what was going to be said next. "I...booked us a trip to Costa Rica!" Sonny announced with a sheepish shrug after stopping in front of the living room desk, several feet away from Will. "What? Are you serious?" Will replied. "Yeah -- this spring, [so] it won't be too hot, and it'll be just us, and it's gonna be for a week," Sonny elaborated. "That's amazing! Thank you!" Will raved. "Absolutely -- [and] if Gabi has a problem with us being gone for so long, then I'm sure Ari's great-grandmothers would love to take care of her," Sonny continued, and Will agreed.
"I'm so excited!" Will stressed while rushing over to give Sonny a kiss. "Do you want to open your [Valentine's Day present] now?" Will asked after pulling away from Sonny. "I do...but I actually have another present for you [first]," Sonny replied. "Seriously? A -- a trip to Costa Rica's not enough?" Will protested. "Nope," Sonny insisted. "But before we [get to your other present], there's something [else] I want to do, [and] it involves agility [and] athleticism, and it will definitely get your heart rate up," Sonny suggestively continued. "Ooh! Count me in!" Will flirtatiously declared, making the obvious assumption about the activity.
"I'm glad to hear you say that," Sonny mischievously admitted before backing away from Will again -- and fetching a pair of ice skates that had been hidden behind the desk earlier. "Forget about it," Will firmly insisted with a shake of the head and a humorless expression -- the sort of reaction that Sonny had apparently been anticipating all along. "Sorry, Johnny Weir -- no, not gonna happen," Will continued, approaching Sonny and shoving the ice skates away. "[Then] what was the whole 'count me in' business?" Sonny teasingly countered. "You conned me!" Will defensively stressed.
"I did not 'con' you!" Sonny argued while putting away the ice skates. "Yes, you did!" Will maintained. "You got in real close, [and] you talked about getting our heart rates up, and I'm -- I'm just -- I'm supposed to assume figure skating?" Will continued. "Ice-skating is a romantic sport! Did you ever see a pair skating in the Olympics? It actually kind of turns me on a little bit..." Sonny countered while approaching Will. "No -- no!" Will firmly insisted again, backing away from Sonny. "Seriously! A lot of these skaters start off as friends, and then they fall madly in love on the ice -- I read about it all the time," Sonny continued, chasing Will.
"[Like] Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov," Sonny recalled while catching and embracing Will. "Even though I am very impressed right now by your powers of retention -- remembering those names and sort of being able to pronounce them -- unfortunately, we are not ice skaters, and we're already in love, so what's gonna happen is the opposite -- [you know], we're gonna fall out of love on the ice. [I mean], especially if I fall on my ass the whole time and I want to kill you for making me put those skates on," Will countered, pulling away from Sonny.
"You know, you're kind of being a drip, Will Horton...and you're -- and you're hurting my feelings, that you don't like my wonderful idea," Sonny protested while catching and embracing Will again. "Well, I like your Costa Rica idea..." Will stressed, staying put. "Well, you should like this idea, too, because ice-skating is a delightful winter sport -- and it's invigorating, and we can get some exercise..." Sonny argued. "Okay, fine -- um, I...will go ice-skating with you...when hell freezes over," Will agreed. "Well, I don't know what's happening in hell [right now], but the good news is that the lake is frozen, so...please?" Sonny countered.
"I'll hold your hand the whole time," Sonny promised. "No, you won't, actually -- you'll be out on the center of the ice, doing triple...you know, whatever...[and] I will be permanently face-planted onto the ice," Will predicted. "I will not let you fall," Sonny vowed before giving Will a big smile. "You know that's not fair," Will protested with a sigh of defeat, unable to resist Sonny's charms any longer.
"In all the time we were together, all you ever had to do to have your way with me was smile," Will wrote in the journal, smiling at the memory. "The thing about us, Sonny, is that we may have had a lot of breakups, but we always found our way back, and every time we fell for each other, we fell harder," Will continued writing before chuckling about the turn of phrase.
"A double axel, Sonny? Really?" Will began while helping Sonny back into the Kiriakis mansion. "You know, I am a good skater -- I've been practicing that for weeks," Sonny, who had apparently suffered minor back and leg injuries, stressed while carefully settling on the living room couch. "I don't know what happened -- I think I hit, like, uh...like, a rough patch of ice or something..." Sonny reasoned with a shrug. "Oh, yeah -- for sure, 'a rough patch of ice'...or maybe you're just clumsy," Will countered with a laugh, prompting Sonny to feign annoyance.
"I'm sorry -- it was [a] rough patch. [And] I almost fell myself -- plenty of times -- so..." Will quickly backpedaled. "No, you didn't -- you're just saying that to make me feel better," Sonny knowingly replied. "You were sexy out there -- you were...you were, like, confident, and you were cool, and you were graceful..." Sonny raved with obvious respect. "I was really graceful, wasn't I? [I mean], especially considering I -- I haven't skated in, like, ages... I guess I'm just...I don't know, a natural athlete," Will agreed with a shrug.
"You're lucky I love you, or I would never talk to you again," Sonny stressed while trying to suppress a smile, prompting Will to laugh and drop the act. "The reason I didn't fall was because I was skating very conservatively. [Meanwhile], you were, uh...were being bold -- you were out there doing twists, and turns, and that, you know, double axel you've been practicing for, like, weeks [but] still haven't --" Will explained before laughing again. "All right, you know that part where I said I loved you? Yeah, I -- I take it back, okay? I'm never gonna talk to you again," Sonny countered, smiling again.
"I'm sorry," Will stressed before giving Sonny a kiss. "Truthfully, uh, I was in awe of you out there -- [you know], I think the double axel attempt was very brave, very admirable..." Will continued after pulling away from Sonny. "Well, thank you...because I was trying to impress you, you know," Sonny replied. "And you did," Will insisted. "No, I didn't -- I fell flat on my ass, and I made a fool of myself," Sonny protested. "Yeah...but you looked very charming while you were doing that. I swear, it made me love you even more -- if that were possible," Will countered.
"So, uh...where does it hurt?" Will asked suggestively. "I mean...kind of everywhere...but mainly my, uh, ego is battered..." Sonny pointedly replied. "Oh, yeah? Uh, you know what could fix that? Some, uh..." Will began while leaning in to kiss Sonny. "Hot cocoa," Will joked while stopping abruptly, making Sonny laugh at the trick.
"[Seriously], does it still hurt?" Will continued, referring to Sonny's actual injuries. "I mean...it hurts a little bit..." Sonny admitted with a shrug. "[And] how 'bout your, uh...ego? How does that [really] feel?" Will asked suggestively. "Well, it's, uh, gonna take a little while for that to heal, [too]...so, you know, it's definitely gonna need some, uh -- it needs some stroking..." Sonny pointedly replied.
Will again pretended to get the hint -- then started showering Sonny with compliments instead of offering a kiss. "You didn't [compliment] my skating," Sonny noted after Will finished talking. "It's like a religious experience! Even when you fall, you do it so gracefully, effortlessly... In fact, I think you should skate competitively! Is it too late [to] try out for the Winter Olympics?" Will raved, prompting Sonny to feign annoyance again. "I'm sorry -- [see], what I mean is...you are a very skilled skater, and even though you didn't get the double axel this time, I am very confident that next time, you're gonna nail it," Will backpedaled.
"Well, thank you -- [now] my ego is, you know, on the mend...sort of..." Sonny replied. "You know...you probably should have held my hand on the ice like you said you would -- then maybe I would have been able to keep you on your feet..." Will pointed out, prompting Sonny to feign annoyance yet again. "What I mean [is]...I'm sorry I let you fall," Will backpedaled. "I'm not," Sonny stressed before giving Will a passionate kiss.
After pulling away, Sonny pointed in the direction of Will's second Valentine's Day gift, which had also been hidden behind the living room desk earlier. "Is this what I think it is?" Will asked after opening the gift box. "Well, if you think it's one of E. M. Forster's Oliver Standard typewriters..." Sonny replied. "How did you get this? I mean, even if you could find one, they're...I mean, they're...they cost the moon!" Will protested. "Well, there was some...you know, spirited bidding...but I felt it should be in the hands of a real writer, not locked in a vault somewhere," Sonny explained with a shrug.
"This is too much," Will insisted. "It's not enough," Sonny countered. "No, it's too much -- [and] once you see what I got you, I mean, you'll...you'll understand..." Will maintained while sheepishly handing over Sonny's gift. "I got one for each of us, and I thought that we could write a year's worth of love letters and give them to each other next Valentine's Day," Will explained as Sonny removed a matching pair of journals from a gift bag. Sonny thanked Will with another passionate kiss, clearly thrilled with the gift and the sentiment.
Sonny smiled while remembering the same moments -- and looking through a collection of digital photographs from that day that were stored on the tablet computer.
Eventually, Sonny walked over to the living room desk and retrieved a journal -- just as Evan entered the Kiriakis mansion, holding one long-stemmed red rose. "I, uh, just dropped David off at a play date, and I was walking by the florist, and..." Evan explained while offering Sonny the flower. "You must be thinking about Will," Evan guessed. "You're right," Sonny admitted. "If you want to talk about it... Or I could go -- that's probably the best thing..." Evan offered. "No, don't -- it's just...it's been a really weird day..." Sonny began to explain.
"So...this is Valentine's Day -- are you gonna show him the letters?" Evan asked after Sonny finished sharing the significance of the journal. "I can't, even if I wanted to, because the prison's on lockdown," Sonny replied. "[But] I do need to see Will soon, though, because he didn't return the signed divorce papers...which is kind of weird, because he was the one that wanted the divorce... I just don't know why he's dragging his feet," Sonny continued. Evan nodded then started to rush off, still sensing that Sonny wanted to be alone that day. Sonny thanked Evan for the flower but didn't object to being left alone.
Once the coast was clear, Sonny began writing a new entry in the journal: "Dear Will, after what happened with my mom, I stopped writing these letters to you...but that doesn't mean I stopped loving you, and the truth is, no matter what happens next, I don't know if I ever will..."
At Julie's Place, Doug complained to Jack and Jennifer about how difficult it had been to see Hope handcuffed in the police station. "The way she spoke to us with such contempt, I hardly recognized her," Doug said. "That was not Hope," Jennifer stressed. Doug lamented that he had not realized sooner that Gina had been masquerading as his daughter.
Jack encouraged Doug not to give up hope, because it had taken Jack a long time to recover his memories. "We need Rolf. He is the one who did this to her, and we know from experience that he can undo it," Jennifer said. Jennifer informed Doug that Shane was working on a lead. Jennifer stepped aside to take a call from Lucas. After the call, Jennifer informed Doug and Jack that Bill had died.
"He had a heart attack in his sleep," Jennifer explained. Jennifer said her father's death was not a shock because of his health, but she was still surprised. Jack recalled their time with Bill in Africa. "Your father was such a good man," Doug said. With a sigh, Doug noted it had been 50 years since he had met Bill. Jennifer asked Doug to tell her some stories about her father.
"You've come to the right guy," Doug said with a grin. Doug told Jack and Jennifer that he had once been a con man named Brent Douglas. "But Bill Horton was the exact opposite of a hardened criminal," Doug said. Doug talked about a time in prison when he had saved Bill's life from a stabbing.
"I may have saved Bill that day, but in the big picture, he was the one who saved me," Doug said. Doug explained that he had arrived in Salem with the intention of bilking Susan Martin out of her fortune. "I met Julie, and so I set my sights on her instead," Doug said. Doug admitted that his history would have been very different if he had not moved to Salem.
"In a way, I owe who I am, and everything I've become, to Bill Horton," Doug said. With a chuckle, Jennifer said she could not imagine seeing Bill in a prison. Doug noted that Bill had learned from his regrets. "I think that's what drew him to a life of service," Jennifer said. "Watching Bill work as a volunteer doctor in Africa, that was pretty incredible," Jack added. Jennifer said she loved seeing Bill spend time with her kids, but it had made her realize how much she had wished Bill had spent more time with her as a child.
"When he showed up at our wedding, it made my whole world," Jennifer said. Jennifer thought about when Bill had talked to her before her wedding. "No matter what I did or didn't do, I've always loved you, Jennifer. I see you today, and see what an incredible, beautiful woman you've become. Maybe I don't have the right, but I'm still proud," Bill had told her. Bill had given Jennifer her mother's pearl necklace for the ceremony because Laura had not been able to attend the wedding.
"It was the most beautiful day," Jennifer said. Doug lamented that the family gathered for more funerals than weddings lately.
At the wedding in the town square, Julie groaned in pain and collapsed onto a chair. "If you ever loved me even a little bit, just give me the phone!" Eli demanded. On the stage, Gabi clutched her phone tightly and shook her head no.
"She may love you, [Eli], but not as much as she hates me," Lani said. "And me. Go on, Gabi. Kill me. Kill me. If all I had to do to kill you was push a button, I would do it!" Julie yelled. Eli warned Julie to be quiet, but she continued to yell at Gabi. "On every given day of my life, I've had more love than you're going to have in your whole life!" Julie continued. When Julie yelled that Gabi would be alone, an emotional Gabi pushed the button on her phone. Julie passed out on the chair.
Rafe walked over to Gabi, and he said, "What have you done?" Eli pleaded with Julie to wake up. When Julie was unresponsive, Valerie checked Julie's vital signs. "Her pulse is steady and strong," Valerie said with surprise. J.J. smirked. When Eli asked what was wrong with Julie, Julie opened her eyes and smiled. "Nothing," Julie said.
At the stage, Gabi fiddled with her phone and wondered aloud why it was not working. Chad rushed over and grabbed Gabi's phone. With a grin, Julie told Gabi, "I was faking, and you fell for it. Surprise!" Lani smiled, too. "You don't control her anymore," Lani said. Julie explained that the app on Gabi's phone no longer worked. Confused, Abigail asked what was going on.
"When Gabi found out that Julie needed a replacement pacemaker, she went back to her little DiMera minion, and told him to rig the new one so she could still have control over Julie's heart," J.J. explained. "But we foiled your plan," Julie said. Abigail asked how J.J. had learned about the tech guy, Chris. J.J. explained that he had run into Chris at the hospital, and he had remembered that the man had a criminal past. J.J. said he had told Julie's doctor about his concerns, and the doctor had replaced Julie's pacemaker.
"And you were in on this, too?" Gabi asked Rafe. As Rafe shrugged, J.J. said he had not wanted to involve Rafe in an effort to expose Gabi as an attempted murderer. "But she's been a successful murderer. Remember, she shot Nick," Julie said. Frustrated, Gabi yelled at Julie to stop talking. J.J. announced that Chris had refused to give up any information, and J.J. had been forced to employ the scheme at the wedding to expose Gabi. Lani explained that Theo had sent Gabi a text informing her that the device was active.
"Which made [Gabi] think she had succeeded and let her guard down," Lani said. J.J. added that on the way to the wedding, he had told Julie about the situation. "When I got over the shock, I was all in. I apologize to everybody if I upset you, but the plan worked. Gabi fell for it. Hook, line, and sink her," Julie said.
"Damn you! If anything, I've been way too nice to all of you! I don't even know what I was thinking!" Gabi yelled. Lani said that Gabi's efforts had run down the battery in Julie's pacemaker years earlier than planned and had freed everyone in the process. "What the hell is wrong with you?" Eli cried out. Gabi said she was sorry, but Eli refused to believe her.
"Was this all about stealing me from Lani? I mean from the first moment that you told me that you loved me, was it all about revenge?" Eli asked. Gabi shook her head no. Gabi said their relationship had started as revenge, but she had fallen in love with him. "I wanted to stop all of this, but I was just afraid of what you would do if you found out the truth," Gabi said. Eli noted that when he had begged Gabi not to hurt Julie, she had continued to adjust the app on her phone.
"Was that out of love?" Eli asked. "I was desperate! I didn't want to lose you," Gabi said. "Well you just did," Eli growled. Lani added, "You are about to lose everything." Gabi turned to J.J. "I thought you were my friend," Gabi said. "I thought you were mine," J.J. countered. "This is how you thank me for saving your life?" Gabi asked quietly.
"And to think I was grateful to you for saving my life. I praised you to the skies, endlessly saying what an angel you were because you gave me Stefan's heart. My God, I was ready to welcome you into my family, to marry you to my precious grandson because I really believed you had changed. Well, you are still the mendacious little bitch you always were," Julie said. "Shut up for once in your life!" Gabi barked. Julie said she wanted to praise Lani for sacrificing everything to save her. Lani told Julie that she had nothing to apologize for to her.
Chad stepped forward and reminded Gabi that she had manipulated Abigail into believing that her mental illness had returned. "You tried to destroy my family over and over. She could have pressed charges, but she didn't," Chad said. "I thought you had suffered enough," Abigail added. Abigail said she had no compassion for Gabi.
"I know. I went to prison for a crime I didn't commit because of you. I was beaten so badly that I cannot have another child, and the one that I did have hated me the entire time!" Gabi said. Abigail argued that she had protected Gabi from the legal consequences of what Gabi had done to her. Abigail added that she regretted that she had not pressed charges against Gabi because Gabi would not have had the opportunity to have hurt everyone.
"Don't you dare blame yourself for anything, Abigail," Julie said. Julie said the only one to blame was Gabi. Lani asked Rafe to arrest Gabi. Rafe read Gabi her Miranda rights. "I'm sorry," Gabi said to Eli. "So am I," Eli whispered. Rafe lead Gabi away. Julie left with Chad and Abigail to meet up with Doug.
"I'm just so sorry for what you've been through. I really wish that you had confided in me," Abe told Lani. Lani told Abe that she was back in Salem to stay. Lani noticed J.J., and she walked over to thank him. As Lani hugged J.J., he noticed her glance over at Eli. "What are you waiting for? Go talk to him," J.J. said. Overwhelmed, Eli walked away.
In the park, Eli removed his wedding ring. Lani walked into the clearing. "Why didn't you tell me?" Eli asked. "I wanted to, so much that it physically hurt, but I couldn't take that risk," Lani said. Lani pointed out that her instinct had been right that Gabi had not been bluffing about using the app against Julie. "You told J.J.," Eli said. Eli asked why Lani had confided in J.J. instead of him. Lani explained that she had not planned to tell J.J., but he had pried the truth out of her.
"As thankful as I was for [J.J.'s] help, I was petrified that it would backfire," Lani said. Lani said she was relieved that the truth was out so that she could tell Eli that she still loved him. "I never stopped. Not for one second. I joined that convent because I knew that I could never love anyone the same," Lani said. Lani added that the only man she would ever want was him. Lani said she had decided to fight for Eli when she had learned that Eli had been with Gabi.
"I am so glad I did," Lani said. "So am I," Eli said. Lani told Eli that he had deserved to know the truth. "And you deserve to know how grateful I am," Eli said. Lani and Eli kissed.
In the interrogation room at the police station, Gabi sat alone, handcuffed to a chair. Gabi dabbed at the tears in her eyes. Rafe walked in. "I don't even know what to say," Rafe said. "You don't understand," Gabi started. Rafe asked Gabi why.
"Do you know how long I've waited to find love? Real love, Rafe," Gabi said. Gabi explained that she had never believed she would find real love until she had found Stefan. "And just like that, he was gone. All our plans, hopes, future for family, everything just over. I needed somebody to blame. Do you understand that?" Gabi asked. Rafe argued that it was not Lani's fault that Stefan had died.
"So, you're going to take her side?" Gabi asked. Rafe argued that he was not taking sides. Gabi said that after Lani had shot Stefan, the whole Horton family had each individually asked her to save Julie's life. "After they had treated me like the biggest bitch there ever was. I couldn't take it anymore," Gabi said. "You wanted payback?" Rafe asked. Gabi nodded yes. Gabi said that when she'd learned that Julie had needed a pacemaker, she had recognized it as a way "to make those people hurt as much as I have hurt."
Gabi complained that Eli had been her boyfriend before Lani had stolen him away. "She didn't mean to!" Rafe objected. "No one means to! Not trigger-happy Lani, or Saint Abigail with her merry band of alters. No, they wreck my life, and it is never their fault. I'm the victim here. I'm the one that pays," Gabi said. Rafe yelled that Gabi had committed multiple crimes.
"Do you not even realize that?" Rafe asked. Gabi asked Rafe how she would explain to her daughter that she was returning to prison. "Little late to think of that now, isn't it?" Rafe countered. Gabi lamented that she had confessed in front of so many witnesses. With a nod, Rafe noted that even with Gabi's DiMera resources, he did not think she would be able to get out of the situation.
At Doug's Place, Julie, Chad, and Abigail told Doug, Jack, and Jennifer what had happened at the wedding. "Gabi could have killed you," Doug said. Julie stressed that she was safe. "Rafe arrested her," Chad added. Julie said she was satisfied that Gabi would get what she deserved.
When J.J. arrived, he asked why everyone looked sad. Julie explained that they had been talking about Hope's condition. "We are going to get her back," Julie exclaimed. Doug agreed. Doug added that he had bad news to share. Jennifer told Abigail and J.J. that Bill had died. "Oh, no!" Julie cried out. Jack explained that he and Jennifer were flying to Africa. J.J. and Abigail asked to join them. When Chad volunteered to make the travel arrangements, Abigail said, "I don't want you to come with me."
Abigail explained to Chad that she wanted him to stay behind to watch the kids. Chad hugged Abigail as she cried. Julie told Jennifer that Bill had been one in a million. "We were all blessed to have him in our lives," Julie said.
Jack took J.J. aside to talk. "I'm sorry we're going to another funeral, but you've got to know that your grandfather lived a long, full life," Jack said. Jack said that he was amazed that despite all that J.J. had suffered in the past year, J.J. had been able to help Lani save Julie. "Just doing what had to be done," J.J. said. "It took courage. I am so proud of you," Jack said. Jack hugged J.J. "Let's go," Jack said.
At the DiMera mansion, Abigail packed her bags and gave Chad instructions about the kids. "Everything is going to be fine, except that I'm going to miss you. Madly," Chad said. Abigail thanked Chad for being her rock.
After everyone left, Doug marveled at how close he had been to losing Julie. "You're not going to lose me," Julie stressed. Doug told Julie that he had realized that he never would have met her if he had not met Bill Horton in prison.
"Fifty years, Doug! What a wonderful ride you've had," Julie exclaimed. "From con man to mayor of Salem. Golden-voiced singer. Proprietor of a night club that everybody loved and everybody came to. World-traveler extraordinaire. Father. Grandfather. Husband. And the love of my life. Thank you for every minute. For a thousand passionate kisses. For the long road we've been on to come to this moment. Now, I can't imagine my life without you in it," Julie said. Julie thought about a string of moments in her life with Doug.
"Sweetheart, nor can I imagine my life without you," Doug said. Doug and Julie slow danced together and kissed. Across the screen were the words, "Happy 50th Anniversary, Bill Hayes!"
At the park, Eli stopped kissing Lani and backed away. "I can't do this -- it just doesn't feel right," Eli admitted, confusing Lani.
"I can't kiss you when I'm still ripped apart inside over what you did," Eli elaborated. "I told you -- I...I didn't have a choice!" Lani reiterated. "Yeah, I know -- you were trying to protect my grandmother," Eli summarized. "And I love you for that...but I hate you for it, too," Eli continued, devastating Lani. "I shouldn't have used that word," Eli quickly backpedaled. "[It's just that] I'm still really hurt that you left me -- [and] yes, I know now why you did it, [but] I was in bad shape for a long time [after that day], feeling depressed and humiliated..." Eli clarified. "I never wanted to hurt you," Lani stressed.
"Please don't let Gabi win -- please don't let her keep us apart for one more second," Lani begged. "Just come with me, okay? Please! And...let me show you how much I love you," Lani continued. "I'm sorry -- I don't think I can do what you're asking. [Look], I know you went through a lot -- for me [and] my grandmother -- but right now, my head is spinning, and my heart [just] doesn't know what the hell to feel, [and] I just need time to figure it out, [so] I just want to be alone," Eli stressed before starting to walk away. "I understand...[but] if and when you feel like you are ready to come back to me, I will be waiting for you," Lani called out.
At the police station, Gabi complained to Rafe that Eli was probably reuniting with Lani at that very moment, prompting Rafe to argue that what Eli and Lani were doing at that very moment should be the least of Gabi's concerns. "I'm scared," Gabi admitted after conceding Rafe's point. "It's gonna be okay -- one step at a time," Rafe assured Gabi.
Meanwhile, Justin entered the police station -- and immediately noticed Kate, who was handcuffed to a chair near Rafe's desk, wrapping up a phone conversation with a lawyer. "I don't want to hear any excuses, [okay]? Just do it -- get me in front of the judge [so I can] post bail and get the hell out of here! [And] let them know that I'm [on a] waitress salary!" Kate demanded before slamming the receiver of the phone into its cradle with a groan of irritation. "I have been languishing in here the entire day, waiting to be arraigned," Kate explained to Justin, quickly switching to a gentler tone of voice. "They're pretty backed up over there," Justin reported.
"So...what, exactly, have you been accused of?" Justin wondered. "Betraying a friend," Kate admitted with a shrug of regret.
Justin soon convinced a guard to let Kate go to a bathroom to get cleaned up a bit. While Justin was waiting for Kate to return, Rafe emerged from the conference room in which Gabi was being held. "I heard about Gabi -- sorry," Justin began. "Thanks," Rafe replied. "Can't believe she would do something so extreme..." Rafe admitted. "Revenge is a powerful motive," Justin acknowledged. "Yeah... She wanted to get back what she felt she'd lost...[but] now it looks like she's gonna lose everything," Rafe fretted as Justin received a text message from someone.
"Damn it!" Justin grumbled before apologizing to Rafe for having checked a text message in the middle of their conversation. "I was hoping it was Kayla," Justin explained. "You seem uneasy," Rafe observed. "I've been in court all day, but I have left her a dozen texts [and] voicemails, and she hasn't gotten back to me, [which is] very unusual," Justin elaborated. "When was the last time you saw her?" Rafe asked. "Last night at the hospital -- she told me she had a lot of work to do [and] may have to pull an all-nighter," Justin replied. "And she never came home?" Rafe assumed. "No," Justin confirmed.
"Justin...how much do you know about what's going on with Steve?" Rafe wondered.
Meanwhile, Gabi wrapped up a phone conversation with a lawyer. Next, Gabi tried to contact Sonny, but the call went to voicemail. "I am so sorry... I know that everything's probably in the news, and we need to talk about how we're gonna handle this with Arianna -- I don't want her to be blindsided. I don't want this to be happening at all... Um, please, could you just please come see me as soon as you can?" Gabi said before ending the call -- just as Kate entered the conference room. "What the hell did you do to get arrested on your wedding day?" Kate gently began.
"Wow -- you really outdid yourself this time," Kate mused after Gabi shared the whole story. "Seriously, threatening to blow up Julie's heart --" Kate continued. "Stefan's heart -- [which is] only available to that old hag [because] Lani killed him!" Gabi stressed. "Okay, look, I...I get it -- retribution, revenge -- [but] who the hell gave you this insane idea?" Kate wondered. "You," Gabi replied, confusing Kate.
"You came over to see me when Stefan died, [and] I was a wreck, [and] you comforted me [and] told me I should carry on my husband's legacy and make sure to keep his dreams alive," Gabi reminded Kate. "I told you that you should go for the CEO job -- [you know], pitch yourself to Shin as a replacement for Tony," Kate reminded Gabi. "Right...[but] before I could do that, I needed to look at all the projects that Stefan had in the works -- [and] one of them was Visionary Bionics," Gabi elaborated. "The subsidiary of DiMera that created the bionic eye," Kate recalled, still confused. "And state-of-the-art pacemakers," Gabi revealed.
"So, you had revenge in the palm of your hand," Kate realized with a groan. "The idea hit me like a bolt of lightning, [and] suddenly I had a new mission," Gabi concluded with a shrug.
"Okay... [Look], I'm not saying that you did the right thing, because it's, uh, really [a] pretty horrific thing...but I know that your pain and your grief was real, because I saw it," Kate acknowledged. "Damn right it was," Gabi agreed. "[But] you had moved on -- two hours ago, you were getting married -- [so] why not just disable that app [and] let it all go?" Kate wondered. "Controlling that heart was [my] only way [of] keeping Lani from telling Eli the truth!" Gabi explained. "But...he found out anyway, baby," Kate noted. "Yeah -- that's why I'm locked up in here with you, chatting it up, instead of having passionate sex with my new, handsome husband!" Gabi grumbled.
"No other reason, I suppose..." Kate muttered. "Well, what about you, Kate? What is your story?" Gabi wondered.
"If you would have gotten [what Stefano promised you], you would have screwed me over, too!" Gabi complained after Kate shared the whole story. "I think you did a pretty good job of screwing yourself over," Kate countered with a laugh. "[But] no judgment -- [after all], both of us have done some really outrageous things in the name of revenge," Kate acknowledged. "Love -- that's the real reason I did what I did. [And] what didn't allow me to stop [was that] I was afraid of losing everything," Gabi stressed. "And now I have," Gabi fretted.
Hattie approached the Brady Pub just as Roman was in the process of hanging a "help wanted" sign in one of the windows. Horrified, Hattie rushed inside the pub and started begging Roman for another chance. "Look, I know I was AWOL for a while, but I've got a really good explanation for it -- [see], I was trying to help Marlena, [because] she was in a real pickle, and then things got complicated... [Anyway], you know what? I'm a really good waitress, and...and I need this job!" Hattie stressed. "You're not getting fired," Roman, who had been trying to interrupt, finally managed to clarify, drawing a sigh of relief from Hattie.
"Kate is," Roman continued, drawing a gasp of shock from Hattie, who was quick to plead Kate's case. "I don't get it -- [I mean], why would you defend a woman who teamed up with Stefano DiMera?" Roman wondered. "She [feels] so guilty about [everything, and she's] trying to make things right," Hattie reasoned. "Maybe...or maybe she [is just] doing damage control. [See], I know how she thinks, [and] the ugly truth is, more often than not, [she] has concern for one person [and] one person only -- herself," Roman countered, drawing a scoff from Hattie.
"[Anyway], tell me this -- how did Kate talk you into taking Marlena's place as Stefano's captive?" Roman continued. "I volunteered -- I mean, I do pride myself on what a great 'Marlena Evans' impression I do..." Hattie explained. "Yeah, but you know how dangerous Stefano is -- [and] if it weren't for Chad and Abigail, you might have been strangled to death!" Roman argued. "Yeah... Well, I guess there are worse things..." Hattie reasoned with a shrug. "Worse than being strangled to death?" Roman incredulously countered. "Well, I...I guess it depends on how you look at it," Hattie conceded, shrugging again.
"Speaking of looking at things...do you know that Patchy is really hot without his eye patch on? I mean, I haven't had a hot guy look at me that way in a very long time...no matter how many eyes he had," Hattie continued. "But it wasn't Patch -- it was Stefano!" Roman stressed. "I know -- [but] he thought that I was his 'Queen of the Night,' and he was talking all...kind of...sexy and romantic, and...I don't know, I guess I just got swept up in the moment..." Hattie explained. "Wait a minute -- you mean...?" Roman assumed. "Oh -- no!" Hattie insisted.
"I mean...it did get a little steamy at one point...but something stopped me from taking it too far," Hattie continued. "What?" Roman wondered. "You," Hattie admitted, confusing Roman. "I may look like I'm kind of hot to trot all the time, but for me, it takes a very special kind of man -- [you know], not just any man, but somebody I really have very deep feelings for -- and there's only one man that I've felt that way about for...for a while..." Hattie explained. "And I'm not gonna talk about [this] anymore!" Hattie concluded. "You really are quite the romantic, aren't you?" Roman observed.
"Yeah...but I'm also a realist, [and] I'm not gonna just keep on chasing after you when you -- you have no real interest in me at all," Hattie stressed before turning away from Roman. "Oh, Hattie -- that's not necessarily true," Roman admitted, stunning Hattie. "Don't you dare do that -- [you know], try to make me feel better! I mean, I've been buzzing around you like a queen bee in heat, and you got nothing for me, [and one thing] I don't want from you is a little pity party!" Hattie protested. "It's not pity!" Roman insisted. "Look, I know I've pushed you away a few times --" Roman acknowledged. "Every time," Hattie grumbled.
"[But] what you did -- putting your life on the line to save Marlena's when you didn't have to -- that was incredible [and] unbelievably brave, and I not only appreciate that, I admire it...[and it does make me] see you in a whole new light [and realize that] you are a very, very special woman," Roman continued before stunning Hattie again -- with a kiss on the cheek.
Hattie swooned and released a sigh of contentment as Roman rushed off to the kitchen.
At the Evans-Black townhouse, Marlena thanked John for a bouquet of red roses and white lilies that a messenger had just delivered. "[They're] not from me," John admitted with a shrug, drawing a look of concern from Marlena, who hesitantly opened the attached card. "I haven't given up on you, my queen," Marlena read aloud from the card before tossing it -- and the flowers -- in a trash can with a cringe of disgust.
"Here we go again..." John grumbled. "I really thought this nightmare would be over [now -- you know, after] the ordeal in Prague," Marlena admitted. "It's gonna be over soon, Doc," John predicted. "When is 'soon'? Because Stefano is relentless!" Marlena countered. "Eh, let him do his best -- gaslighting, kidnapping, sending you these ridiculous gifts here, even trying to kill us... He will never succeed. He can't break us, Doc, and he can't break us up -- nobody can, because it's always gonna be you and me, baby. Always and forever," John insisted before further comforting Marlena with a hug.
Later, John and Marlena celebrated Valentine's Day together.
Meanwhile, Stefano continued a phone conversation with Rolf. "Thank you so much for doing that for me," Stefano -- who was apparently referring to Marlena's gift -- said to Rolf before abruptly ending the call, having just heard Kayla's footsteps outside the storage shed. "You know, I still don't understand why you are making me stay here," Kayla -- who was wiping both hands with a paper towel, as if having just returned from a trip to a nearby bathroom -- began after entering the storage shed. "I told you -- it's for your own good," Stefano replied, pretending to be Steve.
"But I don't have my phone, so I can't call anyone and tell them where I am or that I'm okay!" Kayla fretted. "I'm sure that Justin is worried sick about me --" Kayla continued. "Oh, enough about Justin [already]! I am sick and tired of hearing you whine about [him]!" Stefano snapped. "When have I ever 'whined' about Justin -- [or] anything, for that matter?" Kayla countered.
"[You know], while we're on the subject, I am 'sick and tired' of you speaking derisively about [Justin -- and besides], why do you care, anyway?" Kayla continued. "I don't -- [I'm just] bored with [hearing about him]," Stefano clarified. "Well, I'm 'bored' with you acting like you have the right to shut me up about the man who loves me," Kayla countered. "I hear violins," Stefano muttered.
"How dare you be sarcastic -- [or] be anything but respectful of me and of Justin!" Kayla snapped. "We are in a fulfilling, committed relationship...[but], since you have turned into such a narcissistic jerk, I doubt that you even remember what that is like!" Kayla continued. "You think I'm not capable of being in a 'fulfilling, committed' relationship? I've already told you there's an extraordinary woman [out there] to whom I'm totally committed --" Stefano countered. "Just stop it, all right? I know there isn't a woman -- [I know] you made the whole thing up!" Kayla admitted.
Stefano was surprised to hear that John, after having been sworn to secrecy, had confided in Marlena that Steve had admitted that the mystery woman wasn't real -- and Stefano was equally surprised to hear that Marlena had then shared that information with Kayla. "[John] assumed I invented a girlfriend because you had moved on, [and] I just let [him believe that] because I wanted to get him off my back," Stefano explained. "So, is this woman real or not?" Kayla wondered. "She's very real -- and I am deeply in love with her. [I even sent] her a message, letting her know that I'm thinking of her on Valentine's Day," Stefano replied.
"How very thoughtful of you," Kayla muttered. "Do you even realize that today is our wedding anniversary?" Kayla continued, surprising Stefano. "We're divorced," Stefano stressed. "So, that just means that, uh...we permanently delete all those memories?" Kayla countered. "Yes," Stefano replied. "Well, if we are indeed history, [then] why be so cryptic about this girlfriend? If the woman is real, [then] have the courtesy to tell me who she is," Kayla challenged Stefano. "All right -- if you must know...it's Marlena," Stefano revealed. "Evans?" Kayla assumed. "What other 'Marlena' would I be talking about?" Stefano confirmed.
"That's impossible!" Kayla protested, stunned. "No more impossible than you being in love with Justin Kiriakis!" Stefano insisted. "But John is your best friend!" Kayla pointed out. "John Black is not good enough for Marlena! She would never truly give her heart to a pawn like him! [He's] a lowly, servile, worthless underling, whereas Marlena is a queen -- my queen!" Stefano declared. "What are you talking about? You sound like a crazy person! Actually...you sound like...Stefano DiMera!" Kayla countered. "That's because I am Stefano DiMera!" Stefano blurted out, ripping off Steve's eye patch.
"Stefano DiMera has risen from the ashes once again!" Stefano bragged while donning the phoenix ring. "What is going on? And why are you talking like that? And your eye...?" Kayla began, stunned. "[The] brilliant Dr. Rolf devised it...and he transplanted my consciousness into Steven Johnson's body," Stefano explained. "Your what?" Kayla wondered. "Terminology doesn't matter -- the point is, I look like Steve Johnson...and, with great effort, I am able to behave [and] sound enough like him so that everyone believes that I am him, except in those rare moments, like now, when I can be my true self," Stefano continued.
"No -- it can't be..." Kayla protested. "Oh, I assure you -- it is," Stefano insisted. "But take your time, Kayla -- look at me, listen to me... [Eventually], you will realize the truth -- I am back...and poised to reclaim everything that is rightfully mine," Stefano continued. "When did this happen?" Kayla wondered. "Last year," Stefano revealed. "Oh, my God...it's all starting to make sense..." Kayla admitted after a moment of thought, realizing why Steve had been acting like a completely different person for so long. "Steve was on his way home to you when my people intercepted him," Stefano reported, devastating Kayla.
Kayla tried to get through to Steve, but Stefano just laughed and insisted that Steve was gone for good.
Meanwhile, Rafe and Justin searched Kayla's office -- and found evidence of the work that Kayla had done on Stefano's gunshot wound.
Later, while checking the hospital's surveillance footage, Rafe and Justin discovered that Kayla had left the office the previous night with someone who had been wearing scrubs -- someone who, despite the disguise, looked a bit like Steve. Meanwhile, Kayla tried to leave the storage shed, but Stefano refused to allow that. "I am a wanted man, and you could prove very useful as a bargaining chip," Stefano reasoned.
At the Salem Inn, Kristen awoke with a start after a nightmare in which a newborn Rachel had vanished from the hospital without a trace but could still be heard crying throughout the building. Kristen couldn't help feeling that there was an important hidden meaning behind the nightmare, but Brady argued that a nightmare was sometimes just a nightmare.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Sarah awoke with a start after a nightmare in which Mackenzie had suddenly died. Sarah couldn't help feeling that there was an important hidden meaning behind the nightmare, but Xander argued that a nightmare was sometimes just a nightmare -- and the sounds that were periodically being transmitted through the baby monitor confirmed that Mackenzie was fine.
"There's nothing I wouldn't do to protect you and our daughter," Xander stressed. "Maybe we should just be a little careful about you calling yourself her father in front of Eric," Sarah warned. "Eric's making a serious mistake if he overplays his hand about being that little girl's father," Xander grumbled, confusing Sarah. "Sorry -- I didn't mean to disparage Eric," Xander quickly backpedaled.
"I just meant...you don't have to share DNA with a child to be a good father to them," Xander carefully clarified. "I agree... [And], speaking of DNA, I'm gonna call the hospital lab..." Sarah replied before reaching for a cell phone. "[You know, it was] so kind of Abigail [to] get tested [and] try to round up [other] potential donors... [And], God willing, one of them will be a match..." Sarah continued while dialing a phone number. "Let's hope so..." Xander agreed, clearly thinking of Tate.
Meanwhile, Victor entered the mansion in a wheelchair that Maggie was pushing. "For God's sakes, Maggie, I had a stroke -- I'm not some invalid that needs a wheelchair!" Victor protested. "I just wanted to get you home safely," Maggie explained. "[Now], let me be very clear about this -- you need to relax, [and] under no circumstances can you engage in anything that will cause you any anxiety," Maggie stressed -- just as Rafe entered the mansion and asked to talk to Victor about official police business.
"Don't you have your hands full, dealing with your homicidal maniac of a sister?" Victor asked. "She's in custody...and rest assured, she'll be facing the appropriate charges," Rafe replied, choosing to ignore the dig. "I'm more concerned about Arianna -- [I mean], with both parents in prison... Dear God!" Maggie fretted. "She doesn't know yet, does she?" Rafe asked. "Uh, no... [But] once they get more information on what Gabi is facing, then I'm sure they'll find a way to break the news to her," Maggie replied. "There's never a good time," Victor acknowledged. "But we'll do whatever we can for Sonny's daughter," Victor stressed.
"Great... [But] that is not why I'm here," Rafe replied. "I have reason to believe that someone under this roof has committed a very serious crime," Rafe continued, confusing Maggie and making Victor squirm a bit. "I can't imagine what you'd be investigating here -- last time there was a criminal living under this roof, it was Will Horton...and, as [Maggie] just said, he's behind bars [already]!" Victor innocently stressed. "I'm talking about Ben Weston," Rafe clarified. "I assume you've heard he escaped from prison -- [and] Ciara and Ben have had a history, [so] I'm concerned that she might be helping him," Rafe explained.
"My granddaughter is far too busy working her way up in a major corporation to be abetting a convicted felon -- and I happen to know for a fact that she's got a meeting at Titan this morning, [because] she texted me with questions [about it earlier]," Victor insisted. "Right... Yeah, well, I'm actually well aware of that meeting at Titan -- in fact, I was just there...[and] Ciara was a no-show. [And] my guess would be [that] if I asked to see your phone, those texts wouldn't be on it," Rafe countered. "What's going on?" Maggie interjected. "He's lying to me," Rafe explained.
"And I'm just wondering why," Rafe continued, eyeing Victor suspiciously. "Just because my granddaughter took pity on that convicted murderer, [that] doesn't mean that she's ruthless enough or stupid enough to try and break him out of prison!" Victor insisted. "I understand that...and I care about Ciara, too -- very much. I don't want to see her in trouble [any more than you do]. So, if she happens to text you, or call you, or stop by...please, let her know I need to speak to her right away," Rafe replied before exiting the mansion, leaving Victor alone with Maggie, who clearly shared the detective's suspicion.
"You were bluffing," Maggie guessed with a shake of the head. "You know, as well as I do, how much Ciara loves Ben -- [and that] she would do anything to help him," Maggie continued. "Don't worry -- I'll take care of it," Victor insisted. "[But] this is supposed to be a stress-free zone!" Maggie reiterated -- just as Xander entered the living room. "Welcome home!" Xander said to Victor. "Sarah's taking a shower, [and] I was supposed to check on the baby..." Xander explained before continuing to head toward the kitchen in search of something to feed Mackenzie. "Let me," Maggie volunteered before rushing off.
"Have you heard from Theresa?" Xander asked Victor as soon as the coast was clear. "Last time I checked, she hadn't heard anything," Victor replied. "Check again!" Xander begged. "I don't want to do that -- Theresa may become suspicious [if I do, and] we can't run the risk of someone finding out that we switched those babies!" Victor countered. "We did it for a good reason -- the best reason!" Xander stressed. "[And] I would be willing to do the same thing all over again...even though Brady has to suffer the consequences --" Victor admitted.
"What consequences?" Brady, who had just entered the mansion with Kristen, demanded to know, eyeing Victor and Xander suspiciously. "Xander and I were just discussing how Titan is thriving," Victor claimed. "With me at the helm," Xander stressed. "As I recall, Titan was doing just fine when I was CEO -- and then I was fired...for reasons that still haven't been explained to me," Brady countered. "Yeah -- and it turns out that Titan's loss was DiMera's gain; [I mean], Basic Black has been flourishing since Brady came aboard," Kristen raved.
"Is that why you're here -- to gloat?" Xander assumed. "No, Xander -- I'm here because my grandfather got out of the hospital, and I wanted to know how he was doing," Brady clarified. "Good as new," Victor reported. "Clearly...since you've already begun sticking your nose into business where it doesn't belong [yet again]," Brady countered, confusing Victor. "You went behind my back [and] had Tate -- and Theresa -- tested as donors for Mickey, [and] I would like to know why," Brady, who had found out what Victor had done when Tate had innocently mentioned the test during an earlier phone conversation about a Valentine's Day gift, elaborated.
"Maggie's granddaughter could die, and you're niggling about a simple blood test!" Victor summarized. "Tate and Mackenzie are not even closely related!" Brady stressed. "Close enough!" Victor countered. "We're casting the widest net possible to try and save a little girl's life! We'd get everyone in the world tested if we could! Why would you have a problem with that?" Xander interjected. "He doesn't. Having lost our own daughter, we sympathize. [But] why did you ask Theresa not to tell Brady?" Kristen answered for Brady. "I knew that she couldn't keep her mouth shut..." Victor grumbled. "It was Tate who told me," Brady clarified.
"I'm not leaving here 'til you tell me the truth -- ['til you tell me] why you insisted on keeping [this] a secret," Brady warned. "Victor just came back from the hospital -- you shouldn't be stressing him out like this!" Xander snapped. "That's a very convenient excuse, [but] if he had the strength to contact Theresa, he has the strength to give me a legitimate reason why he wanted to keep it a secret," Brady countered. "Unbelievable! Kristen's still getting inside your head! [I mean], that crackpot obviously has you convinced there's some sort of a conspiracy going on here -- when there isn't!" Victor declared.
"Don't insult her! We're together [now, and you need to] have some respect for us!" Brady demanded. "You can go now!" Xander ordered Brady, again sticking up for Victor.
Meanwhile, Maggie entered Sarah's bedroom and reported that Mackenzie was doing well. "She's been so brave through all this -- such a little trouper," Sarah raved. "Yes, well, she proved that from the start, when she was born on the side of the road," Maggie noted. "Yeah... I think about that night a lot -- you know, Adrienne being kind [enough to offer] to drive me to the hospital, and..." Sarah admitted. "It should have been me," Maggie fretted. "We've been over this -- [and] the good news is that you didn't get in that car and drive [while drunk]," Sarah stressed.
"You know, I can't imagine how this is affecting Will... The torture [of] that one lapse in judgment -- [that] one text that he couldn't wait to send -- [that] ended up [leading to him] killing Sonny's mother..." Maggie mused.
At the DiMera guesthouse, Ben and Ciara awoke to the sound of someone pounding on the front door. "It's the police -- they found me!" Ben fretted. "I will stall them," Ciara promised.
Ben hurriedly dressed then prepared to climb out a back window -- just as Chad impatiently called out Ciara's name and pounded on the front door again. Ben breathed a sigh of relief as Ciara opened the door and let Chad into the guesthouse. "Surprise, surprise..." Chad began with a shake of the head, glaring at Ben. "I thought I made myself clear [when] I told you I wanted you gone by today!" Chad continued. "I'm gonna come back here in one hour, [and] if you are not gone [by then], I am gonna call the police," Chad concluded. "Got it," Ben replied as Chad stormed back out of the guesthouse with another shake of the head.
"Chad's not messing around, Ciara -- I need to get out of here," Ben realized. "I'm coming with you," Ciara insisted. "No, you're not -- we've been over and over this!" Ben countered, but Ciara again refused to listen.
"I am not gonna let you die over a murder that you didn't commit...and you don't have to -- not if we find the person who really killed Jordan. [And] I've spent a lot of time thinking [about] who could have done this -- who would have had a reason to do this -- [and I've realized]...what if it was the father of Jordan's baby? [I mean], there must have been bad blood between them, [because] Jordan kept him from seeing his own son...[and] maybe that gave him motive to actually kill her," Ciara said to Ben, who found the theory surprising -- but also intriguing.
"[Justin] said he'll talk to his contacts in California [and] see if they can tell him anything about David's father," Ciara continued. "[You know], when Rafe started this whole process of trying to adopt David, he tried to get information on David's real father, [too]...and he struck out -- [I mean, he's] a cop, and he couldn't find a single lead," Ben pointed out, finding it hard to believe that Justin would have better luck. "[Then] we'll dig deeper -- [I mean], someone out there has to know who Jordan was involved with, right?" Ciara countered.
Ben conceded the point -- then urged Ciara to stay behind in Salem and work on proving the theory instead of committing to life on the run. Ciara tried to protest but eventually gave in and said a tearful goodbye to Ben.
Just as Ben and Ciara were about to part ways, Rafe burst into the guesthouse, having finally convinced Chad to stop stalling and allow a search of the place.
At Statesville, Will was summoned to the visitor's lounge -- and was surprised to see Sonny waiting there. "I'm sorry about your grandfather," Sonny began. "Oh... Uh, yeah -- thanks... But, uh, that can't be why you're here... W-what's going on?" Will replied. "It's very bad..." Sonny warned before telling Will about what had happened during Gabi and Eli's wedding ceremony the previous day.
"My God..." Will muttered with a shake of the head after hearing the whole story. "[Gabi's] at the police station, [and I'm] gonna go see her [later], but I wanted to, you know, fill you in first," Sonny explained. "[Look], she's going to see prison time...and I just know how difficult that's gonna be for our daughter..." Sonny warned. "Especially since I'm in here, too! I -- I mean, I'm -- I'm so sorry that I'm -- I'm not there to support Ari; I mean, you -- this should not all be on your shoulders!" Will fretted. "Well, I'm gonna do the best that I can," Sonny promised.
"You know, Ari is not the only reason I, uh, came here to see you today," Sonny admitted. "What else?" Will asked worriedly. "Will, why haven't you filed our divorce papers?" Sonny curiously replied.
"There...is a...very good reason...that I didn't file those papers..." Will carefully began to explain. "Divorce is a huge decision..." Will continued. "But we agreed -- I mean, we...we admitted...that...it was over between us, and that it was the right thing to do...right? [You know], because...I mean, we're just not gonna get over the fact that --" Sonny pointed out. "I know," Will quickly stressed, not wanting Sonny to finish the sentence. "What I mean is...I -- I just wanted to, um...read over the papers...one more time..." Will clarified. "Okay... Well...I mean...did you?" Sonny replied, still confused.
"Uh...yes, I did...[and] I was gonna, uh, file them...but, um...then...uh, something...something happened..." Will awkwardly tried to explain. "Um...Ben escaped...so...and -- and -- and the whole place was on lockdown 'til this morning, so there's no, you know, mail going...going in or out..." Will continued, still finding it difficult to reveal the whole truth. "Okay... Um...well, do you have them here -- do you have the papers? 'Cause then I -- I can just go ahead and take care of it..." Sonny offered. "Actually...um...the -- the warden...took the papers -- uh, they confiscated everything in my room, just to, you know, see if I was complicit in Ben's escape," Will reported.
"Well, did they give you any idea when -- when it -- when all of it would be returned?" Sonny asked. "No -- sorry," Will replied. "So, we're gonna have to wait for the prison to finish their investigation? Or...what, we're gonna have to start the whole process over again?" Sonny assumed. "Yeah... I mean, I -- I don't know which one would take more time, honestly..." Will admitted. "Well, maybe my dad would know --" Sonny began to suggest. "Well...m-m-maybe we should just...I don't know...you know, w-wait it out..." Will protested. "Will, are -- are...are you rethinking a divorce?" Sonny wondered.
Before Will could respond, a guard interrupted to announce that it was time for Sonny to leave. "Um... Well, I...I... Uh, tell, uh...Ari that I -- that I love her," Will said to Sonny. "I'll be in touch," Sonny replied before rushing off.
Will waited until the coast was clear then released a heavy sigh. "I don't want to lose Sonny...but if I tell the truth -- that Maggie killed his mother -- I will hurt so many of the people that I love..." Will fretted.
After giving the matter some thought, Will used the pay phone to contact someone -- then waited in the visitor's lounge, which Maggie eventually entered. "It's good to see you, Will...although I was a little surprised to get your call," Maggie began. "Yeah... Well, um...thank you for coming..." Will replied while squirming a bit, clearly still conflicted. "Of course! But...why do you want to see me?" Maggie asked curiously.
Meanwhile, at the Kiriakis mansion, Sarah joined Victor, Xander, Brady, and Kristen in the living room, where an argument was still in progress. Sarah tried to interrupt several times then finally shouted to shut everyone up -- and excitedly proceeded to reveal that someone from the hospital had just called to report that a bone marrow donor had been found for Mackenzie.
Ciara and Ben had a tearful goodbye in the DiMera guesthouse. Ciara promised to find the real killer. "Thank you for always believing in me," Ben said. "Always," Ciara said. After a kiss goodbye, Ciara opened the door to leave and found Rafe on the doorstep.
"I was really hoping you weren't a complete idiot. End of the road, Weston. Game over," Rafe said. As Rafe drew his gun, Ciara stepped between him and Ben. "I know you want justice for Jordan, but this is not it. Ben didn't do this," Ciara said. Rafe instructed Ciara to send any proof she had to the police station. Ciara started to object, but Ben said, "Ciara, he is right. It's over."
"Rafe, if you've ever cared about me at all, you won't do this. They've scheduled his execution date. It is next Friday, and it is going to be on your head that an innocent man was killed!" Ciara shouted. Rafe noted that the court system had done their job, and he needed to do his job. Ciara asked Rafe to look the other way like he had done when Hope had shot Stefano.
"Yeah, and that was a really big mistake," Rafe said. "He has no choice. He has to take me in," Ben said. Ciara pleaded with Rafe to think about David. "Ben is the only family that little baby has left. Do you really want to be responsible for getting him killed?" Ciara asked. "Was he thinking about David when he killed his mother?" Rafe countered. Ciara screamed that Ben had not killed Jordan. Rafe yelled at Ciara to step aside. Ben gently pushed Ciara away and let Rafe handcuff him.
Desperate, Ciara grabbed a baseball bat from the umbrella stand and knocked Rafe out. "Run," Ciara said. Ben dropped to his knees and checked Rafe's pulse. "At least you didn't kill him," Ben said. Ciara grabbed Ben and begged him to run. Reluctantly, Ben said he would see her soon. Ben kissed Ciara goodbye and ran off. Ciara roused Rafe awake and apologized.
"Thank God you're okay," Ciara said. Rafe asked where Ben had gone. "Bring me in. It's not like my mom is going to let you threaten me," Ciara said. "Your mom? Let me tell you something about your mom," Rafe said.
In the interrogation room at the police station, Sonny visited Gabi. Sonny said he had spoken to Justin, and Justin did not think that Gabi could avoid prison time. "Who gets the fun job of explaining this to Ari? Is it me?" Sonny asked. Sonny added that Arianna loved Julie, and that it would be difficult to explain that Gabi had attempted to kill Julie.
"Do you forget your daughter exists? Because she doesn't forget about you!" Sonny yelled. Gabi begged Sonny to stop yelling at her, but Sonny pressed on. "You know, this morning, I found myself wishing that the prisons were co-ed so that it could cut down on my drive time when I bring Ari to see her mommy and her daddy!" Sonny said. In tears, Gabi said, "You're being horrible."
"I get to! I get to! I just want to reach across this table right now and smack you in the face because you have this beautiful, gorgeous little girl that you care nothing about!" Sonny yelled. "That's not true!" Gabi protested. Sonny said that he was thankful that Arianna's earache had prevented her from attending the wedding and watching Gabi attack Julie. Gabi argued that Lani had pushed her into a corner.
"She was telling people the horrible things that you have done. And you have done some horrible things," Sonny said. "She killed Stefan. She had to pay," Gabi whispered. Sonny sighed in exasperation. Gabi yelled that she loved her daughter. "I'm going to lose her. It's not fair," Gabi said as she wept.
"You could not possibly make me feel worse than I already do," Gabi said. District Attorney James Gibbons entered and introduced himself. "I can't talk to you without my lawyer present," Gabi said. D.A. Gibbons shrugged and said he would reschedule in a week or two. Panicked, Gabi said she could not wait weeks.
"Your lawyer and I are very busy. Now, we managed to work out a plea deal, but if you need him here before I explain it to you, that's your prerogative," Gibbons said. Gabi asked about the deal. "Ten years in prison. No time out for good behavior. No chance at parole. That's the deal," Gibbons said. "My daughter will be almost grown by the time that I get out," Gabi noted. Gibbons pointed out that Gabi had confessed in front of 30 witnesses.
"Try to imagine how much I would love to take this to trial," Gibbons said. Gibbons noted that most of the guests had video of the attempted murder, which he could submit as evidence against Gabi at trial. "Ten years is a gift. Don't try my patience," Gibbons said. Gibbons warned Gabi that the plea deal was a limited-time offer. After Gibbons left, Gabi muttered, "What have I done?" Gabi broke down. Sonny took Gabi's hand.
"They could have thrown the book at you. If I were you, I would take the deal," Sonny said. Gabi argued that it was easy for Sonny to make the decision because he did not have to live "in hell." Sonny urged Gabi to remember that there was a time limit on the deal. "I don't need time. I know what I'm going to do," Gabi said.
In the bullpen of the police station, Rafe escorted Ciara to his desk. "Why didn't anyone tell me? My mother was in prison, thinking she was someone else, and no one thought to tell me?" Ciara asked. Rafe objected that he and Shawn had attempted to reach out to Ciara, but she had not answered their calls.
"I guess you were too busy harboring a fugitive," Rafe said. "What's this about harboring fugitives?" Gibbons said as he rounded the corner. Gibbons asked Ciara to tell him where to find Ben, or he would prosecute her for aiding and abetting a criminal. "No need. I'm not a fugitive anymore," Ben said as he walked in.
In the Kiriakis living room, Brady and Kristen grilled Victor and Xander about why they had gone behind Brady's back to ask Theresa about testing Tate. "Kristen is still getting inside your head," Victor charged. Brady ordered Victor not to insult Kristen. Brady added that if anyone needed anything from his son, they needed to ask him. Xander attempted to usher Brady and Kristen out of the room, but Brady grew argumentative. Sarah rushed in and interrupted.
"I have the most incredible news! The hospital called, and they have a bone marrow match for my daughter!" Sarah said excitedly. Xander glanced over at Victor. "Who is it?" Victor asked. Sarah said she did not know yet. Overjoyed, Sarah said she was going to call Eric, and she ran upstairs. Kristen noted that the match had to have been tested more recently than she and Brady.
"Then it was Theresa or Tate," Brady said. Brady looked over at Victor. "Can't we talk about this later?" Xander asked. Brady warned Xander that Tate was none of his business. "You know that giving bone marrow, this is not like giving blood, granddad. This is a big deal. He is a little boy," Brady said. Brady cautioned Victor not to make any decisions without Brady's consent. Victor agreed. Annoyed, Brady walked out.
"You've overplayed your hand once again, Victor," Kristen said before she walked out. Xander waited until Brady and Kristen were gone. "A match. It's got to be Tate, right?" Xander asked Victor. "It would seem so," Victor concurred. Xander noted that Brady and Kristen were not stupid.
At Basic Black, Nicole overheard Eric talking to Marlena on the phone about Mackenzie's illness. When Eric ended the call, Nicole told Eric that the entire staff at Basic Black had volunteered for testing to see if anyone was a bone marrow match for Mackenzie. "The odds are against us," Eric said. Nicole urged Eric to keep the faith, and she gave Eric a drawing from Holly.
"We fought so hard to be together, and nothing is going to tear us apart," Nicole assured Eric. With a grin, Eric said he wanted to frame his new drawing. Nicole spotted a bouquet of flowers from Eric and read the card. Nicole reminded Eric that Valentine's Day was over.
"I told you. This time it means it's forever. Like Valentine's Day, it doesn't just mean once a year. It just is," Eric said. As Nicole kissed Eric, Sarah called with the good news about the bone marrow match.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Xander asked Victor, "How do we explain this so that we don't tip them off that Mackenzie is actually their child?" Victor scowled at the doorway. Xander turned to see Sarah standing there. Xander threw on a smile and leaped to his feet. Fortunately, Sarah had not heard him. Sarah said that Eric was "over the moon" about the news. Victor asked about Maggie. Sarah said that she could not reach Maggie because she was at the prison to see Will.
When Xander asked why, Sarah shrugged. Sarah said Will had probably asked her to visit because he was lonely. Sarah kissed Xander, and she rushed out. "Why did Will call Maggie? Ciara must have told him the truth," Xander said. Victor scowled. Xander offered to go to the prison, but Victor urged Xander to stick with Sarah to avoid suspicion. "Call me as soon as you find out if Tate is a match. I'll have to come up with a cover story," Victor said.
Brady and Kristen returned to Basic Black. Nicole asked them if they had heard the news about Mackenzie. Kristen explained that they had been there when Sarah had talked to the hospital. Confused, Nicole asked why neither Brady nor Kristen looked happy.
"I love Mickey, I want Mickey to get well, but the match may be Tate," Brady said. Brady explained that Victor had had Tate tested behind Brady's back. "Tate? Isn't that a long shot?" Nicole asked. Brady wondered aloud why Victor had kept Tate's test a secret from him. Nicole noted that the odds of first cousins matching were astronomical.
"The only thing that I know about my grandfather is that he doesn't do anything without knowing the odds," Brady said. While Nicole and Brady started to work, Kristen noticed the roses. "Brady, you shouldn't have," Kristen said. Nicole corrected Kristen's assumption.
"You and Eric are back together?" Kristen asked. Nicole said yes. "How nice. Brady and I are, too," Kristen said. Nicole joked that she hoped Brady's life insurance policy was up to date. As Brady smirked, his phone rang. While Brady stepped into the hallway, Kristen asked Nicole for an apology. Nicole asked why. Kristen said Nicole needed to apologize for lying about her fake relationship with Brady.
"Let me get this straight. You push nurses down stairs when they deliver bad news. You take potshots at brides who steal your man. You put on a mask and pretended to be me just to get Brady back in bed. You staged my daughter's death, and I hurt your feelings? I have a real problem seeing you as fragile," Nicole said. Kristen reminded Nicole that she had saved Nicole's life.
"And then you did everything you could to steal it back!" Nicole barked. Kristen said that Haley had not only delivered bad news but had delivered the news of her daughter's death. "I hate you, but I hope you never have to go through that much pain," Kristen said. Brady returned, and he announced that the bone marrow registry had called Theresa and told her that she was not a match. "What about Tate?" Nicole asked.
In prison, Will met with Maggie. "I was a little surprised to get your call," Maggie said. Will thought about his conversation with Ciara about his innocence. Will told Maggie that he was sorry to hear about Mackenzie, and he offered to submit to testing to see if he was a bone marrow match.
"They haven't found a donor. I wish it could have been me. I so love that little girl," Maggie said. Maggie apologized for not visiting Will sooner. "The truth is, it hurts me to see you here, because the worst night of your life was mine, too. Seeing you, it's 'there but for the grace of God go I,'" Maggie said. Will asked what Maggie meant.
Maggie told Will that she had been drunk the night of the crash. Will asked Maggie if she wanted to talk about it. With a nod, Maggie noted, "No one can make you drink." Will pushed Maggie to open up. Maggie told Will that her daughter Summer had shown up on Mother's Day with a bottle of vodka and the news that Summer was dying of cirrhosis.
"She was an alcoholic because of me. The problem is that I thought she was right, and it was overwhelming, and I thought that I'd feel so much better at the bottom of that bottle," Maggie said. Maggie added that she had no memory of that night of drinking. "I let both of my girls down. It was terrible," Maggie said. Maggie added that she did not know what had stopped her from getting in the car that night, but she was thankful that she had not.
"Are you sure?" Will asked. "Why would you ask me that?" Maggie said. Will noted that Maggie had no memory, and she could not know for sure that she had not driven that night. "Well, I don't know for sure. I woke up the next day in my bed. I just assumed," Maggie said. Will smiled sadly.
"I don't want to upset you, but I do remember everything about that night," Will said. "I know how much you've lost, and I'm so sorry," Maggie said. Maggie said she hoped that Will would get a second chance. Will said he did not remember that he had drifted into the other lane. As Will started to talk about the accident, Victor walked in.
"What are you doing here?" Maggie asked. Victor sat down next to Maggie, and he asked Will why he had summoned her to the prison. Maggie explained that Will had offered to test his blood for Mackenzie. Victor noted that the hospital had already found a match. Victor said that Sarah had asked for Maggie.
"Please tell Sarah how happy I am for her," Will said. Maggie smiled. After Maggie left, Victor asked Will why he had actually wanted to talk to Maggie. Will confessed that Ciara had told him the truth about the accident and that Maggie had caused it. When Will accused Victor and Xander of framing him, Victor disagreed.
"You confessed. You admitted that you killed Adrienne. Of course, we believed you," Victor said. Victor argued that he and Xander had scrambled to protect Maggie from a drunk-driving charge and nothing more. "The way you protected Maggie cost me a year of my life," Will said. Will added that Victor had cost Will his marriage.
"So, what, are you going to tell Maggie your version of the crime to get back at me? Have you thought at all about what that would do to her? That she might have killed her own...?" Victor asked. "Her own what?" Will countered. Victor covered and said that Maggie had thought of Adrienne as family. Victor promised to pull any strings he had to secure Will's freedom quickly, and he promised to take care of Arianna.
"Please, please don't tell Maggie what you know. God saw fit to take that memory away from her that night, and I pray to God that she never, ever remembers," Victor said.
At the hospital, Xander sat with Sarah and Mackenzie in the waiting area. "What happens next?" Xander asked. Sarah said that the next step was to contact the donor and see if they were healthy and willing to donate bone marrow. "Then they will administer an intense chemotherapy to destroy Mickey's own immune system, which will be brutal," Sarah said. Sarah worried aloud about all the things that could go wrong.
"We have a match. Let's focus on that. She has a much better chance than she did yesterday," Xander said. Sarah kissed Xander and hugged him. Eric arrived at the hospital, and he stiffened when he saw Sarah hugging Xander. "Those prayers worked," Sarah said as she pulled away from Xander. Eric nodded. Mackenzie started to cry, and Sarah noted that she needed to change the baby's diaper. Sarah headed to the bathroom.
"So, I hear that you and Sarah are together?" Eric asked. "I imagine you have a problem with that," Xander said sullenly. Eric countered that he could not tell Sarah how to live her life. Eric added that he had not forgotten how Xander had treated women in the past. "If you ever hurt Sara or my daughter, you will have to answer to me," Eric growled.
When Maggie arrived at the hospital, Sarah and Eric were leaving the waiting area to see the doctor. Xander intercepted Maggie and asked her to wait with him. "There's a match, right?" Maggie asked. Xander nodded yes. Xander asked about Will. Maggie said Will was fine, but then she thought about when Will had asked her if she was sure that she had not driven the night of the accident. Worried about the look on Maggie's face, Xander asked her if she was okay.
Outside the doctor's office, Sarah and Eric eagerly opened the envelope with the test results. "Oh, my God. You are never going to believe this," Sarah exclaimed.
