Days of our Lives Recaps: The week of June 15, 2009 on DAYS

Comprehensive daily recaps for Days of our Lives, dating back to 1996.

Monday, June 15, 2009

by LaDaisia

Stephanie was on the terrace at the Kiriakis mansion when Philip approached her from behind and accidentally scared her. Philip assured her that her ordeal with Owen was over, but she was still rattled. Victor demanded to speak to Philip immediately.

At the Brady Pub, Rafe told Arianna that Grace was Sami's biological baby and that Sami lied to everyone else about it to keep the DiMeras from finding out the truth. Arianna did not blame Sami for wanting to keep Grace safe from the DiMeras-Arianna said she would have done the same thing. Arianna realized that nothing she said about his relationship with Sami made a difference. Rafe wondered what changed Arianna's mind, and she said it was because Sami wasn't the problem-Rafe was.

Rafe wondered how his sister felt that he was the problem. Arianna said the way he pursued Sami reminded her of his previous relationship. Arianna felt his judgment was clouded by his loss, but she felt like he would see that she was right when the dust settled.

Sami informed Will that Grace wasn't her adopted daughter-she was Sami's biological child. Will asked why Sami lied about Grace being Sami's baby. Sami explained that she left Grace at the convent and then thought up the lie that Grace was adopted. She said the reason she lied to Will was to protect Grace from her father. Will asked who Grace's father was, and Sami told him it was E.J. Sami explained that she didn't want another child to have to deal with the DiMeras like Johnny had to.

Sami said she planned not to tell E.J. at first, but after Grace died, she felt she needed to tell E.J. She knew that E.J. would tell other people, and she wanted Will to hear it from his mother first. Will was furious at Sami for withholding the truth until Grace died. He asked Sami if she would have told him the truth otherwise. Sami told Will that if things had not happened the way they did, she might have kept the secret forever to protect Grace.

Sami apologized for lying to Will, and Will asked why she lied to him. He wondered if she didn't trust him. Sami said it wasn't about trust. Will said Lucas would go crazy when he found out the truth, and Sami said Lucas already knew. Will asked Sami when she told Lucas about Grace being her biological baby, and she said that Lucas knew all along. Will was furious at Sami and started to leave. He opened the door, and Rafe was standing there.

Rafe asked where Will was going in such a hurry, and Will demanded he move out of the way. Rafe asked Will to stay so that they could talk. He told Will that Sami needed him, but Will said he would be back for his things later. Rafe asked if Sami wanted him to go after Will, but she felt it wouldn't do any good. Rafe reminded Sami that she was an amazing mother. He said he knew how much Sami loved her children. She said she didn't mean to hurt Will, and Rafe said that Will knew that.

Rafe thought that Will just needed time to calm down. Sami said she felt like she was having a bad dream that she would wake up from and realize that Grace was still alive. Sami wanted to tell the rest of her family the truth, as well, and Rafe offered to be there for her.

Sami said she would never be able to repay him for all that he did for her, but she thought it would be best if he left. Rafe said he turned down his job in New York because he fell in love with Sami. Rafe said he would never understand why Grace had to die, but he couldn't make it without Sami. He thought that Sami felt the same way, but he realized he might be a reminder of what Sami lost. Sami said it was a good thing to think of Grace when she looked at Rafe. She said Rafe sacrificed for and protected her and Grace. She said nothing would bring Grace back, but she didn't want him to go, because she loved him.

At the park, Will ran into Mia, who was carrying her bags to Maggie's house. Mia was glad to be out of the apartment. Her cousin broke up with her boyfriend, and her cousin's new boyfriend was mean. Will considered Mia lucky, because she was able to get away from people she hated. Mia sensed that something happened, and he told her that Sami lied about Grace. Will didn't think he could ever forgive Sami.

Will said he didn't know why he was surprised that Sami lied to him, since that was her pattern. Will said it was hypocritical of parents to tell their kids not to lie, when they did it themselves. He said that was the reason he left town the last time. Mia asked if Will was planning to leave Salem again. Will said part of him wanted to go back to Switzerland, while there were people in Salem that he would miss. Mia looked at him and smiled. Will agreed to stay in town for the time being, and Mia was pleased.

E.J. came home and told Nicole that Sydney had a sister and that Grace was his biological child with Sami. Nicole almost let it slip that she knew, by asking if Sami told him. That raised E.J.'s suspicions, but Nicole was able to cover. E.J. asked if Nicole knew that Grace was his child, and Nicole said she didn't know Grace was his. Then she pretended not to believe Sami and asked if E.J. believed Sami. She asked what Sami said, and E.J. explained how Sami told him the truth when he went to her place to offer his condolences.

Nicole said she couldn't understand why Sami kept the truth to herself until Grace's death. E.J. figured it was because the pain of losing their daughter was too much for her and she wouldn't be able to keep up a lie. Sydney began to cry, and Nicole started to go check on her, but E.J. wanted to do it. Stefano walked in the room, having heard E.J.'s voice, and called after him, but Nicole stopped Stefano. She told Stefano that Sami told E.J. that Grace was E.J.'s daughter.

Stefano wondered why Sami decided to tell E.J. at that time, and Nicole wondered what that meant for Nicole and Sydney. Stefano said things might have worked out in Nicole's favor, because since E.J. knew the truth, he would have nothing to do with Sami. Nicole explained that E.J. had feelings for Sami, even if he did not want to admit it. Nicole worried that E.J. and Sami's feelings might resurface.

Upstairs, E.J. held Sydney and told her that she brightened his day no matter how badly his day was going. E.J. wished that Sydney had met her sister, Grace.

Stefano told Nicole to focus and control her jealousy. He reminded her that E.J. could not find out that she knew about Grace, or their relationship was over. He told Nicole that she was the mother of E.J.'s daughter-the daughter E.J. knew as his since the beginning. Nicole said Sydney was E.J. and Sami's child, but Stefano convinced her to think of Sydney only as Nicole and E.J.'s child.

Stefano said that Sami had E.J.'s heart, but so did Nicole. He was confident that Nicole would prevail if she reminded herself of that. When Stefano left the room, she thought to herself how she wished she had his confidence. E.J. walked in holding Sydney. E.J. told her that Sydney started crawling. Nicole was proud that Sydney was cooing ahead of schedule and she was sorry she missed it. Nicole realized that her remark might seem insensitive, so she apologized, but he told her there was no reason to be sorry just because he had missed all of Grace's firsts.

E.J. admitted to Nicole that he and Sami had been too close, that he was in love with Sami for a long time, but he was finally able to admit to himself that he'd had feelings for Sami. Nicole asked if he still had feelings for Sami. E.J. said he had no feelings for Sami other than hatred. He apologized for hurting Nicole. Nicole said she forgave E.J.

He said the whole experience opened his eyes to the fact that Nicole and Sydney were most important to him. He said that Nicole would never lie to him and would never put her own interests first. He said that Nicole always put their child's needs first, and Nicole promised that she always would.

At the Brady Pub, Bo found out that Owen got away from police custody while he was being transferred to a more secure prison. He told Hope about it and realized that someone else could connect Owen to the DiMeras, so they left.

Stephanie got word from Bo that Owen was free, and she told Brady and Melanie. Melanie was worried that Owen might be crazy enough to return to the Kiriakis mansion. Stephanie said that Bo and Hope were on their way over to question Stephanie about Owen. Meanwhile, Victor told Philip about Owen getting free. Victor assured Philip that Stephanie was safe, and Philip suspected that the DiMeras were behind it.

Victor was ready to deal with the situation family to family. Philip agreed. Victor asked Philip to convince Stephanie to lie about her kidnapping so that the DiMeras wouldn't be implicated and Victor might be able to call a truce.

Bo asked Brady if Owen ever mentioned the DiMeras, and Brady said Owen never did. Brady suggested that the only person who might have proof of the DiMera link was Stephanie.

Outside, Philip told Stephanie and Melanie about Victor's plans for a truce and that the only way to do that was to keep the police in the dark about Owen's connection to the DiMeras. Melanie was fine with that, but Stephanie wasn't. Stephanie wondered why Philip thought she would be okay with it. Philip asked Melanie for privacy. Stephanie was upset that Philip wanted her to lie, even though she said she would never do that. He tried to convince Stephanie that if she implicated E.J., the DiMeras would strike back with a vengeance.

Melanie sat down with Bo and Hope, and she assured them that Owen never mentioned E.J. or the DiMeras. Melanie suggested that they were wasting time questioning her when Owen was still on the loose. Stephanie walked into the living room with Philip, and she was ready to talk to Bo and Hope, but when Hope wanted to speak to Stephanie alone, she made it clear that she wanted Philip to hear what she had to say.

Bo asked Stephanie if Owen mentioned who hired him, and Stephanie said that he did not. She said that Owen only said that he wanted to take her away to start a new life with her. Philip noticed she was getting upset, so he asked them to end their questioning and leave.

At the mausoleum, Brady brought flowers to put on his mother's grave, when Arianna walked in. She explained that she liked to cut through the cemetery on the way home from work and she saw Brady. She started to leave, but Brady asked her to stay. He explained that he never got a chance to know his mother, because she died when he was a baby. Melanie walked in, and Brady asked why she was there. Melanie said Henderson told her where to find him. Arianna excused herself and left.

Brady asked how Melanie's questioning with Bo and Hope went, but Melanie said something bigger just came up. Melanie asked if Brady had feelings for Arianna. Meanwhile, Arianna placed flowers on the grave of a woman named Emily Hudson.

Stephanie told Philip that she only lied to end the feud with the DiMeras. Then she realized she had a doctor's appointment, and Philip promised her there would be no more lies.

Stephanie told a therapist about her nightmares, and the therapist prescribed some pills to relieve her anxiety and help her sleep. She didn't want to take any pills, but the therapist said it was up to Stephanie as to whether she wanted to take them.

Victor tracked Philip down at the hospital, asking him to set up a meeting with the DiMeras immediately. Stephanie saw Victor and Philip discreetly talking about the feud. She looked at her pills.

At the Brady Pub, Bo and Hope realized that Victor convinced Stephanie to lie, because she had the opportunity to send E.J. to jail. Bo said that Philip probably told Stephanie that if she implicated E.J., it would only inflame tensions between the Kiriakises and the DiMeras. He said this way, the two families were even. Hope said the silver lining was that Bo didn't have to arrest his father, Victor. Bo was worried that Stephanie was in deeper than she knew.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

by Spalding

At the Brady Pub, Melanie stopped by to visit Max and get a cup of coffee. Max told Melanie about his plan to move to London, and Melanie was crushed. Melanie pleaded with Max to stay, and added that she needed his support. Max noted that Melanie could rely on Brady, and she agreed. Melanie launched into her story about Stephanie's kidnapping, upsetting Max, who had not heard the story before.

When Melanie told Max what she had done to save Stephanie, Max shook his head and asked Melanie why she took so many risks in her life. "I don't think that I should leave you here by yourself," Max said. When Max asked Melanie to join him in London, she noted that Chelsea would not approve of her tagging along with him. Max assured Melanie that he would work things out with Chelsea first.

At Maggie's house, Mia was overwhelmed by Maggie's hospitality. When Mia told Maggie that she could not accept her assistance because she was not worthy, Maggie urged her to stay. Mia backtracked a little and said that she was worried that she could not offer any rent. Maggie told Mia not to worry because she wanted to help Mia from relapsing.

Feeling guilty, Mia argued that she had done horrible things. Shaking her head, Maggie countered that she had her own demons in her life and that Mia should leave her "past in the past." Maggie shared that she had been alone when she arrived in Salem, and she was happy to help someone who was in the same situation that she had been in all those years ago. "You're the nicest person I've ever known," Mia cried as she hugged Maggie. Melanie entered the kitchen and watched the two women hugging.

After Mia left, Melanie expressed her concern that Maggie did not know Mia very well. Smiling, Maggie explained that Mia was "lovely and afraid and not so different from you." Melanie apologized and explained that she was jealous that she had to share Maggie with someone else.

When Maggie asked about Melanie's application for nursing school, Melanie explained that she was going to drop it off later. As Maggie went to her bedroom to call Mickey, Melanie took her nursing school application out of the desk drawer. "Maybe London wouldn't be so bad," Melanie said quietly.

Brady bumped into Nicole at the Java Caf, and he asked her if she heard about Sami's lie about Grace's parentage. When Brady wondered aloud whether E.J. would be as upset about Nicole's lie about Sydney, Nicole gritted her teeth. Nicole explained that E.J. hated Sami and that her marriage to E.J. was more solid than ever.

Arching an eyebrow, Brady warned Nicole that she could be the next Sami. Brady reminded Nicole that other people knew that Sydney was not her baby. To stress his point, Brady pointed out Mia as she entered the caf. Nicole countered that Mia was not an issue, since Mia felt no connection to Sydney when she held her.

When Brady took a phone call, Mia walked over to Nicole and thanked her for helping her visit Grace before she died. Nicole asked her not to mention it again, and smiling, Mia agreed. As Brady walked back over to Nicole, Mia left to talk to the manager about a job application. Nicole reiterated to Brady that her marriage was good and that though she knew he meant well, he did not understand her situation.

Brady urged Nicole to realize that her "life was built on lies," but Nicole asked Brady to stop talking to her about coming clean to E.J. "Love has nothing to do with what you're going for, and deep down you know it. You know it," Brady whispered before leaving the caf.

Down at the pier, Philip and Victor waited impatiently for Stefano and E.J. to arrive for their meeting. When E.J. arrived, Philip questioned him about Owen. E.J. refused to turn over Owen because he was not able to. However, E.J. swore that his men were looking for Owen and that his men would treat Own harshly when they found him.

Victor was unnerved that Stefano was not at the meeting, but E.J. assured Victor that he spoke for the DiMera family. Victor pushed Philip to walk away, but Stefano arrived and assured Victor that E.J. spoke for him. E.J. talked about his recent loss and said that it was the catalyst for his desire to end the violence between the two families. Turning to Philip, E.J. asked to broker a truce with him. Victor was irked by the request, so Philip took Victor aside to talk.

Philip urged Victor to see the request as a changing of the guard in the DiMera family, and Victor reluctantly agreed to let Philip handle the situation. "I hate that sniveling little Brit," Victor huffed before rejoining E.J. and Stefano. While their fathers watched them talk, E.J. and Philip agreed to go back to their original territories and business practices.

When E.J. and Stefano returned to the DiMera mansion, E.J. dropped his cool exterior. Still lamenting the loss of his daughter Grace, E.J. yelled about his naivet for accepting Sami's adoption story. Stefano reminded E.J. that he made the correct choice in picking Nicole rather than Sami. "She always has your best interests at heart," Stefano said. Still fuming, E.J. ranted about how Sami was selfish and "not human." E.J. swore never to allow Sami to disrespect his wife again. He added, Nicole "would never lie about a child!"

Stefano studied E.J. as he paced the living room, and then asked him how he was going to deal with Sami. E.J. opened the desk drawer and pulled out a legal document. Stefano studied the document and murmured, "brilliant." "She's never gonna know what hit her!" E.J. shouted triumphantly.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Stephanie walked out on to the terrace and found a note from Philip. The note explained that Philip needed to go to an early morning business meeting, but that Henderson would get Stephanie breakfast. "Do you want coffee?" a voice said. Stephanie turned to find Owen standing by the table with a carafe of coffee.

Terrified, Stephanie froze even as Owen walked over to her. Owen gently caressed Stephanie's neck and complimented her perfume. Stephanie reiterated that she loved Philip, but Owen said that he would have to save her from herself. From behind Stephanie, Henderson asked whether she wanted coffee. Stephanie opened her eyes and realized that her confrontation with Owen was just in her imagination. Shaken, Stephanie declined Henderson's offer and instead took a pill.

When Philip arrived home, Stephanie was sitting out on the terrace staring at her bottle of pills. Philip announced he had good news, prompting Stephanie to eagerly shout out, "You found Owen?" When Philip admitted he had no information on Owen, Stephanie's face fell. Philip assured Stephanie that his men were looking for Owen and that the guards were on high alert to make sure he could not get back onto the grounds.

As Stephanie seemed to calm down, Henderson brought Philip a letter, which Philip shoved into his pocket. Upset, Stephanie demanded to see the letter. "No more lies, Philip!" Stephanie screamed as she ripped the letter from Philip's hand.

At Salem Hospital, Melanie arrived late for her shift. When Melanie explained that she was late because she was dropping off her application for nursing school downstairs, the nurse on shift chastised Melanie for applying. The nurse explained that Melanie was too selfish to care about other people. Melanie disagreed and then walked over to her candy striper cart. Noticing a pamphlet on England, Melanie studied the cover and debated whether to go to school or move to England.

When the nurse returned to the station, she noticed Melanie standing at her cart. Angry that Melanie had still not started her rounds, the nurse told Melanie to get going. Smiling, Melanie countered, "I've decided that taking care of the sick is boring, so I quit." Giggling, Melanie ran out of the hospital.

At the Brady Pub, Max asked Stephanie how she was doing since her ordeal with Owen was over. Melanie said she was fine, but Max did not believe her. Worried, Max reminded Stephanie that Philip would never change, but Stephanie told Max that the Kiriakis feud with the DiMeras was finally over.

Stephanie asked Max about moving to London, and when he looked surprised, Stephanie explained that she had received an email from Chelsea earlier. Stephanie admitted that she was happy for Max, but that she would miss him and Chelsea when they were gone. Smiling wistfully, Max begged Stephanie to be careful.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

by ChickenGrrl

At the hospital, Melanie contemplated some brochures about London, where Max was about to move. When Nurse Maxine caught her, Melanie declared, "I've decided that taking care of sick people is boring-so I quit!" As Melanie walked away, giggling, she ran right into a handsome young man. Melanie apologized for not watching where she was going. The man asked where the administrative office was, and Melanie became a little flustered as she gave him directions.

Brady arrived just as the other man was leaving, and witnessed Melanie's befuddled state and sheepish grin. He accused her of instantly falling for the new guy. Melanie denied it, explaining that her happiness was because she was about to start her new life. She explained that Max was moving to London, and she was moving there, too, because he was her only reason for staying in Salem.

Brady pointed out that Melanie had a habit of running away the minute her life didn't seem perfect, and besides, she had plenty of people who cared about her in Salem. Melanie wasn't convinced, so Brady volunteered to be her stand-in brother after Max left.

Brady had to leave for a hospital board meeting, but playfully ordered Melanie not to leave town without talking to him first. Melanie laughed as she saluted in agreement. After Brady left, Melanie asked Nurse Maxine about they guy she'd run into before. Maxine gave her a stern look, but allowed a mischievous grin as she declared that Melanie should just ask the young man herself. Melanie turned around to find the man standing right behind her.

Quickly apologizing for being nosy, Melanie introduced herself, and the man replied that his name was Nathan. He explained that he'd just arrived from Nashville, and hoped that University Hospital would give him the break he needed. Melanie gushed that it was a great place to work, causing Maxine to roll her eyes. Melanie had just offered to show Nathan around when his phone rang. He agreed to meet the caller at the Brady Pub, then hung up, said goodbye to Melanie, and left.

Maggie arrived at the hospital to return Melanie's wallet, which Melanie had forgotten at home. Maggie asked if Melanie had turned in her application for nursing school, and then brought up the living arrangements at the house. Melanie interrupted, assuring Maggie that everything was fine, but she was running late. Melanie dashed off, leaving Maggie a bit exasperated.

Melanie went home to the Horton house a little later, where she was startled to find a freshly showered Nathan toweling off. He greeted her casually, but she was clearly freaked out. "What are you doing in my house?" she stammered.

Stephanie read the note she'd snatched from Philip's pocket: "A new car for Miss Stephanie has been delivered and is parked in the driveway." She apologized for being so paranoid and ruining Philip's surprise. He assured her that she didn't need to apologize, explaining that he'd gotten the car for her as a gift because she'd just graduated from college. Her embarrassment assuaged, Stephanie excitedly asked if she could see her new car, and Philip led her by the hand through the house to show it to her.

When they returned to the terrace a short time later, Stephanie admitted that she was reluctant to accept such an expensive gift, because she was not into material things. Philip urged her to take it, since it was so much more fuel-efficient than her old car, and therefore better for the environment. Finally she accepted with a grin, and kissed Philip to thank him.

Philip then proudly informed Stephanie that his father had allowed him to broker a truce with the DiMeras. "You're going to be marrying into a very different Kiriakis family," he assured her. He asked her to wait while he went inside for a moment.

Stephanie removed a prescription bottle from her purse, remembering how the doctor had prescribed the pills for her anxiety and insomnia. As Stephanie swallowed one of the pills, the memory of Owen holding her captive in the morgue disturbed her so much that she quickly downed a second pill.

Philip returned with a bottle of champagne, announcing that they were celebrating both her graduation and the truce with the DiMeras. Stephanie declined at first, and Philip thought it was because she was still so traumatized. Then her mood apparently changed dramatically, and she declared with a smile that it was a great idea. Philip poured two glasses of champagne. "To us, and our love," he toasted.

After they'd finished their first glassfuls, Stephanie kissed Philip aggressively, loosening his tie and pushing him onto the chaise lounge. Brady interrupted them when he arrived looking for Victor. Philip quickly filled Brady in about ending the war with the DiMeras, but Brady seemed skeptical.

When Philip went inside to take a business call, Stephanie asked why Brady was so doubtful about the truce. Brady shrugged it off, asserting that everyone was focused on other things, like Sami's baby. Stephanie remembered sadly that the funeral was later that day. Brady informed her that it was worse than that: Sami had lied that Grace was adopted, because E.J. DiMera was the father.

The news stunned Stephanie so much that she momentarily lost her balance. She explained it as merely too much champagne for breakfast, and asserted that she would have done the same thing in Sami's situation. Brady was worried that E.J. would show up at Grace's funeral, and his concern was for both Sami and Stephanie, who hadn't seen E.J. since the kidnapping. Stephanie declared that she was still going to the funeral.

As Brady was leaving, Philip returned. He apologized that he couldn't accompany Stephanie to the memorial, because he had to go to Chicago on business. Stephanie assured Philip that she would be fine, adding that nothing would stop her from going.

Kate and her assistant, Chris, were at the Java Caf, discussing Hearth & Home TV's first taping later that day. Kate was annoyed when Chris informed her that he'd been researching doctors to replace Daniel Jonas, who had refused to do the medical segment. She was confidently determined that she could convince Daniel to do it. A bemused Chris asked how he could help. Kate demanded to know if he'd managed to dig up the dirt on Daniel as she'd asked.

Chris replied that his source hadn't come through yet, but Kate was insistent-and angry. Admitting that Kate sometimes terrified him, Chris immediately logged on to check his email. He was relieved to find that the information was there, and Kate seemed pleased by what she read on Chris's computer.

Daniel was jogging through the park when he ran into Chloe. Chloe found herself fantasizing about the two of them kissing, tearing off each other's clothes, but quickly snapped out of it. She asked if she were the reason Daniel had decided not to do the medical segment on her show. Daniel acknowledged that she was, especially after their recent talk. Chloe declared that she since had pulled herself together, and she and Lucas had resolved things.

She added that it was thanks to Daniel, who had helped her see the big picture. Daniel was uncomfortable when Chloe insisted that she would always be grateful-and admire him. He briefly recalled their passionate lovemaking in front of his fireplace, but covered, asserting that he was glad that Chloe and Lucas were working things out.

Chloe had to leave to tape the TV show, but maintained that no matter whom Kate got to replace Daniel, they could never match him. Chloe thanked Daniel for being such a good friend, and stuck out her hand somewhat awkwardly. Daniel shook it reluctantly, unable to hide the pain and longing in his eyes.

Kate called Daniel just as Chloe left, and asked him to meet her at the Java Caf right away. He tried to refuse, but she was adamant. While Kate waited, she imagined that she was visiting Chloe's grave. Daniel found her with a smug smile on her face, and asked why she seemed so pleased. Kate declared that she had an offer for him. Although he reminded her that he had already refused to do the TV show, Daniel agreed to hear her out.

Kate explained that she'd learned from Victor what Daniel's generous annual salary was. Her company was willing to donate that sum to the breast-cancer charity of his choice in memory of his late wife, if Daniel would agree to appear on the show. Daniel was instantly skeptical about why Kate would want him working so closely with Chloe. Kate insisted that she still wanted to get past her anger, and urged him to think about the good that amount of money would do.

Daniel retorted that if it were so important to her, she could donate the money herself-and find another doctor for the show. Kate pointed out that he would also be educating the women who watched the show, and asked him to think about it some more. She then left for the studio.

Maggie, who had been eavesdropping, approached Daniel and asked how he could seriously consider Kate's offer. Daniel confessed that he didn't know if he could work side-by-side with Chloe, because he wasn't good at keeping his feelings buried. Maggie declared that she admired Daniel for how hard he'd fought to keep things under control. She advised him to think about the benefit such a sizable donation to cancer research could provide-because he might actually be stronger than he thought.

After Maggie left, Daniel called Kate to tell her that he accepted her offer. A relieved Kate informed him that everyone was meeting on the terrace at the Kiriakis house. She thanked him and hung up. Kate then removed the medicine bottle from her purse. "Deadly poison. Absolutely untraceable," she said to herself. "Goodbye, Chloe. Goodbye, Daniel. It'll all be over soon."

Chloe went to St. Luke's, where she thanked God for giving her strength, and helping her toward building a good marriage with Lucas. While she prayed, however, she couldn't stop thinking-and fantasizing-about Daniel. Upset with herself, she fled from the sanctuary, but ran into Father Matt in the vestibule. Seeing her stricken expression, he asked what was wrong. "I'm cheating on my husband," Chloe blurted.

The priest urged Chloe to calm herself. She explained that she hadn't actually slept with Daniel, but she couldn't stop thinking about him, because she still loved and wanted him so much. Father Matt sympathized that it was difficult to understand God's plans: the Church taught people to follow their hearts, but also to consider the hearts of others. Chloe confided that she'd recently realized that her constant uncertainty about whether she had done the right thing was hurting Daniel-but she still couldn't get over him. "I'm more in love with him than ever," she cried miserably.

Father Matt reassured Chloe that fantasies were not reality, and were rarely what we actually wished for. Chloe expressed her relief that Daniel had been strong during her earlier weakness-and that he would not be working with her on Kate's TV show.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

by LaDaisia

Rafe grabbed the newspaper out of Sami's hand and demanded that she eat something so she wouldn't pass out at Grace's memorial service. Sami told him that the newspaper didn't list him as Grace's father in the obituary. He insisted that Sami eat because she hadn't eaten anything since, and Sami finished his sentence, "since Grace died."

At the DiMera mansion, E.J. looked at the obituary in the newspaper and noticed that no one was listed as Grace's father. He was distraught and said it was as if Grace didn't even have a father. Nicole and Stefano noticed how upset E.J. was. Stefano asked Nicole if she needed to be in the living room comforting E.J., but Nicole said that E.J. didn't want Nicole in the room with him-he only wanted Sydney nearby.

Stefano said he couldn't believe that Sami decided to tell the truth about something-a first for Sami-when it would have been best for Sami to keep quiet. Nicole said that E.J. was mourning a child that wasn't his, and Stefano credited Nicole for that. Nicole wasn't very happy about that.

At the Java Caf, Mia told her boss, Evan, that she couldn't work until Grace's funeral was over. Evan told her that while he understood how she felt, he needed her to work that afternoon, because he would be understaffed for the lunch rush. Mia said if he didn't like it, he could fire her. Will overheard Mia and urged her not to attend the service for Will's sake. Mia said she wasn't attending to please Will; she was doing it for herself.

Nicole had never seen E.J. in such pain. Stefano reminded her that E.J. thought he lost a child, and that was a pain like no other. Nicole worried that E.J. would find out about the baby switch, and Stefano grabbed her and reminded her that E.J. should never find out the truth. Nicole felt bad for letting E.J. go through so much pain. Stefano said if Nicole didn't let E.J. grieve a child that wasn't his, there would be even more pain for everyone.

Melanie returned home to Maggie's house, and she thought Mia had walked into the kitchen, when instead it was Nathan, the cute intern from the hospital, wearing no shirt and drying his hair with a towel. Melanie started to call the police, thinking Nathan was delusional for following her home, but he grabbed her cell phone and called her pretty but "a real idiot."

At the Kiriakis mansion, Stephanie read Grace's obituary in the newspaper, and when she closed the paper, she saw an article about Owen's escape during his transfer to prison. She got upset, put the paper down, and grabbed a glass of water.

Rafe told Sami to take care of herself, because the memorial service was going to be difficult to deal with. Sami said she couldn't eat anything. Rafe offered to talk to E.J. and ask him not to attend the service, but Sami felt they had no right to ask E.J. not to be there because he was Grace's biological father. Sami didn't believe Rafe should say anything to E.J. about missing Grace's funeral, but Rafe insisted that it would be hard enough getting through the service, and E.J. didn't need to be there upsetting Sami. Sami told Rafe there was no way they could make things better-they just had to get through it.

Nicole hugged E.J. and offered to get him something, but E.J. didn't want anything. Nicole asked why Sami told him that he was Grace's father and put him through so much pain, and E.J. said even if Sami had not told him, it would not change the fact that his daughter was dead. Nicole told E.J. not to say that. Nicole started to tell E.J. the truth.

Bo and Hope showed up at the church for Grace's service. Hope looked at the picture of Sami, Rafe, and Grace, and it reminded her of how much she missed her own son, Zach. She asked Zach to take care of Grace. Bo comforted Hope. He asked if Hope could handle the service. She remembered Zach's funeral. Hope said that Sami needed to see that she could survive it.

Melanie told Nathan not to move and to give her back her phone. Nathan mocked Melanie for not sounding authoritative enough. Melanie told him to shut up and to return the phone. Nathan admired her cell phone, then offered to take her upstairs to his room to show her his view, and she could show him the phone's functions. Melanie called him a pervert and said she didn't want to go to his room.

Sami asked Rafe to promise her that he wouldn't do anything. She understood that he was in pain, also. Rafe said he had to remind himself that Grace was gone, because he kept waiting to hear Grace's voice in the next room. Sami told Rafe that it was real.

Evan told Mia that he would cover Mia's shift. He told her to work as long as she could before the service and then return as soon as the funeral was over. Mia apologized for getting upset with Evan. He said he understood that it was a bad day. Mia asked Will if he was going to the funeral, and he said he was. She asked why he didn't have a tie on, and Will said he forgot it, but he planned to wait until his mother left for the funeral to go back and get it.

Will admitted to Mia that he still didn't talk to his mother, and Mia grabbed his phone and noticed he had five messages. She ordered him to call his mother back. Will wanted to know why Mia cared so much, and she said it was because he was lucky enough to have a family and they needed to go through things together. Mia said Sami needed Will, and gushed about how nice Sami was. Will told Mia that she didn't know Sami at all.

Sami tried to reach Will, but the phone went to voicemail. Rafe asked if she wanted him to look for Will, when the doorbell rang. Rafe offered to send whoever it was away, but Sami knew she had to face people. Roman walked in and hugged Sami. She told Roman that she knew that he was mad at her, but Roman didn't want to talk about that. He said he understood that Sami was under a lot of pressure and probably got some bad advice.

Sami asked Roman not to be angry at Rafe, and Roman said he couldn't promise not to be upset with Rafe. Sami left the room to check on Johnny, and while she was gone, Rafe approached Roman. Roman assumed that Rafe planned to tell Roman that he didn't manipulate Sami, but Rafe told Roman that he was worried about how E.J. would behave at the service.

Nicole told E.J. that he never bonded with Grace. E.J. said he was denied the chance. He asked if that meant he didn't need to grieve or that Grace didn't matter. Nicole said she didn't mean that, and E.J. warned her to be careful what she said to him while he was grieving. Nicole told him that she was thinking of him, and she reminded him that he still had Sydney.

E.J. got angry and told her that one daughter did not make up for the loss of another. He said he wasn't just grieving for the loss of his daughter-he was denied the chance to spend time with Grace. E.J. said that Sami lied about Grace and lied to Grace's father. He said nothing that Stefano did ever amounted to that. Nicole said she was sorry, and E.J. said Nicole didn't need to be sorry-Sami would be sorry for the rest of her life.

Melanie told Nathan that she didn't need a phone to call 9-1-1 because she could scream. Nathan asked her why, if he were a pervert, he would shower before doing something perverted. She said she didn't know. Nathan said Maggie welcomed him into her home. Melanie said Maggie liked to take in strays off the street. He said Melanie knew that from experience.

Nathan picked up a doughnut and ate it. She ordered him to put it down, because Maggie baked them for the hospital. Nathan told her that Maggie said he could make himself at home. Melanie didn't believe that Maggie would let a stranger eat all her dughnuts. Maggie walked in and said she thought Nathan and Melanie had introduced themselves to each other. She asked Nathan to share her doughnuts with Melanie, since Maggie was grumpy with Melanie the night before. Melanie was surprised to hear him refer to Maggie as "Grandma."

Caroline stopped by the Kiriakis mansion to see how Stephanie was doing. Stephanie assured her that she was fine and said that Caroline should be worrying about Sami instead. Caroline said she would worry about whomever she wanted he to. She asked where Philip was, and Stephanie explained that Philip had business in Chicago, and Caroline took that as an example of why she needed to worry.

Caroline felt that Philip should not have left Stephanie to go away on business, since Stephanie had just returned home after being kidnapped, would be attending Grace's funeral, and was alone at the mansion. Caroline said she had a feeling of dj vu and Stephanie wasn't even married yet. Stephanie asked Caroline to stop.

Stephanie said that she understood that Caroline was upset, but she warned her grandmother not to speak negatively about Philip. Caroline asked what Philip and Victor had said about Owen escaping custody. Stephanie said they assured Stephanie that Owen would never go near Stephanie again. Caroline said she was worried about Sami and Stephanie, and she warned Stephanie not to go to the service. Stephanie said she had to go to the funeral for Sami. Caroline wondered what would happen when Sami saw Stephanie face E.J.

E.J. had given Nicole a document to read, and E.J. asked if she was "on board with it." She said she was, and Sami's life would be a living hell. E.J. told Nicole that he planned to take Sydney upstairs to get her ready for the funeral, but Nicole told him that Sydney couldn't go. Nicole didn't want E.J. to take Sydney to the church as a way for him to hurt Sami. She said that after E.J. said goodbye to Grace, he would have to deal with Sami, which would take all of his concentration. He saw Nicole's point, and Nicole said that after E.J. dealt with Sami, she would be out of their lives for good.

Kinsey told Mia that she had bumped into Chad. Mia was shocked and dropped a cup. Will overheard them talking and laid into Kinsey for harassing Mia. Mia told Will to go home and get his tie and forget about Kinsey. Will called Kinsey a "bottom feeder" and then left. Kinsey asked why Mia reacted the way she did when Kinsey mentioned Chad's name. Mia said she didn't freak out-she just dropped a cup. Mia pretended not to know Chad's name, but Kinsey thought Mia was faking.

Rafe told Roman that he wanted to talk to E.J. about staying away from the funeral. Roman predicted that E.J. wouldn't be receptive to Rafe's advice, so Rafe asked if Roman could talk to E.J. Roman promised that E.J. would not bother Sami. Sami returned to the living room and explained that Johnny was upset and wondered where Grace was. Sami asked Rafe to answer any questions that Father Matt had.

After Rafe left, Roman told Sami that he wasn't going to hit Rafe, but Sami said she saw him glaring at Rafe. Sami said Rafe's only crime was understanding why she didn't want Grace raised as a DiMera. She explained that she didn't want Grace with E.J. while E.J. was planning Philip's assassination. Roman understood why Sami didn't want E.J. to know about Grace, but he didn't understand why Sami didn't tell Roman. Sami said it was because Roman always talked about going by the book, and she didn't have faith in the legal system.

Nathan got dressed, and when he returned to the kitchen, Maggie asked if he had introduced himself to Melanie. He said he didn't get a chance to introduce himself, because Melanie thought he was a pervert, delusional, and an imposter. Melanie explained that she was scared. Nathan asked Maggie to tell Melanie that he was trustworthy. Maggie said the jury was still out on that, but she said they would see a lot of each other, since Nathan was doing his internship in Salem. Melanie told Maggie that she was moving to London with Max.

Maggie told Melanie that she hoped Melanie was going to something instead of running away. Maggie said it was a shame that Melanie and Nathan wouldn't get to know each other. Maggie said they had both lived in France. They bonded over how beautiful France was, and Melanie said the thing she would love most about London was how close it was to France. Nathan said the only reason he left France was because Americans couldn't get into medical school there.

Nathan softly brushed Melanie's cheek and explained that she had some powdered sugar on her face. Maggie considered it a practiced move. Nathan excused himself and told Melanie to enjoy London. Maggie asked if Melanie was still going, and Melanie seemed to change her mind. She said there was no rush to leave.

Sami knew that E.J. was going after her, and she admitted that she was scared of what E.J. might do. Sami began packing up Grace's things, and Roman offered to have someone else do it for her. Sami wanted Grace's belongings to go to someone who could use them. Sami told Roman that she didn't think that Will would forgive her for lying to him.

Roman told her to let him handle Will. Sami said Will had a right to be angry. Roman said no one could say that Sami didn't always put Will first. Sami didn't think that Will would see it that way. She thought the lies she told about Grace would be the last straw. Will arrived at home. He explained that he had forgotten his tie, so he walked into the next room. Sami was upset that Will didn't even look at her. Sami said goodbye to Johnny so she could attend the service, but she promised to play with him and Allie all afternoon.

Rafe walked into the church, and Bo decided to check security, since the DiMeras would attend the service. Hope didn't think that the DiMeras would try anything that day, especially at the funeral. Bo wanted to be sure. Hope told Rafe about losing Zach and that she understood what he was going through. Hope told Rafe not to let Bo or Roman's feelings about Rafe get to him, because Sami would need him to deal with losing Grace.

Rafe knelt down at the altar and looked at Grace's face. He got angry and slammed his fists on the altar. Father Matt walked in and asked if he was okay. Rafe told him that he felt out of place in the church and that the service was important to Sami because of her faith. Rafe didn't know if he could forgive God for letting Grace die.

E.J. told Stefano to get ready for Grace's service, but Stefano said he wasn't going, because he didn't see any reason why he should attend. E.J. couldn't believe that Stefano wasn't going to E.J.'s daughter's funeral. Stefano explained that it was too soon after Tony's death. E.J. understood. Stefano said he didn't think he could stand being around "those sanctimonious Bradys," and Nicole understood how he felt.

Stefano said he sent a condolence card to Sami, because there was no pain like losing a child. E.J. said he'd lost a child too and he never got to know that child. Stefano said he understood how E.J. felt and that it would haunt him for the rest of his life. Stefano picked up Sydney and said he wanted to concentrate on the future.

Melanie went to the hospital and asked for her job back. The head nurse told her not to get her hopes up. Melanie said the nurse's warmth and compassion convinced Melanie to change her mind, and the nurse asked what-or who-really made Melanie change her mind.

Caroline asked Stephanie if she was up to going to the funeral, and Stephanie said she was. Caroline advised her not to downplay how she felt, since Stephanie went through such an ordeal. Stephanie said the Kiriakises and DiMeras agreed to put their feud to rest and even Brady believed that the truce would last. Caroline said she prayed that Stephanie was right.

At the church, E.J. saw Grace's picture and vowed that Sami would pay. E.J. said he didn't even remember what Grace looked like. He picked up Grace's picture and said that it was all she had. Then, Sami walked in accompanied by Roman.

Friday, June 19, 2009

by ChickenGrrl

Max ran into Melanie at the hospital, where he'd gone to withdraw from medical school. Melanie informed him that she was applying to the nursing program at University Hospital-which meant that she wasn't going to London with him. Max was surprised, but encouraged her to stay in touch, and to visit him in London on school breaks. He added that he was glad she was staying in Salem to do something important.

When Nathan arrived, he and Melanie exchanged a few wisecracks. Melanie then introduced Nathan to Max, who divulged that Melanie was no longer moving to London. Having observed Melanie's demeanor around Nathan, Max added with lighthearted irony, "I was just asking her what changed her mind, but that just seems to be a mystery." An annoyed Melanie giggled through gritted teeth.

Melanie maintained that she didn't want to disappoint Maggie, who was pulling strings to help her get into nursing school. Max quipped, "She also wants to help her fellow man grow as a person." Nathan remarked that the siblings' relationship seemed complicated, which Melanie and Max both confirmed.

After Nathan had gone, Melanie punched Max in the arm, but Max asked his sister, "Are you freakin' kidding me?" When Melanie played dumb, Max noted playfully that she'd changed the course of her life over a cute boy she'd known for two minutes. She denied it, asserting that at least she couldn't mess up Nathan's life. She explained, "If I move to London with you while you're trying to make stuff work with Chelsea, I can totally ruin yours-and you mean too much to me to do that."

Max then presented Melanie with an open-ended ticket to London, explaining that she could use it to visit-or to stay forever, if she changed her mind. Melanie burst into tears. "I love you," she cried, pulling him into a hug. "You're the best brother in the world." Max replied, "You're the most, uh, interesting sister." Melanie gave him a playful shove. Max urged her to keep him posted, teasing her again about Nathan.

Brady ran into Arianna at the Java Caf, as both were preparing to head to Grace's funeral. Brady confided that he was glad Sami had Rafe to lean on, but Arianna was afraid that everyone would blame her brother for the lies he'd told for Sami.

E.J. and Nicole arrived at St. Luke's for Grace's memorial service. As he was looking at a picture of Grace in the vestibule, lamenting that he didn't even remember what his daughter looked like, Sami and Roman arrived. Mia slipped in quietly behind them. E.J. started to confront Sami, but Roman and Bo firmly discouraged him. E.J. still managed to hurl a couple of bitterly sarcastic barbs at Sami before Nicole led him away.

In the sanctuary, Father Matt counseled Rafe that it was all right to be angry with God. Rafe raged about how God could take such an innocent child, yet God spared a murderous family like the DiMeras.

When Will arrived and was rude to his mother, Bo and Roman both admonished him that she needed his support. After Sami had gone into the sanctuary, Mia pulled Will aside and asked why he couldn't be more sensitive to what his mom was going through. Will pointed E.J. out, and told her that Sami had kept Grace from E.J., her real father. He admitted that although he hated the lies Sami had told, he did understand not wanting a child to grow up as a DiMera. Mia was surprised, since Johnny seemed all right, and he was E.J.'s son. "Yeah-so far," Will replied.

Nicole quietly urged E.J. not to present Sami with the papers he was carrying until after the service-but for his own sake, not Sami's. E.J. sympathized with what Stefano had gone through when Tony had died. "I never knew there was pain like this," he whispered, clutching Nicole tightly.

Sami joined Rafe at the altar, which was overflowing with flowers, and they gazed at Grace's portrait together. Sami remembered how Grace had brought them together, but Rafe reminded her that Grace would always be with them. "Remember, it's the three of us against the world," he said, and Sami managed a smile. She asked if Rafe thought she should put her medallion from the convent with Grace, but Rafe thought that Grace would want Sami to have it.

E.J. spotted Mia talking to Will, and asked Nicole why the girl was there. Nicole explained that Mia was Will's friend, and had sometimes babysat Grace. E.J. replied irritably, "That's great-a complete stranger knows my daughter better than I did." As more mourners began to gather in the sanctuary, Nicole suggested that she and E.J. find their seats. E.J. asked for a moment alone to pray, but as soon as Nicole had gone, he made a quick call to ask if everything regarding the papers was in order.

E.J. hung up just as Stephanie walked in. He greeted her pleasantly, but-equally pleasantly-she let him know in no uncertain terms that he was a horrible person. "This is my daughter's funeral. Please - " E.J. began, but Stephanie interrupted. She told him that she couldn't feel sorry for him after what he'd put her and her family through. She continued to rail quietly at him until E.J. coldly declared, "You'd do well to remember that you're lucky to be alive."

Stephanie slapped E.J. across the face before he could even finish his sentence. Philip arrived just in time to witness the slap, and to hear Stephanie angrily order E.J. never to threaten her again. E.J. declared that Stephanie ought to try exercising the same self-control that he was, and then stalked into the church.

Stephanie apologized to Philip, who firmly replied that she had nothing to be sorry for, because they all knew E.J. should be in jail. "Let's just go inside," Stephanie said, and led Philip by hand into the sanctuary.

As Mia and Will were sitting together, Caroline arrived and asked to speak to Will privately. After Will went with his great-grandmother, Mia was surprised to feel Nicole's hand on her shoulder. Mia began to apologize, because she knew Nicole didn't want her around Will, but Nicole gently shushed her. "I know that you're here for Grace," Nicole assured her warmly, "and you should be."

At the altar, Stephanie hugged Sami and expressed her sympathy. After she'd gone, Sami noted to Roman, "She didn't have to come." With a pointed glance at E.J., Roman replied, "Well, maybe she did."

Caroline then told Sami that she was proud of how well Sami was handling things. Sami stated that she couldn't handle all the lies, or knowing that Grace's death was her fault. "Nobody blames you, honey," Caroline declared firmly. "That's another lie," Sami replied, and Caroline hugged her granddaughter comfortingly.

Arianna arrived with Brady, and she left so that he could talk with Nicole. Brady noted that Nicole understood what Sami was going through, because of the baby Nicole had lost. Hurt because she thought he'd picked an inappropriate time to torment her, Nicole tearfully maintained that she'd done the right thing for E.J. and Sydney. Brady wanted to know if it was the right thing for Nicole. "Of course," she replied evenly. "Everything I do is for me. Everyone knows that."

Arianna told Rafe that she knew the day brought back a lot of painful memories. To her brother's surprise, she declared, "Rafe, I was wrong. I shouldn't have faulted you for helping Sami-not after what you've done for me."

Roman sat on the pew in front of E.J. and, in a whisper, warned sternly that if E.J. ever hurt another member of the Brady family, "I'm going to turn this badge in, so I can deal with you like you deal with other people: no rules, no right or wrong, no mercy."

Brady embraced Sami, and assured her that he understood why she'd lied about E.J. being Grace's father. She admitted that she'd been afraid to tell Brady, and he apologized if he'd been such a jerk that she couldn't confide in him. They shared an affectionate hug.

Nicole regarded Grace's portrait, and shared a private moment of grief with the little one. "I was the first one to hold you, and I will never, ever forget you."

Hope and Bo hugged Sami, expressed their sympathy, and reminded her that they knew how rough the next few months would be. They encouraged her and Rafe to call any time, day or night, even if they just needed to talk. Sami was relieved that they weren't angry about what she'd done.

Father Matt then began the memorial service, blessing the congregation with holy water and saying a prayer for Grace. Next, Caroline read a passage from Ecclesiastes. Will shared a story about how Grace had made him and Johnny laugh, blowing baby food everywhere while Will tried to feed her. He faltered as he attempted to say more, so Father Matt stepped in kindly. Will returned to his seat.

When Father Matt asked if anyone else had a story to share, E.J. rose and went to the altar. His tone full of regret and resentment, he spoke about how his family was his reason for living, and how children were God's finest work. He hoped that Samantha and Rafe could find some comfort in their memories of Grace-memories they would always have. "I never even held her, and I have nothing," he ended bitterly.

Father Matt asked again if anyone had something to add. Mia spoke up, but stated that she didn't actually have anything to say. She simply began to sing Amazing Grace, and her soft, sweet voice filled the church, moving many of the mourners to tears. When Mia's voice wavered a bit at the end of the first verse, Caroline stood and took over, singing the second verse. One by one, the congregation rose, adding own their voices to the hymn. Overcome, Sami leaned against Rafe, sobbing.

Father Matt said another prayer, finishing with, "In Grace's name, I pray that God will grant us all peace and forgiveness." He then began to administer the Eucharist, and as Rafe left to join the congregation in receiving communion, E.J. slid into the pew behind Sami. "You've been to confession, Samantha," he whispered in her ear. "Your sins have been absolved." Without turning around, Sami quietly retorted, "'Least I'm sorry for them."

Mia told Will goodbye, as she had to return to work, and gently reminded him that Grace wouldn't want him to be mad at his mom.

The mourners then filed past Grace's picture, each placing a single pastel rose in a basket on the altar. Finally, Sami and Rafe did the same, followed by E.J. and Nicole. Father Matt said one final farewell to Grace, assuring the congregation that they would see her, and enjoy her friendship, again.

After the service, Sami thanked Stephanie for being there, acknowledging that it couldn't have been easy. Stephanie replied that it was far easier than what Sami was dealing with. Spotting E.J. near the back of the church, Stephanie then excused herself, and Philip followed.

Stephanie confronted E.J., accusing him of intentionally adding to Sami's misery. Philip gently tried to discourage her, but Stephanie turned to Nicole. "Next time you see him hold your child, remember the blood on his hands," Stephanie cautioned. With a final glare at E.J., she strode away. E.J. calmly told Philip, "You'd better learn how to control your woman." Philip countered that E.J. should stay far away from them, and then followed Stephanie out.

Rafe confessed to his sister that he was worried about Sami. Arianna urged him to let Sami's family shoulder some of the burden. Rafe declared that it had been a mistake to let E.J. find out the truth, even after Grace's death. Arianna reluctantly conceded that she could never convince Rafe not to take on the DiMeras alone. She embraced her brother, and then left with Brady.

Roman and Caroline said their goodbyes to Sami and Rafe, and Bo and Hope followed suit. Bo again encouraged his niece to call if she needed to, and kissed her tenderly on the forehead. Finally only Sami and Rafe, and E.J. and Nicole remained in the sanctuary. E.J. and Nicole waited near the back, while Sami tearfully lamented to Rafe that at least planning the memorial had given them something to do. Rafe reminded her that they got to go home to take care of Allie and Johnny.

Philip and Stephanie returned home to the Kiriakis mansion. "I don't want you second-guessing yourself," Philip declared to a doubtful Stephanie. "You stood up to E.J., and I think that's great." He urged her to remember that her ordeal was over, and then went inside to get lunch for the two of them. When Stephanie spotted a newspaper with Owen's picture on the front page, it rattled her. She took a prescription bottle from her purse and quickly swallowed a pill from it.

Mia was back at work behind the counter at the Java Caf when she heard a voice behind her: "Long time no see." Mia reluctantly turned around to find a teenage boy at the counter. "Chad," she intoned apprehensively.

While E.J. approached Sami and Rafe, Nicole went into the vestibule, where Father Matt was just returning from outside. He reported that the nuns from the Convent of the Holy Cross had just arrived, after having a flat tire on the way over, and he was glad that they hadn't missed seeing Sami. Nicole recalled how she'd lied to Sister Theresa about her identity. "Oh my God, no!" she whispered fearfully.

E.J. removed the papers from his jacket pocket and handed them to Sami. She read aloud that it was a court order, and looked at Rafe. "He's taking Johnny from me." E.J. replied coldly, "Just like you took my daughter from me. An eye for an eye, Samantha."