Philip ran into Bo at the Brady Pub, and Bo asked how Philip enjoyed celebrating New Year's Eve with Stephanie. Philip said he and she had a good time, then took Bo's silence as disapproval that he and Stephanie were dating. Bo warned Philip not to break Stephanie's heart. Philip accused Bo of trying to stick it to Philip, especially over Belle. Bo pointed out that Belle wasn't the only one that Philip had hurt. Bo warned Philip to treat Stephanie right.
At Titan, Melanie teased Stephanie when she was looking for Philip. Stephanie pretended to confide in her about her love life. Melanie was caught off-guard with what seemed to be news that Stephanie and Philip broke up. Then, Stephanie laughed and told her to give it up. She accused Melanie of wanting Philip for herself.
She said Melanie could have taken the alternative fuel project anywhere else when Philip kicked her to the curb, but instead she chose to go to Victor to make sure she could stay at Titan. Melanie said that was because she wanted the project to be based where she lived. Stephanie said that she and Philip were in a good place, and she wasn't threatened by Melanie. Melanie told Stephanie that Philip was wounded and would chew Stephanie up and spit her out. While they were talking, Philip called Stephanie and asked her to meet him at his house, and she rubbed it in Melanie's face.
Stephanie stopped by to see Philip at the Kiriakis mansion, and she reminisced about how wonderful their New Year's Eve was. Philip tried to say something, but she stopped him, saying she was certain about their seeing each other. Then she kissed him. They started making out, then he stopped himself. He explained that while the kiss they shared on New Year's was amazing, it went beyond that. Stephanie said it was better between them because she finally knew what she wanted and they shouldn't waste time.
He said he didn't want to hurt her, and she said he wasn't hurting her. She pulled him into another kiss, but he pushed her away and asked for some breathing room. Stephanie was offended. She said he lived up to every rotten thing anybody had ever said about him. She accused him of wanting to back off and ask to be friends as soon as she was all his. He denied playing games with her. He said he didn't want to hurt her, because she was important to him and he couldn't live with himself if he hurt her.
Philip said every time something good happened in his love life, he messed it up. He said Stephanie was too good to be-and she finished his sentence, saying she was too good to be wasted on him. Philip said that wasn't what he was trying to say. Stephanie said that Philip was the most confident man she knew, and she wasn't insecure anymore.
She said she could handle pain, but she knew she would be happy with him. She asked if their day would be about happiness or if he was going to sit around moping. He pulled her into a kiss. He didn't want someone to walk in on them, so she suggested they go to his room. He carried her up to his room and they began to make love.
At the police station, Bo complained about having little time. Hope tried to calm him down by telling him that Ciara was happy and by reminding him that he got the present of a lifetime. Hope said she wasn't referring to the present she gave him; she was talking about the visions he'd been having. They kissed, and then she closed the blinds. He told her it was becoming a running joke in the office every time she went to see Bo.
Hope told him that he needed a break and she planned to make reservations at the Mountainview Lodge. She told him to clear his calendar, because they were leaving that afternoon. He said even if he could clear his calendar, there was no way she could get reservations at the last minute, but if she were able to make the reservation, he'd be willing to go.
At Chez Rouge, Maggie told Melanie that Nick wanted Melanie to be at his sentencing hearing so he could make a public apology to Melanie. She asked Melanie if she would attend, and she agreed, saying it was the least she could do considering how much Maggie had done for her. Then Maggie asked Melanie to be good to herself where Philip was concerned.
Maggie said she saw the game that Melanie was playing on New Year's Eve and warned her that she would never be able to wrap Philip around her finger. Melanie thought about what Maggie said, and she said that Nick used to help her think things through. But since Nick was gone, she said, she got lost and didn't have a lot of friends.
Maggie understood what it was like being alone, and Melanie said she could deal with being alone. She just always got herself into trouble, and her father had taught her to be that way. Melanie said she understood that Philip was nothing but trouble, and promised to stay away from him and let him be Stephanie's problem. Maggie had to take a call, but she said that Melanie would be just fine and that if she ever needed to talk, Maggie was there for her. Melanie planned to show the world she'd changed at Nick's sentencing hearing.
At the DiMera mansion, E.J. confronted Nicole for not telling him that the car broke down. He said the garage called, and he demanded to know what was going on. Nicole said she didn't tell him, because she forgot after he proposed to her. E.J. accused her of being less than honest with him. He suggested they go for a walk to talk about it so that Stefano didn't interrupt them.
During their walk, E.J. said that Nicole could have told him at any time about what happened. She admitted that she didn't just forget to tell him. Nicole said he was making it out to be some kind of conspiracy, but E.J. demanded to know the truth. Nicole said she was ready to tell him the truth, but added that he might want the ring back first. Then she said the car breaking down was no big deal. He apologized for being hard on her and then asked her to wear her ring again.
E.J. said he was hoping that Nicole would understand that he didn't have to tough it out without him. He said if anything upset her in any way, he would always want to make that okay. Then, Nicole flashed back to when she miscarried. She said out loud that she wished he could make it right. He asked what she meant, and she said she wasn't talking about anything in particular and that life didn't work that way.
E.J. said life might not be so hard if they faced things together, and he asked for her forgiveness for him being so controlling. She forgave him, and they kissed and made up. They tried to sit on the bench, knocking his briefcase and papers on the ground in the process. As she picked them up, she found the prenuptial agreement that Stefano wanted him to have Nicole sign.
E.J. tried to explain the prenup, but she didn't need an explanation. She said he should have mentioned it before he proposed. Then E.J. explained that Stefano arranged for the prenup, but E.J. refused and the only reason why it was in E.J.'s briefcase was because he was taking it to the office to be shredded.
He said he loved her and wanted to share everything he had with her, and he had no intention of making her sign a prenuptial agreement. Then he tore it to shreds. Nicole said her surprise pregnancy and his proposal changed her, and she didn't want his money. She said she just wanted him and his family. He said she would be the best mother in the world to their child.
After E.J. left, Nicole called Dr. Baker and demanded to see him. Dr. Baker reminded her that she blew her chance when she was late meeting a potential mother who wanted to give up her baby for adoption and that finding a mother who was seven months pregnant was nearly impossible. She refused to hear of it and demanded results.
Nicole went to see Dr. Baker and threatened him. She also chastised him for calling the house. She asked him for a picture of the mother or father of the baby that Nicole wanted to adopt. Nicole was pleased when she saw the woman's picture, but Dr. Baker said the mother was very fragile when she showed up the first time, and he wasn't even sure the mother would have the baby at the clinic. He told her it was over, but Nicole didn't accept that and demanded to know where the mother lived.
Sami was having trouble sleeping. Rafe cried out in pain, and she realized he had a fever from infection of his stab wound. Sami tried to call for an ambulance, but Rafe wouldn't let her. Sami gave him some aspirin and then suggested he take a sponge bath to help break his fever. Sami gave him the bath, and it reduced his fever. While Rafe was asleep, Sami tried to take his cell phone, but he held it tighter.
Lexie told Theo's counselor that she had been giving Theo a gluten-free diet with hopes that it would help with his autism. She got a call from Stefano, who wanted her to bring Theo by the mansion so his grandfather could give him a Christmas gift. She pointed out that he had already sent Theo a gift. Stefano said he had another gift that was bigger and it was too awkward to mail to her, but Lexie refused to bring Theo to the mansion to get it. Stefano begged Lexie not to destroy his relationship with Theo.
After she hung up on Stefano, the counselor told her that Theo had been unusually agitated, and because of Theo's new strict diet, the counselor suggested Theo be rewarded, which made Lexie decide to take Stefano up on his offer. At the DiMera mansion, Stefano tried to give Theo some Christmas cookies, but she told him that Theo couldn't have those cookies. She had some special cookies for Theo.
Stefano wondered why Theo couldn't have his cookies, and Lexie said she knew what was best for her son and for everyone. Stefano said he loved her feistiness, except when she was feisty with him. She said when it came to certain things, she was the boss. He agreed to ask from then on about what Theo could and could not eat. He asked to see Theo more often if he agreed to Lexie's rules.
At the police station, after Bo got off a phone call, he heard Stefano's voice talking about Theo, and he saw Theo walking up the stairs. He heard Lexie say that she had to think about what could be wrong with Theo bonding with Stefano. Then she decided to leave, but looked around and didn't see Theo. Meanwhile, Theo was walking up the stairs and reached for a painting. She saw Theo up on the staircase and yelled out to him, but Theo fell.
Philip and Stephanie passionately kissed and began to undress in his bedroom. Just as things became heated, Philip pulled away and said that they needed to stop. Stephanie cried out that she felt humiliated, while Philip desperately tried to explain that he was not rejecting Stephanie, only that he was postponing intimacy because he cared about her too much. Stephanie argued that she did not care about Philip's romantic history, and she urged him to live in the moment. At first, Philip grinned and tried to live in the moment, kissing Stephanie. After a few more kisses, both Philip and Stephanie pulled away from one another and agreed that the right decision was to hold off on making love. Stephanie and Philip agreed that their relationship was different from any other relationships they had been in. Gently kissing Stephanie, Philip asked her to join him on a real date. Stephanie protested that they had gone on a real date already for New Year's Eve, but Philip amended his statement to say their first real date without Melanie's interference.
In the Kiriakis mansion living room, Kate received a visit from Daniel. With a DVD in hand, Daniel explained that he had the morning off from work and wanted to watch a movie with Kate. Kate was pleased with the offer but countered that she wanted to talk to Daniel instead. Curious, Daniel sat on the couch next to Kate, and she explained that since she was feeling better, she wanted to end her romantic relationship with Daniel.
Daniel worried that he had upset Kate, but Kate assured him that the old cliché was true, "It's not you, it's me." Kate explained that due to her illness, she still felt like she was living on borrowed time and wanted to spend that time on her own without romantic attachments. "You were important in my life and you will always be in my heart," Kate whispered to a stunned Daniel. Still concerned that he had upset Kate, Daniel asked her whether he had disappointed her. Kate joked that Daniel needed to get over himself and realize that her decision was just about her and had nothing to do with him. Kate reasoned that Daniel reminded her of a dark time in her life and since she was starting a new chapter in her life, she wanted to remove all traces of that dark period. Smiling gently at Kate, Daniel said, "You have brought out the best in me." As Daniel's pager went off to summon him to the hospital, Daniel turned to her and softly said, "Goodbye, Kate."
On their way out to dinner, Stephanie and Philip walked into the living room to find Kate sitting on the couch. Kate asked to speak to Philip alone, and Stephanie cheerfully agreed to head into the kitchen so that they could talk. Once Stephanie was out of the room, Philip cautioned Kate not to meddle. Catching Philip off-guard, Kate told Philip that she felt Stephanie was perfect for him, and was very pleased they were dating. Kate then continued that she was planning a surprise engagement party for Lucas and Chloe that night and wanted Philip to bring Stephanie to the party as his date. Worried that Kate would continue to pry into his relationship, he asked Kate to back off of Stephanie. When Stephanie returned from the kitchen, Kate told her that she was looking forward to Stephanie being around the house more.
At the police station, Bo had a vision that Theo fell down the stairs at the DiMera mansion. Upset, Bo called for an ambulance to head to the scene. Hope walked in to find Bo rushing to gather his coat and scarf on the way out the door. Noting the look on Bo's face, Hope questioned whether he had experienced another premonition. Worried, Bo said that he hoped not and told Hope to follow him.
At the DiMera mansion, Theo attempted to touch a painting at the top of the staircase while Lexie argued with Stefano in the living room. Suddenly, Lexie realized that Theo was not in the room and rushed out to the foyer just as Theo began to fall backward down the stairs. Lexie rushed to her son's side and assessed his injuries, but he remained unconscious on the floor. Lexie ordered Stefano to call 9-1-1. However, when Stefano placed the call he learned that an ambulance had already been dispatched to the mansion.
Just as the ambulance arrived at the DiMera mansion for Theo, Bo and Hope ran into the foyer of the mansion and surveyed the scene in shock. Lexie was surprised to learn that someone had called for an ambulance before Stefano, but, terrified for her son, Lexie rushed out the door as the paramedics pushed Theo's gurney out into the night. Stefano fretted aloud about his failure to notice that Theo had wandered away, but Hope assured him that the fall was just an accident.
At the hospital, Lexie cried out in fear as the doctor on call noted that Theo was no longer breathing. As Lexie chased her son back into the exam room, Bo lingered in the hallway and remarked to Hope that he was standing in the same spot he had been the night that he had learned about Zach. A frantic Lexie returned to the hallway just as Tony arrived, and he immediately attempted to calm her and assure her that Theo's accident was not the result of bad parenting. Punishing herself, Lexie repeatedly told Tony that she had been negligent in not watching Theo better, but disagreeing, Tony advised her that Theo could not become an independent person if she hovered over his every move. When Lexie suggested that Theo had wandered off to avoid Stefano's attention, Tony corrected her and offered the theory that Theo had wandered off because he was a child wishing to explore.
Daniel arrived at the hospital and took Theo upstairs for tests. A shivering Lexie stood quietly in the hallway as Hope tried to console her. Lexie told Hope that she knew that Hope understood how she felt, and thanked Hope and Bo for being there with her.
When Theo was returned to his room after the tests were complete, Bo stared at him through the window. As Hope put her arm around her husband, he confided that he did not want to have any premonitions if they did not give him the capability to prevent accidents like that. After Daniel completed his exam of Theo, he returned to the hallway and informed Lexie that Theo had suffered a subdural hematoma, which needed immediate surgery. Stefano stepped up and announced that he wanted to fly in a specialist, but Daniel cut him off, stating simply that there was no time to delay the surgery to relieve the pressure mounting on Theo's brain.
At the clinic, Dr. Baker showed a photo of the expectant mom to Nicole, who fawned over the picture, weeping in joy. When Nicole demanded that Dr. Baker put her in contact with the pregnant woman so that she could talk to her mother to mother, a frustrated Dr. Baker snapped. "The problem with that, you know what that is? You're not a mother and you never will be," Dr. Baker barked. Furious, Nicole lashed out at him, arguing that she had given birth and lost her child. Dr. Baker countered that Nicole had miscarried and, because she was lying to everyone about the failed pregnancy, she was clearly psychotic. Desperate, Nicole grabbed the patient file for the expectant mother from Dr. Baker's hands and ran out the door before he could stop her.
In an alley near the address of the pregnant patient named Mia, Nicole looked around desperately hoping to find the woman. As Mia walked around the corner, a beaming Nicole reached out to her and informed her that Dr. Baker had sent her. Nicole attempted to reassure Mia that she understood how tough things were, since she had no job or money. Insulted, Mia told Nicole that she was not any better than her. Nicole explained that what she meant was that money did not matter as much as love. Nicole asked Mia whether she had decided whether to keep the baby or not, and that she would not pressure her if she had decided to keep the baby. As Mia began to tell Nicole the story of how she had been a dancer with a scholarship to a school in Japan, which she had lost due to the pregnancy, Nicole quietly comforted the fragile mother. Relieved that Nicole had been so kind to her, Mia reasoned "at least you are not so much of a stranger anymore." Nicole assured Mia that one day, she would find love and have a family when she was ready.
Just as Mia and Nicole seemed to be bonding, Mia noticed the engagement ring on Nicole's finger. When Nicole happily informed Mia that she was engaged, a nervous Mia backed away and told Nicole that she refused to hand her child to someone like her single mother who had paraded a slew of abusive boyfriends through her childhood home. When Mia ran off, Nicole pursued her and explained that although she was not yet married, her fiancé was committed to her. Nicole explained that she was not able to have kids, but since she had found someone she loved, she could not think of anything other than having kids with that man. Nicole offered to adopt the child if Mia decided to give it away, and Mia accepted Nicole's offer. Just as Nicole began to talk about her connection and bond with her, Mia interrupted to tell Nicole that she had one condition to the adoption: she wanted to meet Nicole's fiancé.
E.J. was outside the Brady Pub, giving instructions for an international wire transfer to one of Stefano's henchmen. The lackey balked at taking orders from E.J. instead of Stefano, but E.J. firmly set him straight before sending the man on his way. Brady arrived in time to overhear, and made a snide remark about the nefarious nature of typical DiMera business dealings. E.J. told Brady to butt out, but Brady retorted that anything that might harm his friend Nicole concerned him. They argued about which one of them truly had Nicole's best interests at heart, and which of their families was more dishonorable.
In the alley near Mia's apartment, Nicole was overjoyed when Mia agreed to let Nicole adopt her baby, with one condition: she wanted to meet Nicole's fiancé. Nicole refused. Mia was immediately suspicious of Nicole's cover story, and declared that the deal was off. Flustered and desperate, Nicole quickly backpedaled, and finally agreed to introduce her fiancé to Mia. They arranged to meet in an hour at Mia's apartment. As soon as Mia left, Nicole hurriedly pulled out her cell phone.
While E.J. and Brady continued quarreling about whether Nicole really knew what kind of man E.J. was, Brady's cell phone rang. Nicole frantically asked Brady to meet her right away, so he abruptly ended his conversation with E.J., and left.
E.J. went inside the pub, where he ran into Lucas and Chloe. E.J. congratulated them on their engagement, and shared the news that he had just asked Nicole to marry him, as well. Chloe was thrilled to hear it, and rushed off to call Nicole to congratulate her. Despite Lucas' protests, E.J. sat down in Chloe's chair. He told Lucas about the phone call that Roman had arranged, during which he'd informed Sami that she was free, because he had moved on with Nicole. "Why the hell would I want to know that?" Lucas demanded. E.J. shrugged, so Lucas assumed E.J. meant that Lucas should try to win Sami back. E.J. maintained that he thought that Lucas, as the father of two of Sami's children, had a right to know. Lucas sarcastically thanked E.J. for his thoughtfulness and got up from the table. He added that he'd also moved on, and that Chloe was the best thing that had ever happened to him.
At University Hospital, while Stefano, Bo, and Hope listened, Daniel informed Lexie that, unless Theo had surgery immediately, the boy would die. Lexie signed the consent form without hesitation, and Daniel rushed off to prepare for the procedure. An anxious Abe arrived, after Tony had reached him and filled him in about Theo's accident. When Lexie began berating herself for not watching Theo closely enough, Abe wouldn't hear it. He urged his wife not to be so hard on herself, and reassured her that he loved her very much.
Lucas and Chloe arrived at the Kiriakis mansion, where they found Kate apologizing for the last-minute instructions she had just given to Gerard, the chef. As Gerard left to begin his preparations, Lucas asked what Kate was planning. Kate replied that she was throwing an engagement party for them-that very night. Lucas was happily stunned, while Chloe remained silent. Kate explained that she'd had a lot of time on her hands during her recuperation, and it had dawned on her that they hadn't ever properly celebrated Lucas and Chloe's engagement. She added that she was reluctant to put things off ever since her cancer diagnosis. The looks on Chloe and Lucas' faces told her perhaps she should have checked with them first, but Lucas reassured her that it was fine. Chloe declared that it was not fine with her.
Kate tried not to look hurt, and Lucas was clearly puzzled, so Chloe clarified that she was concerned that the party plans would overtire Kate. Kate reassured them both that she felt better than she had in ages, but that they could postpone the party if Chloe preferred. Chloe hastily agreed that having the party right away would be lovely. Kate told them that she still needed to invite Daniel, so she headed out to the hospital so she could do so in person.
In private, Lucas asked if Chloe didn't want to have their engagement party that night because she wasn't really ready to get married. He pointed out that she had also hesitated about moving up their wedding date when Kate had asked. Chloe insisted that it was only her concern for Kate's health that had caused her to initially appear reluctant about the party. She added that she felt guilty-and spoiled-for not helping Kate with the preparations. "I've never doubted my decision to marry you. Never," Chloe reassured Lucas lovingly. "You make me so happy," he replied softly, taking her in his arms. "Don't ever forget that, all right?"
E.J. was on the phone at the pub, discussing the money transfer he'd arranged earlier, when Stefano called and ordered him to get to the hospital right away.
After Abe went to get coffee, Stefano informed Lexie that he'd called a top neurosurgeon to consult on Theo's case. Lexie was adamantly against it, but an obviously distraught Stefano confessed, with tears in his eyes, that it just wasn't in his nature to sit around doing nothing. Lexie coldly reminded her father that it wasn't about what he wanted, and asked him to leave the hospital. Stefano urged his daughter to reconsider, but Lexie blamed him for Theo's fall down the stairs.
Hope and Bo waited at the Brady Pub for news about Theo. Hope wanted to talk about Bo's visions, but he didn't want to discuss it. She pointed out that he'd only begun having them after he'd hit his head while hanging Christmas ornaments, resulting in a minor concussion. Bo countered that Kayla had checked him out and found nothing wrong, so Hope suggested that he should consider having more tests-or perhaps seeing a psychiatrist. Bo was dead-set against that idea. Hope assured him that she didn't think he was crazy, but argued that the premonitions were clearly tormenting him. She said he should get reassurance that he truly was all right-and they both needed to understand what was going on. Bo gruffly declared that the only thing he needed was to keep the whole thing quiet.
Hope chided her husband for being stubborn, and he apologized. Ciara came dashing out from the kitchen just then, her hands full of cookies from Grandma Caroline, and climbed into her daddy's lap. Bo kissed the top of his daughter's head, snuggling her, and asked Hope to support his decision. "Okay," Hope replied. "For now."
Stefano was trying to persuade Lexie that what Theo needed was all of their prayers, not for her to blame herself, when Daniel returned from the operating room. Abe came back just in time to hear Daniel telling them all that Theo had made it through the surgery. Daniel added that he was optimistic that the tough little guy would make a full recovery. A very relieved Abe thanked Daniel, and Lexie threw her arms around the doctor's neck in gratitude. After Daniel had gone, Lexie asked Abe if he could ever forgive her. Abe firmly assured his wife that nothing that had happened to their son, from his autism diagnosis to his tumble down the stairs, was her fault.
E.J. arrived at the hospital and hugged Lexie, and was relieved to hear that Theo would be all right. Abe left to call Bo and Hope with the good news. Lexie urged her brother to go home and hug Johnny as soon as he could, and let him know how much his father loved him. E.J. agreed that it was a good idea. After E.J. had gone, Lexie announced to Daniel that it was important not to take the people we care about for granted. "We mustn't put things off," she declared. "We must tell the people we love how we feel-not tomorrow, not the next day: right now. We need to express that love-while we still have the chance."
Stefano was shouting into a payphone around the corner from the rest of the family, where E.J. found him. E.J. advised Stefano that he'd handled their overseas situation. Stefano was glad to hear it, and asked his son to also take care of a problem that had just arisen with one of their Central American associates. "Consider it done," vowed E.J.
As Bo and Hope gathered up Ciara and her belongings, Abe called Hope's cell phone. A thrilled Hope immediately relayed the good news about Theo to Bo, and then told Abe that they'd come to the hospital right away. After hanging up, Hope told Ciara that her little friend Theo was going to be just fine, and the three of them shared a joyful family hug.
Abe and Lexie hovered at their sleeping son's bedside, promising they would always be by his side. Stefano peeked in the door and smiled at the family scene, then ducked out before they saw him.
Kate tracked down Daniel at the hospital. When she learned what Theo had been through, she declared that it wasn't the right time to speak with Daniel. Daniel pressed her, so she somewhat hesitantly invited him to Lucas and Chloe's engagement party.
When Brady met Nicole in the alley, he noticed right away that she wasn't wearing her pregnancy pad. Brady then assumed she'd confessed everything to E.J., which explained E.J.'s foul mood earlier, but Nicole said she hadn't. Brady lectured her about continuing her fraud, but his consternation turned to appalled disbelief when he heard about the baby she planned to adopt-and that she wanted him to pretend to be her fiancé. He flatly turned her down, angrily urging her-again-to come clean with E.J. Nicole tried to convince Brady that he would be to blame if she lost everything, but he adamantly refused to allow her to manipulate him. Though Nicole pleaded for his help, Brady argued that he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he continued lying for her.
Nicole asked Brady to hear her out before he made up his mind. She tearfully described how she'd always felt useless and unworthy of love, but E.J.'s love had convinced her that she was indeed worthy, and impending motherhood and had given her life meaning and purpose. But, she added, ever since the miscarriage, she'd felt useless and unlovable again, and she needed Mia's baby to feel whole again. She implored Brady again to help her. Before Brady could answer, Mia arrived. "Is this him?" she asked Nicole hopefully. "Is this your fiancé?"
Nicole begged Brady to pose as her fiancé to talk to Mia, the girl who planned give Nicole her baby, but Brady told her to tell Mia the truth. Mia walked up to them as they were talking and asked Brady if she was going to be her baby's father. Brady said he wasn't going to be the father. Mia asked who he was, and Nicole explained that Brady was a friend. Mia didn't trust Brady and told Nicole that she would never get her baby.
After Mia took off, Nicole went off on Brady, calling him selfish and accusing him of ruining her life. Nicole attacked Brady, so he grabbed her and told her to calm down. Brady said Nicole would have adopted Mia's baby under false pretenses. Nicole thought she would lose E.J. if she didn't adopt Mia's baby.
Nicole worried about what she would do next, and Brady apologized. She thought he was just saying that to make himself feel better. Brady pointed out that selling and buying babies on the black market was a crime. He said he showed up for her every time she called him, but she accused him of never actually coming through for her. Brady said Nicole was lashing out at him because she couldn't lash out at E.J. - the person she was most angry at.
Brady theorized that Nicole was angry that E.J. wouldn't understand that she miscarried their baby, and he suggested she go to E.J. and tell him the truth. If E.J. rejected her, he wasn't worth it to begin with, Brady said. Nicole said she refused to give up on the dream of having someone who loved her. She told Brady to take a hike, and he said he was done helping her. Nicole said he never even started helping her. Brady told her never to contact him again.
Mia overheard Nicole talking to herself about how badly she wanted to be a mother and talking about how hurt she was over her miscarriage. Mia went up to her and consoled her. Mia told Nicole she thought they could work things out so that Nicole could adopt her baby. She insisted on meeting Nicole's fiancé though.
Nicole made up some excuse about E.J. being on another business trip, and she wanted an answer right away about whether Nicole could adopt Mia's baby. However, Mia was resolute in her decision to meet the father who would be adopting her baby. Nicole said Mia would love E.J. Nicole gave Mia her cell phone number to reach her if she needed anything.
Dr. Taylor and John literally ran into each other at the Brady Pub, and she spilled coffee on herself. He told her that he decided to go through with the hypnosis session that she suggested, and Marlena walked in and overheard him. Dr. Taylor wondered what changed John's mind, and he said it was her talk about not being able to do more for him unless he was willing to move forward, and besides, he said he wasn't ready to stop their sessions.
Dr. Taylor noticed that Marlena had overheard their conversation, and Marlena said she wasn't eavesdropping on them. After Dr. Taylor left, John told Marlena he was willing to go through hypnosis, but he warned her not to get her hopes up. Marlena shared with him how successful hypnotherapy had been for them before.
She wondered why he changed his mind, and John said he wanted to know the truth about his past, no matter what. Marlena told John that hypnotherapy was the only chance he had at regaining his memories. Marlena suspected that John had agreed to hypnosis because he wasn't ready to give up his therapy sessions with Dr. Taylor.
John told Marlena that it wasn't like her to be hostile. Marlena was upset that it took Dr. Taylor to threaten to end their therapy sessions for him to really want to regain his memory. Marlena wished him good luck with his treatment, and John left, passing Brady on the way out. John told Brady he had to run, called him "kid," and patted him on the shoulder.
Marlena filled Brady in on John's plans to undergo hypnotherapy, but she worried that her decision to push John to see Dr. Taylor might have started something that John might not be willing to end.
Chloe was nervous about the engagement party that Kate was throwing for her and Lucas. Chloe noticed a gift that Kate had sent her, saying she was blessed to have Chloe join the family. Lucas said in the past Kate never thought anyone was good enough for him, not until Chloe came along, but he said even if Kate didn't accept her, he would fight for Chloe.
Kate invited Daniel to the engagement party she was throwing for Lucas and Chloe, but he didn't understand why she was inviting him to begin with, since Kate had just broken up with him. Kate wondered if he was reluctant to attend because of Chloe, but he said Chloe had nothing to do with it. Daniel decided to stay at the hospital and keep an eye on Theo, and Kate made him promise to stop by the party for a little while if he was able to get away.
Chloe and Lucas started to make love, but Kate interrupted them by knocking at the door. Chloe thanked Kate for her gift, then realized she didn't actually look at the gift yet. It was a gown for Chloe to wear at their engagement party. Lucas pointed out that Kate was fond of Chloe, but Chloe felt guilty. Lucas wondered if there was something going on. He said Chloe deserved the gift.
Daniel came to the Kiriakis mansion for the party, and Kate told Lucas that she and Daniel broke up. Lucas got angry and punched Daniel. Lucas assumed that Daniel dumped Kate, and Daniel explained that they both agreed to the breakup. Lucas apologized, and Daniel told him to forget it. Daniel went off to find a first-aid kit, while Kate asked Lucas if he was proud of himself.
There was a knock at the door to Chloe's room, so she opened it, thinking it was Lucas and hoping that he would help her with her zipper. She turned her back to the door, not realizing that it was Daniel. He came in and said he was looking for her.
At Chez Rouge, Chelsea stopped by to pick up a cake for Lucas and Chloe's engagement party, when Max dropped in to pick up the cell phone he had left at the New Year's Eve party. He spotted Chelsea and wondered why she hadn't returned his phone calls. Chelsea claimed she wasn't avoiding him and couldn't call him because he had lost his cell and he was never home, so there was no other way to reach him.
Max noted how Chelsea ran out on him the last time they were together and thought they had agreed to be friends. Chelsea wondered if friends normally kissed each other. Max said the kiss wasn't a big deal, but Chelsea said after the kiss, she wasn't sure where she stood with Max. He asked her what she wanted.
Chelsea asked Max if he wanted them to be more than just friends, but the hostess interrupted by giving Chelsea the cake Kate had ordered. Chelsea said she didn't want to go to a party where everyone was in love. Max wondered if she'd feel better if he accompanied her to the party.
Chelsea thought he offered because he felt sorry for her, but he said that's not why he asked to go with her. However, Chelsea was determined to go to the party without a date. Chelsea went to the Kiriakis mansion to drop off the cake for the party. She asked Lucas if everything was okay, and Lucas told her not to ask what happened to Daniel's face.
In the bedroom, Chloe noticed the bruise on Daniel's face, and he said Lucas punched him. She assumed that Daniel told Lucas about their attraction toward each other, but he said Lucas didn't know. Daniel offered to give Chloe a hand zipping up her dress. At first, she refused, and then she let him help her.
Chloe said whatever he had to talk about had to wait, because the party couldn't start without her. He said that's what he came to talk to her about. He said he thought about how they were lying to themselves and other people about their feelings for each other. He said she didn't have to marry a man she didn't love with her whole heart.
Lucas wanted to go check on Chloe, but Chelsea talked him out of it. Meanwhile, in Chloe's bedroom, Daniel told Chloe that it wasn't fair to Lucas to go through with the engagement party, because that would be cruel. Chloe felt it would be cruel to break Lucas' heart and disappoint Kate. Besides, she said, she loved Lucas. Daniel wanted to know if she felt nothing for him. Chloe wouldn't answer, so he begged her not to go through with the charade.
At the safe house, a feverish Rafe tossed and turned, while Sami tried to slip his phone out of his hand. He awoke with a start, surprised to find her there, and tried to get up. Placing a cool compress against his skin, Sami urged him to go back to sleep so he would continue to get better. Though he protested, Rafe quickly dozed back off, muttering about how he had to get up so he could protect her. Sami whispered his name a few times to make sure he was asleep, then carefully reached for his phone. When Rafe awakened again, she announced that he still had a fever, so they should get him to a hospital. He refused, arguing that he just needed to take a cold shower to get his fever down. Sami countered that he was too weak to even stand, but Rafe said she was going to help him.
Once Rafe clarified that he only needed her to get him as far as the bathroom door and back, Sami agreed. She helped him out of bed, then, with his arm around her, they shuffled slowly to the bathroom. Sami urged him to be careful, and made him promise to call for her when he was finished.
As soon as Sami heard the shower running, she grabbed Rafe's phone and started dialing. Suddenly, Hilda appeared in the doorway. "Put the phone down now!" she commanded. She demanded to know where Rafe was, and whom Sami was trying to call. Sami petulantly huffed that Hilda had returned to her "evil queen persona." Hilda retorted by calling Sami "poodle pants," and sternly pointed out that the killer might be able to track their cell phone calls. Sami expressed her frustration at how long it was taking to find the mayor's killer-while she was cooped up in witness protection-and Hilda softened. She gently told Sami to hang in there a little longer, as the FBI was closer to catching the guy. Hilda promised that she and Rafe would keep Sami safe.
The mayor's assassin met with an informant, who divulged that Rafe wasn't Sami's only guard. He then produced a photo of Hilda. The informant advised that although Hilda was no longer watching Sami, she knew where Sami was. The killer was pleased.
Hilda then divulged that she had a new case, but had wanted to make sure Sami was all right-and to say goodbye-before she reported for duty. When she presented Sami with some knitting needles and yarn, Sami spied some baby booties in Hilda's bag. Embarrassed, Hilda quickly put them away, but promised she'd bring them back to Sami when they were finished. Hilda gave Rafe's phone back to Sami, but first made Sami "pinky swear" not to use it.
Sami locked the door after Hilda left, and turned to see a weak-looking Rafe coming out of the bathroom. Suddenly, his knees buckled, and he fell against the doorjamb. Sami rushed over and caught him before he fell, then helped him get back into bed. She checked his forehead as she got him settled, and pronounced that his fever had come down. When Rafe had drifted off to sleep, Sami immediately went for his phone, then remembered her promise to Hilda. She put the phone down, but then gathered up her purse, coat, and keys, and headed out the door.
Hilda was walking along the waterfront when the killer came up behind her. "Your picture doesn't do you justice," he said with a sneer. Hilda turned, surreptitiously reaching for her gun, and demanded, "Who the hell are you and why are you following me?" He replied that she had something he wanted: Sami Brady.
As the engagement party for Chloe and Lucas got underway at the Kiriakis mansion, Daniel was upstairs with Chloe. He was insistent that they discuss what was going on between them. Chloe maintained that there was nothing between them, and tried to throw him out of the room. Daniel countered that he would only leave if she could look him in the eye and tell him that's what she wanted, but she couldn't. Their eyes locked, and soon they were kissing passionately. Daniel flung the door closed behind them, and their kisses grew more fervent, but Chloe quickly shoved him away. She ordered him to stay away from her. Daniel argued that she was lying to herself and to Lucas by denying her feelings. Chloe angrily retorted, "Don't tell me how I feel!"
Chloe tried to storm out of the room, but when Daniel blurted, "Kate and I are no longer together," she stopped and turned, appalled that he had broken up with Kate so soon after the bone-marrow transplant. Daniel then clarified that Kate had left him. Chloe was adamant that it didn't matter, because she loved Lucas, but Daniel pointedly observed how flustered she'd become. He asserted that the initial sparks they'd felt hadn't gone away, and had instead grown stronger. Chloe tearfully said that it wasn't what she wanted, declaring that she wanted to be a good and faithful wife to Lucas. Daniel argued that Lucas wanted her not just to be faithful, but to want him. "Like I want you?" Chloe cried miserably. "Okay, yes, I said it: I want you! Happy now?"
Chloe then compared the two of them to characters in a tragic opera, and declared that what they were feeling was not love. Daniel countered that it was too early to tell what they were feeling, but he knew they had a connection, like they could see into each other's souls. His breathing becoming ragged, he added earnestly, "I feel like I've been waiting for you my whole life." Chloe steadfastly maintained that she and Lucas loved each other. When she began to cry, Daniel gently told her that he would leave. He moved closer to her, and suddenly she slapped him. "You son of a bitch! How could you do this to me? How could you do this tonight?"
On the sofa downstairs, Lucas thanked Chelsea for coming to the party. He added that he knew it couldn't have been easy for her, knowing Kate and Daniel would be there, but Chelsea declared somewhat nonchalantly that she was over it. When Lucas informed her that Daniel and Kate had broken up, because Kate wanted to focus on her health and her family, Chelsea didn't buy it. She was sure Daniel had dumped Kate because he'd found someone else. Lucas tried to convince her that it really had been Kate's call, and when Kate entered just then, she confirmed it. Chelsea wanted to know why, but Kate only shrugged. "If you love someone, set them free."
Once she and her grandmother were alone, Chelsea persisted, certain that Daniel must have done something to make Kate want to break things off. Kate gently replied that it was none of her business, and assured Chelsea that she was all right. When Kate asserted that having Daniel as her doctor and nothing more would make her life much simpler, Chelsea was finally convinced that it really had been Kate's decision. Kate declared that while she was neither alone nor lonely, she planned to be pickier about men in the future.
When Lucas returned, Kate told him that seeing his and Chloe's happiness had been partially responsible for her change of heart. Lucas feigned shock that Kate at last approved of his choice of partner. Kate declared that, although it had taken her a while, she'd come to believe Chloe was "a one-in-a-million girl." Lucas happily agreed.
Kate left to discuss the hors d'oeuvres with Henderson, and Chelsea remarked to Lucas that Kate was in a wonderful mood, but wondered why Kate wasn't more upset about her split with Daniel. Lucas contended that Daniel and Kate had never belonged together. Chelsea declared that was what she'd thought all along, adding lightheartedly that she was always right about such things. When Lucas asked how Chelsea felt about him and Chloe, she granted them her wholehearted approval. Lucas expressed his amazement that he and Chloe had fallen in love so suddenly, after having known each other for so long. Chelsea teased, "It's like love at 367th sight!"
When Kate returned, she was surprised that Chloe still hadn't come downstairs. Lucas decided that he should see if Chloe needed some help with the new dress Kate had given her, and headed upstairs. Henderson arrived with a tray of champagne glasses, and Kate asked if he'd seen Daniel. Henderson replied that he hadn't, and Kate wondered aloud where Daniel could be.
Upstairs, Chloe declared that she hated herself, adding that, on a night when she was supposed to be happy, she'd never felt more alone. Daniel acknowledged that it was his fault. His voice breaking, he professed, "I am so sorry." Suddenly, Chloe grabbed him and kissed him. Their desire for one other escalated, and soon they were feverishly tearing off each other's clothes. Once they had almost completely disrobed, Daniel threw Chloe onto the bed, and they appeared to be about to make love-just as Lucas arrived outside the door.
Max was working behind the bar at the Brady Pub, where Melanie found him and quickly deduced that there was something bothering him. Max admitted that someone had invited him to a party, but then had uninvited him practically in the same breath. Melanie teased him until he reluctantly confessed that it had been Chelsea, and that the almost-invitation had been for Lucas and Chloe's engagement party. Max pretended to be fine with it, but Melanie said she could tell he wasn't.
Maggie and Marlena, at a table nearby, discussed John's progress in therapy. Marlena confided that at last she sensed some changes in John, but she was worried what could happen when all his repressed anger finally emerged. Maggie questioned whether Marlena completely trusted John's new doctor, and Marlena admitted that she wished she knew more about Charlotte. Maggie wondered if Marlena were concerned about more than just Charlotte's qualifications. Marlena denied that she was jealous, although she admitted that she did wish she could have been the one to help John.
Maggie pointed out that Marlena was never suspicious without a reason, and urged her to try to find out what it was about Charlotte that troubled her. Marlena seemed a little hesitant, so Maggie asserted that if Charlotte were treating someone she loved, Maggie would try to find out everything she could about her. "Maybe she could help John remember when he loved me," Marlena said hopefully.
Marlena thanked Maggie for listening, especially with everything Maggie was going through. After Maggie had gone, Marlena opened her laptop. As she began typing, she said to herself, "All right, Charlotte Taylor. What is your story?"
John arrived at Charlotte's office, and found her setting up the video camera to record his hypnotherapy session. Although she informed him the recording was just for her to refer back to later, he declared that he'd decided not to go through with the hypnosis after all. Charlotte reassured him that his reaction was normal, as hypnosis could be scary for someone like him who needed to be in control. She encouraged him to take a chance and trust her, because she knew he wanted desperately to remember his old life.
A little later, once John was seated comfortably in a chair with his eyes closed, Charlotte guided him to relax and to calm his mind, while she counted backwards. When she reached "one," she asked him to remember an event from the day before. Next, she asked him to reach back one year in his memory, but John replied that he couldn't see anything but darkness. Charlotte directed him to look into the darkness until he saw a dim light, which would gradually become light enough for him to see something from his past. She then asked John what he could see. Suddenly, a grainy image appeared in his mind's eye, and he saw himself on a pier long ago. As the image cleared, Marlena emerged as if out of a fog. In Charlotte's office, John smiled and whispered, "Doc." As the memories of his joyous reunion with Marlena all those year ago washed over him-touching her tear-streaked face with disbelief as he began to weep himself, then embracing her with utter elation and relief-Charlotte asked what he was remembering. "The love of my life," John replied softly, his eyes still closed. "It's Marlena."
