At the DiMera mansion, Chad pulled a gun on E.J., reasoning that a bullet was the least he owed his brother, since E.J. had slept with Abigail -- the woman Chad had loved -- the minute Chad had left town. E.J. stressed that what had happened with Abigail had been nothing more than a terrible mistake. "Yeah, it was. But that didn't stop you from making it again, and again, and again. See, I was a fool. I should have known you'd move in on her as soon as I left, [based on] the way you looked at her [and] how you would tell me how lucky I was. Ah, you were planning it even then, weren't you, E.J.?" Chad guessed.
E.J. denied the accusation, reiterating that, while there was no excuse for what he had done, it really had just been a terrible mistake. "Yeah, speaking of mistakes, I made an even bigger one -- stepping in front of you, taking that bullet that should've killed you. When I think back to that night, I could've changed everything, and all I had to do was stand there and let that woman knock you off, end your miserable life right then and there," Chad countered.
E.J. refused to believe Chad really meant that, but Chad insisted that he did. "If I hadn't stepped in front of you and taken that bullet, I'd still have Abigail, 'cause she never would have found out what I had done. Hell, we might even be married. And you'd be dead. And all around, that is a much better scenario than the one we have right now," Chad reasoned before cocking the gun and pulling the trigger.
E.J. gasped and breathed a sigh of relief when nothing happened. Chad pulled the trigger a few more times to prolong the torment before finally shrugging and admitting that he had apparently forgotten to put bullets in the gun. "You son of a bitch!" E.J. snapped as he lunged for the weapon, but Chad kept it at a distance. "Good thing for you to remember that about me," Chad replied before calmly exiting the mansion. E.J. rushed outside and watched as Chad left the property, and he worriedly wondered where Chad was headed next.
At the Horton house, Abigail entered the foyer while Jennifer was standing in front of a mirror, fantasizing about how a meeting with Daniel might play out. Abigail observed that Jennifer looked amazing, and as J.J. descended the stairs and joined them, he wondered if Jennifer was headed out. Jennifer claimed that she was simply going for a walk, and she assured J.J. that she wouldn't go anywhere near his college party.
Abigail urged J.J. to have fun -- just not too much fun. J.J. got a bit defensive, so Abigail clarified that she didn't distrust him -- she just knew that college parties often involved alcohol and drugs, and she didn't want him to be wrongly implicated in anything if the cops were called to the scene, since he had only recently gotten off probation. J.J. promised he would be careful and would leave the party if things started getting out of hand.
After J.J. left, Jennifer wondered when Abigail was going to invite Ben over for dinner. Abigail wasn't ready to commit to a specific date yet, since things had been really crazy lately because of Ben's issues with his father. Abigail vaguely explained that Ben had led a rough life, and she admitted that learning about his family had made her appreciate her own family even more. Abigail left after knowingly urging Jennifer to enjoy the walk.
Abigail went to Club TBD to see Ben, who sighed and apologetically informed her that he was going to have to stay at work for a while longer. Ben invited Abigail to stick around, but she was afraid they might just distract each other, so she gave him a kiss and told him to call her when he finished working.
Later, while Abigail was sitting alone in a secluded section of the town square, she received a phone call from Ben, who assured her that he would soon be done working for the night. When Abigail ended the call and stood to leave, she was shocked to find Chad standing behind her.
In Eve's apartment, Eve pulled Marybeth aside while Paige was in another room, and the pair quietly discussed Marybeth's role in Eve's plan. Marybeth didn't understand how the scheme would break up Paige and J.J., but Eve said Marybeth didn't have to worry about that -- she just had to do her job and remember that no one could ever know they had talked about what was going to happen later that night.
J.J. arrived a short time later, and the group of teens left after he assured Eve that they would be careful at the party. "Good luck with that, J.J.," Eve mischievously muttered before placing a phone call to Jill, who promised that everything would go according to plan.
When J.J., Paige, and Marybeth arrived at the park, they quickly spotted Rory, who was with a girl they didn't recognize. Rory introduced the group to the girl -- Jill -- and offered to get drinks for everyone. Marybeth declined, explaining that she didn't drink. "What'd you think this was, a spelling bee? You come to a kegger to, you know, partake from ze keg," Rory pointed out.
Marybeth stood her ground and abruptly excused herself, stating that she was going to hang out with the cool people instead. Jill muttered that Marybeth seemed like a "major bitch," and Rory agreed. "Why do you think we call her 'M.B.'?" Rory jokingly added. Paige halfheartedly protested that Marybeth was just a bit uptight. "Which is exactly why she needs a beer," Rory reasoned, and he and Jill rushed off to get refills.
In response to J.J.'s inquiry, Paige claimed that she was having a good time, and she quickly changed the subject, observing that Jill was really pretty. "Rory totally scored, man," J.J. agreed before backpedaling and dismissively informing Paige that Jill wasn't that pretty.
Rory and Jill soon returned with four cups of beer. J.J. proposed a toast to higher learning, and he, Rory, and Jill each took a sip of beer, but Paige didn't join them. Oblivious, Rory spotted a table of Jell-O shots and rushed off to get some, dragging Jill behind him. J.J. assumed that Paige was upset because he had accepted the beer, since they had previously agreed not to do any major partying.
J.J. pointed out that he had only taken one sip of beer, but Paige clarified that she wasn't upset about him consuming alcohol -- she was just worried because he had only recently gotten off probation, and she had heard that the cops had broken up the college kickoff party the previous two years in a row. J.J. stressed that he didn't want Paige to worry about him, but she argued that, as his girlfriend, it was her job to do so.
J.J. grabbed Paige's drink and poured it and his own drink out in a nearby planter. "I am going to grab us two sodas, and then how 'bout, uh, we go find someplace where we can be alone?" J.J. suggestively offered after kissing Paige, and she happily agreed. J.J. left and quickly returned with the non-alcoholic drinks, but before he and Paige could go for a walk, Marybeth returned, holding her left arm and whimpering dramatically.
Marybeth claimed that she had been trampled when she had made the mistake of getting between some guys and a keg. Marybeth feared that her arm might be sprained or broken, and she insisted that she needed to go to the emergency room right away. J.J. offered to take Marybeth, but she refused to go anywhere with him, and she started whining that she was in pain and that Paige, as her friend, was obligated to take her to the hospital.
J.J. started to protest that he wanted to stay with Paige because they had arrived at the party together, but Marybeth insisted that she needed Paige more than he did. Paige hesitantly agreed to take her friend to the hospital alone, and she pulled J.J. aside and promised to stay in contact with him and return as soon as possible. Paige suspected that J.J. was upset, but he unconvincingly assured her that he understood.
As J.J. watched Paige and Marybeth walk away, Jill lurked nearby, keeping her eyes on him. A short time later, Jill rushed over to J.J. and dramatically started to explain that Rory had just tried to stick his tongue down her throat. Jill leaned against J.J.'s chest in an effort to get him to wrap his arms around her, but he pulled away from her and assured her that he would track Rory down and get him to apologize.
J.J. rushed off, leaving his drink behind on a nearby park bench. Meanwhile, Jill's friend, Dana, approached and showed Jill an image on a cell phone, apologetically explaining that she hadn't been able to get anything better during Jill's interaction with J.J. Jill wasn't satisfied with the image, but she refused to give up. Jill wished J.J. were an easier target, like Rory, but since that wasn't the case, she decided to slip a roofie in J.J.'s drink to make him more amenable, since Dana always carried a supply of the drugs in her purse.
Shortly after Jill finished spiking J.J.'s drink, he returned with Rory, who was quite drunk and was leaning on J.J. for support. Following J.J.'s instructions, Rory slurred out an apology to Jill, although it wasn't clear if he even knew what he was apologizing for, since he could no longer remember her name. J.J. sent Rory over to a nearby tree to wait for Rory's brother, Kurt, whom J.J. had contacted to ensure that Rory would get home safely.
After Rory stumbled off, Jill handed J.J. the spiked drink and watched as he sipped it obliviously. Later, J.J. finished the drink and walked over to a nearby trashcan to discard the empty cup. J.J. swayed slightly as he turned away from the trashcan, and he grabbed it for support. When Jill asked if J.J. was all right, he admitted that he suddenly wasn't feeling well, but he declined her offer of help and walked off alone.
Jill and Dana followed J.J. to a secluded park bench, where he had stopped to rest for a few minutes. Jill took a seat next to J.J. and started unbuttoning his shirt as Dana prepared to take pictures of them together.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Theresa informed Brady that she needed to tell him something about John, but she first wanted to know if it was true that John was going to make a full recovery. Brady confirmed that, while there were no guarantees, the doctors were optimistic that the experimental drug they had administered to John would revive him -- possibly as early as the following day.
"Look, Brady, I -- I -- I -- I didn't want to say anything before, 'cause I didn't want to worry you, but -- well, this new drug that they're trying -- it's -- it's unexpected, and -- and amazing, but...to be honest, it could be really terrible for me. [...] Kristen DiMera -- well, today she's kind of been stalking me. [...] She -- she told me that she had this drug for your dad, and now I know she wasn't lying, and she seemed pretty confident that it would work, and she seems to think -- well, that you're gonna fall down on your knees in gratitude when it works, and -- well, [she didn't use] those exact words, but she -- she did warn me to stay away from you twice. She threatened me," Theresa nervously explained.
Brady wondered why Theresa hadn't mentioned Kristen's threats sooner. Theresa claimed that she hadn't wanted to worry Brady, but she admitted that the threats had frightened her because Kristen had issued them with a lot of intensity. Brady assured Theresa that she wouldn't have to worry about Kristen, and he abruptly left the mansion.
After Brady left, Theresa started to panic, wondering what she was going to do if John emerged from his coma. Theresa rushed over to Eve's apartment and helped herself to a bottle of wine as she told Eve about the experimental drug that could possibly revive John. "You know, Theresa, I really wish I knew how I could help you, but I've been in a lot of tight spots, but nothing quite this tight," Eve admitted.
"Come on, Eve! I mean, you just squeezed a small fortune out of a turnip named Jennifer. I think, between the two of us, we should be able to come up with something brilliant," Theresa protested. Eve insisted that her plate was already full, so Theresa irritably declared that she would figure things out on her own, as always. Eve wished Theresa luck, guessing that it would be needed. After Theresa stormed off, Eve turned her attention to her cell phone, impatiently wondering why Jill hadn't called her yet.
In Daniel's apartment, Kristen was pleasantly surprised when Daniel quickly accepted her theory that Theresa had caused John's head injury. Kristen excitedly suggested that she and Daniel could work together to expose Theresa, but he wasn't interested, especially since they didn't have any proof that Theresa had attacked John, anyway. Kristen argued that Brady deserved to know the truth, but Daniel countered that Brady deserved to be free of Kristen for good, and he insisted that he wasn't going to help her go after the competition just so she could get her hooks back into Brady.
"Oh, shut up, would you? How many times have you told me there's no chance in hell Brady will ever get back with me -- about a million and one? So, what, you don't believe your own words, Daniel?" Kristen countered. Kristen flirtatiously grabbed Daniel's shirt collar as she added that Brady didn't need to worry about her, anyway, since he had his big, strong friend, Daniel, to take care of him and fight for him.
Daniel agreed that Kristen could think of him as Brady's bodyguard, and he wrapped his arm around her waist and dragged her to the door as she maintained her firm grip on his shirt collar. When Daniel opened the door to kick Kristen out, Jennifer was standing in the hallway. Daniel pulled his arm away from Kristen and started to explain that she had been about to leave, but his cell phone started ringing before he could finish his sentence.
Daniel went into another room to answer the call, leaving Kristen alone with Jennifer. Jennifer wondered what Kristen was doing in Daniel's apartment, and Kristen evasively replied that she could have asked Jennifer the same question, since she had heard that Jennifer and Daniel had ended their relationship. Kristen started to say that she had been meaning to call Jennifer, but Jennifer interrupted and said she was glad Kristen hadn't done that.
Kristen admitted that she deserved that, and she added that a lot of things had been left unsaid on her wedding day the previous fall. "Right, including the words 'I do,' thank God," Jennifer replied. Kristen said she knew her actions had disappointed Jennifer, but Jennifer clarified that she had actually been horrified and sickened, since she had truly believed that Kristen had changed and that they were friends.
Kristen's voice wavered as she admitted that Jennifer had actually been her one true friend, and she wondered if she could call Jennifer sometime to try to explain things. Jennifer declined the offer, insisting that she never even wanted to be in the same room with Kristen again, so Kristen nodded and sadly exited the apartment. A short time later, Daniel emerged from his bedroom and announced that he was needed at the hospital, but Jennifer didn't want him to leave before explaining why Kristen had been in his apartment in the first place.
Daniel said it was a long story and wasn't really Jennifer's concern, anyway. Daniel wanted to know if Jennifer had gone to his apartment just to check up on him, so she innocently replied that she had passed his building while taking a walk and had decided to visit him when she had noticed that the lights were on in his apartment. Daniel observed that Jennifer looked gorgeous, and he skeptically guessed that she hadn't gotten dressed up just to take a walk.
Jennifer confirmed the suspicion and admitted that she had really decided to visit Daniel because she hadn't liked the way they had left things earlier. Daniel felt the same way but didn't know if he could be alone with Jennifer when she was wearing such a stunning dress. Daniel reminded Jennifer that they had previously agreed to take things slowly instead of plunging back into a relationship right away. Jennifer couldn't believe that Daniel was apparently less comfortable having private heart-to-heart conversations with her than with a crazy woman who had wanted to kill him just a few weeks earlier.
"Thanks for the reminder that you don't trust my judgment when it comes to women, which is why we're apart in the first place. You were wrong about Nicole, and you don't have the first clue as to what's going on with me and Kristen," Daniel countered. Daniel added that the situation was none of Jennifer's business, and she conceded the point and abruptly exited the apartment, slamming the door behind her. Daniel considered the matter for a few seconds before rushing into the hallway to try to stop Jennifer, but she had already boarded the elevator.
When Kristen returned to her hotel room and turned on a lamp, she was momentarily startled -- but mainly just pleased -- to find Brady sitting in a chair in the corner of the room, staring at her. Kristen stressed that, while Brady might be inclined to believe otherwise, she really hadn't agreed to help John just for selfish reasons. Kristen said she had been forced to beg Stefano for help, and she guessed that she would probably owe him for the rest of her life, but she insisted that she didn't care, since the sacrifice would be worthwhile if John recovered.
Brady admitted that Kristen had given him an amazing and unexpected gift. Kristen eagerly waited for Brady to thank her, but he refused to give her that satisfaction. Brady revealed that he knew that, in exchange for the drug, Kristen had made Eric promise not to testify against her, but she shrugged and innocently replied that Stefano was the person who had made that one of the conditions of the exchange. Kristen insisted that she was trying to do a good thing, but Brady countered that there was nothing she could do to make up for what she had done to Eric.
Kristen wondered why Brady had gone all the way to her hotel room just to tell her something she had already known all along. Brady replied that he had also wanted to talk to Kristen about Theresa, and he warned that he would kill Kristen if she went near Theresa or anyone else he cared about. "Oh, Brady, I don't need to take that bitch down. I'm gonna let John do it for me," Kristen mischievously muttered after Brady left.
Meanwhile, in the town square, Theresa fantasized about sneaking into John's hospital room and smothering him with a pillow, and she vowed that she would do exactly that if she had to.
While Abigail was sitting in the park, Ben called her on the phone to say that he was ending his shift at the club. Abigail said she would meet him. As Abigail hung up the phone and rose from the bench, Chad walked around the corner. Startled, Abigail dropped her phone, and Chad picked it up for her. Chad told Abigail that he was happy to see her and that she was more beautiful than he had remembered.
When Abigail asked Chad if he was staying in Salem permanently, he nodded. As Abigail excused herself to leave, Chad asked her if she was headed to meet Ben. Guilty, Abigail stopped walking. Chad apologized for eavesdropping. Chad told Abigail that Ben was a lucky guy. Overwhelmed, Chad sighed and sat on the bench. Abigail asked Chad about his life, and he told her that he had traveled and spent the entire time thinking about how he had hurt Abigail.
"It's all in the past," Abigail said breathlessly. "But you were right when you said that you couldn't trust me. That I manipulated your life and that I was wrong. But I just couldn't bear losing you," Chad said. Abigail asked Chad not to talk about the past. Chad nodded.
"You probably want to talk about how you slept with my brother," Chad said with a scowl. Abigail apologized for not telling Chad what had happened before Sami had mailed him the article. When Abigail asked Chad if he had talked to E.J., Chad said that they had talked after he had hit E.J. Abigail admitted that she shared the blame for what had happened with E.J.
"You wanted it as much as he did, right? When I left town, you were on such a high horse, but you managed to get down off of it to get into bed with my brother. There is no one on earth that you could have slept with that would have hurt me more. But then again, you knew that, didn't you?" Chad asked. Chad said that he could not stop thinking about Abigail and E.J. together. Abigail stressed that she had not been involved with E.J. until well after Chad had left town.
"Were you thinking of him every time I made love to you? Thinking his name in your head over and over? How E.J. was the DiMera you really wanted, but since you were a virgin, you thought you needed a little experience before you took him on? What was I, like your training wheels? Your starter lover? Or did you settle for sleeping with the little brother until you could figure out a way to get me out of the picture? I hope he was worth the wait, Abigail. Tell me, was he that much better than me?" Chad growled. Abigail slapped Chad hard across the face.
Abigail said that she had made a mistake but that she had not slept with E.J. to hurt Chad. Abigail said that she was sorry she had hurt Chad but that he had no right to say mean things to her. Ben rounded the corner and demanded to know what was going on. A tearful Abigail gaped at Ben, and Chad introduced himself. Chad said he was an old friend and E.J.'s brother. When Ben asked Abigail if Chad was bothering her, Chad said no. With a smirk, Chad warned Ben not to leave a girl as beautiful as Abigail alone in Salem.
Once Chad was gone, Ben asked Abigail if she was okay. Abigail gasped in relief. When Ben asked Abigail if that was her ex-boyfriend, she nodded. Abigail noted that Chad had lashed out because she had hurt him. Abigail assured Ben that Chad would not bother her again. When Ben asked Abigail if she wanted to reschedule their date, she nodded. As Ben escorted Abigail home, Chad stepped out of the bushes and watched them walk away.
In the square, Kayla asked Hope about her conversation with Aiden. Hope admitted that she had not talked to Aiden and that she had decided that her feelings for Aiden were tied to Bo's absence. The hospital texted Kayla. Kayla warned Hope that they would finish their conversation later. Kayla added that she was not so sure that Hope's feelings for Aiden were tied to her anger with Bo.
In the club, Nicole drank a martini while Aiden sipped a coffee. Nicole asked Aiden to help her sue Kristen for destroying her relationship with Eric. Aiden reminded Nicole that she had never been married to Eric so Nicole could not sue for alienation of affection. Aiden added that Nicole had destroyed her relationship with Eric on her own. Grumbling, Nicole reminded Aiden that Kristen deserved to be in prison for hurting Eric.
"Wow. You still really love this guy, don't you?" Aiden asked. Nicole admitted that she still loved Eric. When Aiden asked Nicole if she was hoping the case would draw Eric to her, Nicole nodded. Aiden advised Nicole to give up on her idea of suing Kristen. As Aiden and Nicole laughed and joked, Hope entered the club and noted that they seemed to enjoy one another's company. Nicole left.
When Hope asked Aiden if they were laughing at Hope, Aiden furrowed his brow and announced that he had been talking about business with Nicole. Flustered, Hope apologized for interrupting. Confused, Aiden asked Hope if she was jealous of Nicole. When Hope repeated what Aiden had said, he denied that he had called Hope jealous. Hope raised an eyebrow and ordered Aiden to meet her outside the club to talk.
At the pub, Eric sorted through photographs and found a photo of Nicole mixed in. Eric fantasized about having sex with Nicole in the pub. As Eric sighed, Caroline walked in the room and said, "Penny for your thoughts." Eric said he was reviewing photos, looking for material to sell. Caroline took Eric's hand and told him that she was proud of how he was moving forward with his life. With a frown, Eric said that he felt pathetic.
After Caroline went upstairs, Eric looked through more photos and fantasized about grabbing Nicole in the woods and having sex with her. Eric shook his head, snapping back to reality. Eric turned off the lights to close the pub, and Nicole walked through the front door. Nicole said she had seen Eric through the window when she'd been walking by the pub. Eric asked Nicole to leave. Nicole insisted on talking about what Eric had done to help John. Frustrated, Eric ordered Nicole to leave.
Nicole pleaded with Eric to let her help him. Eric reminded Nicole that he did not want her help. Teary-eyed, Nicole said that she missed Eric desperately and that she walked by the pub every night in the hopes of running into him. Nicole added that she had stared at Eric's window every night and worried about him. Crying, Nicole said that it was killing her that Eric wanted to push her away. Nicole turned away from Eric and saw the photos on the table. When Nicole asked about the photos, Eric bristled. Nicole suggested that Eric sell the black and white photos, and he realized that Nicole had seen the website where he sold his work.
"Dear Lord, please don't tell me you've made a few purchases," Eric muttered. Nicole admitted that she had. Eric ordered Nicole not to buy any more. Furious, Eric told Nicole that he hated her. With her jaw set in defiance, Nicole said she would not buy any more photos but that she was keeping all the photos she already had received from Eric. "You know why? Because it's all I have left of us!" Nicole cried out before walking out of the pub.
In the woods near the party, Jill maneuvered a shirtless and unconscious J.J. onto a bench and positioned him to look like he was making out with her. Jill's friend, Dana, took photos and commented that J.J. looked like he had been roofied. Nodding, Jill instructed Dana to help her hold J.J.'s arm so that the photo appeared to be a selfie taken by J.J. While Dana held his arm and worked J.J.'s camera phone, Jill turn J.J.'s head and kissed him. Jill reviewed the photos and added them to a text on J.J.'s phone.
Jill's text was addressed to Rory, but she intentionally sent the text with the photo to Paige as if it were an accident. Jill and Dana hurriedly redressed J.J. and ran off when they heard Kurt call out his name. Kurt gently slapped J.J.'s face to wake him. J.J. groggily opened his eyes, and Kurt warned J.J. that they needed to leave because the police were breaking up the party. Kurt pulled J.J. to his feet.
In the hospital, Daniel offered to examine Marybeth so that she and Paige could return to the party. When Paige asked Daniel if he was meeting Jennifer, Daniel thought about the fight he had had with Jennifer about Kristen. Daniel told Paige that the date had not worked out. Paige said she was sorry. With a nod, Daniel said he would check on Marybeth's x-rays. While Paige waited, a text from J.J. beeped on her phone. Paige was shocked to see the photo of a shirtless J.J. kissing Jill.
When Marybeth informed Paige that her x-rays were clean, an emotional Paige stared silently at Marybeth. Marybeth asked what was wrong. Paige showed Marybeth the text. Marybeth advised Paige to dump J.J. Upset, Paige yelled that she did not want to hear how happy Marybeth was that J.J. had hurt her. Citing the need to know what had happened, Paige stormed off in search of J.J.
Eve paced her apartment nervously, waiting for word from Jill about their plan to take incriminating photos of J.J. After leaving the scene of the crime, Jill met with Eve at the apartment. Jill showed Eve some of the photos that Dana had taken and she explained that she had sent a more incriminating one to Paige from J.J.'s phone. Eve giggled with delight. When Eve commented that she was disappointed that J.J. had made out with Jill after a couple of drinks, Jill admitted that she had had to drug J.J. in order to get the photos.
Eve was taken aback by the news. When Jill asked for her money, Eve nodded absently and reached for her purse. After Jill left, Marybeth stopped by the apartment to congratulate Eve on breaking up Paige and J.J. Marybeth commented that they were lucky that J.J. had been drunk enough to kiss another girl and send the proof directly to Paige. Eve nodded and asked Marybeth to leave so that Paige did not find them talking together. As Marybeth walked out the front door, Eve reminded Marybeth not to tell Paige that she had faked an injury.
Daniel left the hospital and went to the Horton house to talk to Jennifer. With the lights out, Daniel started to leave. Kurt dropped J.J. off at his house, and J.J. stumbled toward the door. Worried, Daniel asked J.J. if he was drunk. J.J. shook his head. Daniel asked J.J. if he had thought about how drinking would upset Jennifer. Fighting to keep his eyes open, J.J. blinked, and Daniel escorted J.J. away from the house.
At Daniel's apartment, Daniel interrogated J.J. about the party. J.J. explained that he had sipped one beer and had not had any more alcohol after that. Shaking his head, Daniel exclaimed that he had watched J.J. stumbling home and that J.J. had to have had something at the party. Confused, J.J. said that the night was a blank. With a gasp, J.J. wondered aloud if he had been drugged.
Daniel warned J.J. not to lie. When J.J. insisted he was innocent, Daniel asked for details. J.J. noted that there had been drugs at the party and that he might have ingested something by accident. Daniel said he believed J.J., and he escorted J.J. to the hospital for drug testing. J.J. asked Daniel not to tell anyone.
In the woods, Paige looked around for J.J. Paige ran in to Abe, who informed her that the police had shut down the party for underage drinking. When Paige asked if J.J. had been arrested, Abe told her that J.J. had not been on the scene.
At the hospital, J.J. waited for the test results in a private room. Paige called him on the phone and asked him if he had gone home with the girl he had been kissing. Confused, J.J. asked Paige what she was talking about. Paige said that J.J.'s text to Rory had been sent to her instead. When Paige said that she had thought that J.J. loved her, J.J. insisted that he did. Paige said that she never wanted to talk to J.J. again and hung up the phone.
When Daniel returned to the room with the test results, J.J. explained that he had talked to Paige. J.J. looked at his phone and found the picture of him kissing Jill. "What the hell?" J.J. exclaimed. J.J. stuttered that he did not remember kissing the girl in the photo. Daniel explained that J.J. had been drugged. Confused, J.J. noted that it was odd that he would have sent a message to Rory at all. J.J. theorized aloud that he had been set up. Daniel urged J.J. to talk to the police, but J.J. said that no one would believe him.
A heartbroken Paige returned home and found Eve waiting for her on the couch. Pretending she was oblivious to what had happened that night, Eve smiled and asked Paige if she had enjoyed the party. Fighting tears, Paige said she did not want to talk about what had happened. Paige ran into her room. Eve whispered that Paige was better off without J.J.
Outside the club, Aiden reminded Hope that she had made it clear that she did not feel the same way about him that he felt about her. Hope ordered Aiden to be quiet. Hope admitted that she had not been honest about her feelings. With a sad smile, Hope said that she had been attracted to Aiden but that her life was complicated.
Aiden said he understood that she loved her husband and that her feelings for him paled in comparison to her feelings for Bo. Hope said that she loved her husband but that he had left her two years before for work. Crying, Hope admitted that she could not remember the last time she had heard her husband's voice.
"I don't know when he's coming back or if he is ever going to come back. He has deserted us, and I'm hurt and I'm angry and I'm furious not just for myself but for Ciara," Hope said. Hope said that she was not sure if her attraction to Aiden was because she was angry with her husband. With a sigh, Hope said she did not want to use Aiden because he deserved better. Upset, Hope ran away.
At the Brady house, a miserable Hope looked over some documents. Wiping tears from her eyes and laying the papers facedown on the desk, Hope picked up the phone, dialed Aiden, and said she needed to see him. Although he was surprised, Aiden told Hope that he was at Club TBD. When Hope arrived at the club a few minutes later, she and Aiden got a booth in the corner. Aiden assured Hope that she had made herself clear the night before, but Hope countered that she actually hadn't been. She explained that Aiden's admission about his feelings for her had surprised her -- and she had feelings for him, too.
Hope confessed that she liked that he made her laugh and that he cared passionately about things and people, and she enjoyed spending time with him -- and she'd decided to stop denying that. "So where do we go from here?" Aiden asked. Chuckling sheepishly, Hope admitted that she had no idea. Aiden proposed that he take Hope out on an actual date -- a lunch date the next day, in a nearby town where they wouldn't run into anyone they knew, to talk and see where things went. He continued that if it led nowhere, at least they would know.
Hope accepted Aiden's invitation. The two agreed that they should not tell their kids until they were sure there was something between them. Hope said that she had to take care of something before she could go out with Aiden, but she asked him to call her as soon as he'd made their lunch reservation.
Chase arrived after Hope had gone and said that he'd overheard his dad making a reservation. Stammering, Aiden explained that he had a date. Chase reminded Aiden, "When Mom died, you said you wouldn't go on any more dates." Aiden explained that he'd meant it at the time, but sometimes, things and people changed. Chase asked what the lady's name was, but Aiden wouldn't tell him just yet. Chase wanted to know if the lady were nice, and when Aiden said she was, Chase asked, "Is she like Mom?" Aiden replied, "No, no. Not at all."
Hope returned home and wrote a letter to Bo. In it, she acknowledged that he might never receive it because she was sending it to his last known address, but she still needed to write it. She began to cry as she told him that he'd been the love of her life since she'd been a teenager, and despite the tragedies and bad times they'd been through together, she had never regretted loving him or choosing to spend her life with him. She reminded him that she hadn't heard from him in ages.
Hope's letter continued, "Brady, you've broken my heart -- and Ciara's. You deserted us, and your actions speak loud and clear to me. You've chosen your mission over us, your family. I get it." She broke down in sobs then dried her tears with a tissue before continuing with a little more determination: "I can either go on like this and be miserable, or I can rejoin the living. And as hard as it is, I have to let you go. I can't do this anymore. I have to say goodbye to you, Brady, or the ghost of you, which is all I seem to have left."
Stroking a framed photograph of Bo on her desk, Hope whispered, "I'll always love you." As she picked up the pen and tried to continue to write, Hope broke down again. A little later, she folded the letter and put it in an envelope then she picked up the documents she'd put aside earlier and reviewed the information she'd filled in. At the top of the page was the title, "Petition for Divorce." Hope sadly slipped off her wedding ring, placed it on top of the papers, and began to sob.
At Eve and Paige's apartment, Paige was about to leave for class when J.J. called her. Paige ignored his call, but J.J. called right back. Instead of answering, Paige deleted J.J.'s contact information from her phone. Eve emerged from the bedroom and saw that her daughter was still upset, so she asked if something had happened at the previous night's party. Meanwhile, a determined J.J. grabbed his jacket and headed out of his house.
Paige didn't want to tell her mom anything, and before Eve could push very hard for information, Theresa arrived. Paige used that opportunity to hurry out. As Eve closed the door, Theresa observed that her sister looked happy. "That's because I am!" Eve replied excitedly. She asked what was going on with Theresa, who seemed much more upbeat than she had the night before. Theresa explained that she was no longer worried about the drug they'd given John, because she'd done some research and learned that after a head injury like his, many people suffered retrograde amnesia.
Eve reiterated her promise not to say anything if anyone asked about Theresa's involvement in what had happened to John. Theresa reminded her sister that they had made a deal: Eve's silence in exchange for Theresa's blood donation before Eve's surgery. Theresa was skeptical that anyone would want to listen to Eve sing once she had the surgery to repair her vocal cords. Eve declared that Theresa's problem was that she always acted on impulse. "Sweetie, if you want things to go your way, you've got to learn to plan," Eve added. Fed up with her sister's know-it-all attitude, Theresa stormed out.
J.J. was waiting outside the Brady Pub when Paige showed up on her way to catch the bus. She tried to avoid him, but J.J. implored her to listen to him. "Those pictures -- I know what they look like, and believe me, I know they look really bad... But it was a setup," J.J. insisted. Paige was skeptical, but J.J. reminded her that she'd told him that she knew the real him and could tell when he was lying. He urged her to hear him out. J.J. insisted that he didn't remember taking his shirt off, messing around with the girl in the picture, or sending the photos to Rory.
Paige dubiously asked who would want to set J.J. up. J.J. pointed out that there was a long list, which included Cole, Bev, Marybeth, people he'd angered while he'd been dealing drugs -- plus Paige's Aunt Theresa. Paige pointed out that even if J.J. were right, he couldn't remember anything so he couldn't prove anything. J.J. explained that there had been "roofies" in his system, and those drugs made a person act drunk and unable to remember, but they did not cause aggression -- such as making out with a strange girl and sending out pictures of it.
J.J. guessed that Jill had drugged him, but he had no idea why, and he didn't know how to find her. He added that what happened next for him and Paige was a matter of whether she trusted him to tell her the truth. "Paige, the first time I laid eyes on you, I stopped thinking about other girls. I love you, and I can't imagine being in love with anybody else. I just...really hope that you can still believe that," J.J. said. After a moment's contemplation, Paige reassured J.J. -- although she hoped she wouldn't end up regretting it. A relieved J.J. expressed his gratitude by embracing Paige.
J.J. expressed his determination to find out what had happened to him, but Paige didn't see how that was possible when he didn't know how to find Jill. J.J. explained that he'd checked his call history, and the pictures hadn't been sent to anyone but Paige, so if the photos turned up on anyone else's phone, he would know they'd been involved. "Somebody put Jill up to this. I know it. And whoever it is has those pictures -- and I'm going to find them. I swear it," J.J. vowed.
Meanwhile, Eve was perusing the photos on her phone that Jill had sent from the party. "I can't believe a hooker finally gave me what I need to open Paige's eyes about the young mister Deveraux," a smug Eve mused to herself.
At the hospital, Jordan ran into Rafe, who said that he was there to interview a mugging victim. Rafe remarked that it had been a long time since he'd seen her. Jordan testily replied that it hadn't been that long since she'd seen him. A puzzled Rafe asked what she was talking about. Jordan explained that she'd gone to see him at the station -- but she'd left when she'd seen Kate kissing him. Rafe insisted that it hadn't meant anything, but an angry Jordan didn't buy it. Before she stomped off, Jordan said that she and Rafe should keep their distance from each other.
Later, Roman went to Rafe's office at the police station. Rafe said that Kate and Sami were both terrified of what Stefano was likely planning to get even with them. Roman asked Rafe to keep him posted.
Clyde met with Jeremiah in the park outside Horton Square. Jeremiah wanted to know why Clyde was working for the "DiMera guy." Clyde maintained that the situation was going to work to his advantage, because he was going to bide his time and use E.J. to make all the right contacts. "You know me, Jeremiah. In the end, I always get what I want," Clyde added.
Kate and Sami were discussing how to produce a bigger return for their investors. Sami offered to ask E.J. for help with one of the companies, but Kate clearly didn't think that was a good idea. E.J. appeared in the foyer on his way out the door. Sami stopped him to ask for his advice, but she stopped mid-sentence when she saw the cut on his lip. "What happened to your face?" she asked, alarmed. Just then, a shirtless Chad entered from the terrace, dripping wet after a morning dip in the pool. Both Kate and Sami reacted with surprise.
Chad explained that he'd arrived the night before. He asked Sami about the kids, and she informed him that they were at camp but would be home soon. E.J. sniped at his brother for dripping on the rug, so Chad pulled on a robe. Kate embraced Chad and welcomed him home. Indicating the portrait of Kate and Sami, Chad complimented the women on what they'd done with the place. Chad added that he was also impressed with Sami and Kate's "well-orchestrated scheme" to take over the company -- and take E.J. down.
"Well, I guess we've solved the mystery of what happened to E.J.'s face," Kate said. Although Sami tried to play the diplomat, Kate needled E.J. about why Chad had punched him. Chad assured Sami that he and E.J. had enjoyed a "cathartic" talk the night before about their situation. Kate pointed out that "situation" was just a euphemism for E.J. seducing Chad's former girlfriend. Changing the subject, Sami asked how long Chad would be in town. "I came back to Salem to make a new start... I'm going to build a nice new life for myself. I'm going to do it right here in this house," Chad declared.
Sami asked to speak to E.J. in the garden about an investment. After the others had gone, Kate asked Chad, "Does it bother you as much as it bothers me that the two of them are on such good terms again? [...] Sami and I had this grand plan to get even with E.J. and your father, and now Sami wants to make E.J. part of the plan." Chad said that it sounded as if Kate could use a DiMera and offered his help. Kate reminded Chad that he was the only person in the world whom Stefano loved without reservation, and she wondered why Chad would want to help her.
Chad explained that Stefano had promised God that he would be a better person if God had let Chad live, but Chad believed that Stefano had not changed a bit. "If Sami isn't up for it, we'll cut her out, too. It'll just be you and me," Chad added. Kate asserted that if Chad had really believed Stefano would change, Chad was either very naïve or he wasn't telling Kate something. Chad declared that he wanted to make sure that Stefano never set foot in Salem again and that E.J. ended up with nothing.
Kate voiced her approval for the man Chad had become. After reminding Kate of his pedigree, Chad asked if she wanted his help or not. "Of course I want your help. Sami's back in E.J.'s thrall, I need an ally, and I like you. It's just that I'm not sure what you can do," Kate stated. "I am a DiMera, and you said it yourself: my father has a soft spot for me. So you'll see what I can do," Chad replied before heading upstairs.
Outside, E.J. acknowledged that Chad had every right to be angry -- though no right to "behave like an ass." Sami confessed that she had sent the magazine article to Chad out of revenge. Unsurprised, E.J. admitted that he had procrastinated talking to Chad, even though E.J. had known that Chad would eventually find out. "He made it very clear the era of goodwill between us is over," E.J. added. "Chad will come around -- eventually," Sami tried to reassure E.J. E.J. didn't think that would ever happen because Chad had pulled a gun on him -- and pulled the trigger, although there had been no bullets in the gun.
"I don't think Chad and I are going to be bonding any time soon," E.J. concluded. Sami pointed out that Chad would have put bullets in the gun if he'd intended to harm E.J. "He's just going to make you squirm, and then he will forgive you," Sami asserted. E.J. believed that Chad would try to get revenge by destroying any progress E.J. had made with Sami, because Chad knew that would devastate E.J.
Kate and Chad were gone when Sami and E.J. returned from the garden. Sami assured E.J. that Chad could not change her mind about anything, especially E.J. She pointed out that Chad cared about the children, but E.J. reminded her that Chad was also Will's good friend. Moving close to E.J. as she urged him to stop worrying, Sami reassured him, "[Chad's] going to see how much [the children] love us. He's going to realize that this is what's best for everyone, all right?" Unable to resist, E.J. leaned down and quickly kissed Sami on the lips. Instead of objecting, she smiled and kissed him back -- passionately.
Later, Kate met Clyde at the café in Horton Square. He explained that the connection she'd given to him had worked out well, and he wanted to thank her by treating her to lunch.
Jordan was walking through the park when the sound of Jeremiah's voice addressing her as "Tammy Sue" startled her. Clyde explained that he was in Salem to see Tammy Sue's daddy. "Clyde is not my father," Jordan snapped. Ogling Jordan up and down, Jeremiah declared that she looked good. Jordan tried to walk away, but Jeremiah grabbed her by the arm. "Remember when I bought you that pretty bracelet at the crafts fair? You must've been, like, fifteen years old. You were pretty then, but now..." Jeremiah purred lecherously.
Jordan ordered Jeremiah to let her go. Jeremiah insisted that he just wanted to talk to Jordan. Just then, Chad rounded the corner and warned Jeremiah, "Didn't you hear the lady? She doesn't want to talk to you."
At the Horton house, Abigail distractedly confirmed that, like Jennifer, she hadn't seen J.J. since he had left for the college kickoff party the previous night. Jennifer could tell that something was bothering Abigail, so Abigail revealed the details of her earlier encounter with Chad.
Jennifer assumed that Chad had returned to Salem to make Abigail feel guilty about the fling with E.J., but Abigail said Chad shouldn't have bothered if that was the case, since she already felt guilty enough as it was. "I was so self-righteous about what Chad did to me, and then I slept with E.J. -- the guy who helped him pull it off," Abigail regretfully mused.
At the Horton Town Square, Clyde offered to buy Kate lunch as a way of thanking her for supplying him with the contact information he had asked for earlier. Kate politely declined the offer, explaining that she was swamped with work, and she apologetically added that she had apparently given Clyde the wrong idea. "Well, you're a lady executive and I'm just a guy from the sticks, but I think people are the same everywhere, and women are women, [so] I don't believe for one second I got the wrong idea," Clyde replied.
Kate countered that, while Clyde might be adept at reading other women, he might want to have his meter checked if he was sensing interest from her. Clyde hoped he hadn't inadvertently offended Kate, and she dismissed his concern, sarcastically assuring him that women loved hearing phrases like "women are women." Clyde explained that he had simply learned years earlier that it wasn't always wise to trust the things people said. Kate thought Clyde needed to at least respect the things people said, and he agreed, but he added that what he trusted was what he saw in a person's eyes.
Clyde knew Kate could afford to take a break from work to go out for lunch if she wanted to, so he wondered if she had declined his offer for some other reason -- perhaps because of Rafe. Clyde pointed out that Kate had traveled all the way to Poplar Bluff to track him down simply because she had been concerned about Rafe's relationship with Jordan, but Kate assured him that she and Rafe were just really good friends.
Clyde thought there had to be someone special in Kate's life, since it seemed criminal for such a beautiful woman to be single, but she assured him that she simply wasn't looking for a romantic relationship with anyone. Clyde apologized for the misunderstanding and offered to make it up to Kate over dinner, since she was too busy to have lunch with him. Kate tried to decline, but Clyde countered each of her excuses, and -- to her surprise -- she eventually found herself agreeing to the date.
Elsewhere, Jeremiah maintained a firm grip on Jordan's arm as he told Chad to mind his own business and keep walking. Chad stood his ground, and when he introduced himself as Chad DiMera, Jeremiah backed down and innocently explained that he had simply wanted to say hello to Tammy Sue, whom he had known for a very long time. "And now you have," Chad dismissively replied, so Jeremiah took the hint and left.
Chad apologized to Jordan for barging in, explaining that he simply hadn't liked the way Jeremiah had been talking to her. Jordan thanked Chad for his help, and he admitted that, while he remembered seeing her around town in the past, he had been under the impression that her name was Jordan. Jordan clarified that she had grown up as Tammy Sue but had never really liked the name. Chad agreed that Jordan's new name suited her better.
Chad wanted to know what Jeremiah was doing in Salem, but Jordan said she hadn't asked. Jordan abruptly changed the subject, guessing that it had probably been difficult for Chad to return to Salem, considering what had happened right before he had left the previous year. Chad nodded and asked about Rafe. Jordan revealed that Rafe had fully recovered the use of his legs, but she added that they were no longer a couple.
"Really? Well, I thought he was smarter than that," Chad replied. Jordan claimed that Rafe hadn't done anything stupid, and she vaguely explained that their relationship simply hadn't worked out. Jordan abruptly excused herself, but before leaving, she thanked Chad again for rushing to her rescue earlier, calling the act gallant. Chad smiled and admitted that it had been a while since anyone had used that word to describe him.
After playing basketball, Lucas, Rafe, Sonny, and Ben funneled into the Brady Pub as the younger men teased the older ones for losing the game. Rafe and Sonny went to order drinks, and Lucas seized the opportunity to talk to Ben about Jordan. Lucas wondered if Ben believed that there was a possibility that Rafe and Jordan might eventually get back together.
"Are you asking me if you can take my sister out?" Ben wondered. Lucas claimed that he had simply wanted to know if Jordan was all right. Ben wasn't entirely convinced that Lucas wasn't interested in Jordan, but Lucas insisted that he had been the rebound guy in the past and had no desire to repeat the experience.
Meanwhile, at the bar, Rafe was pleased to learn that Sonny and Will had taken Arianna to see Gabi the previous day. Rafe admitted that he was worried about Gabi, but Sonny reported that she was worried about Rafe. Sonny explained that Gabi blamed herself for what had happened between Rafe and Jordan, but Rafe insisted that was ridiculous, and he vowed to set Gabi straight the next time he talked to her.
Later, after the group finished their drinks, Sonny excused himself, and Ben decided that it was time for him to leave, too. Rafe thanked Ben for not bailing on the earlier game after realizing that Rafe would be participating in it. "You don't have to thank me. You think I'd pass up a chance to knock you on your ass again? Never," Ben replied before exiting the pub. Lucas observed that Ben had gotten a bit rough with Rafe during the game, but Rafe simply shrugged and replied that he respected Ben's willingness to stick up for Jordan.
In Will and Sonny's apartment, Will received a text message from Sonny, informing him that there was no need to head over to the basketball court because the game had already ended. Meanwhile, Zoe arrived and asked for Will's signed Sonix contract, explaining that she was in a hurry to get their deal finalized because she already had a new subject for him to write a profile piece about -- Chad DiMera.
Will reminded Zoe that he had already informed her that he wasn't going to write about family members again. Zoe argued that Sami's marriage to E.J. didn't make Chad a true part of Will's family, but Will thought Zoe was just splitting hairs. Will added that his husband was Chad's business partner, but that also failed to discourage Zoe.
Zoe enthusiastically listed all the things about Chad's life that made him a compelling subject for a cover story. Will dismissed Zoe's points and informed her that he hadn't spoken to Chad since Chad had moved thousands of miles away from Salem the previous fall. Zoe revealed that Chad was back in Salem, explaining that one of her stringers had shared a flight with him the previous night.
Will protested that Chad was his friend and that Zoe couldn't exploit the guy as a way to sell magazines, but she countered that Will had just stated that he hadn't spoken to Chad since the previous fall. "Wasn't Chad DiMera the guy who outed you at your own wedding?" Zoe wondered. Will laughed and advised Zoe to run that through a fact checker, since it wasn't even close to being accurate. Zoe quickly consulted her tablet computer, and when she saw that Chad had actually played a part in derailing Gabi and Nick's wedding with the revelation that Will was the father of Gabi's baby instead of Nick, she decided that was an even better story.
Will insisted that he wasn't okay with pimping out the details of his personal life for the magazine. Zoe argued that Will had done exactly that when he had written the TruVista article, but he countered that he had learned from his mistake. Zoe shrugged and agreed to give Will a free pass on the assignment if he didn't want to accept it, since that courtesy was part of the deal they had previously talked about.
"But there is gonna be an article about Chad, whether you like it or not, and I have a whole stable of writers who are dying for an assignment like this. And maybe they won't work as hard to protect Chad as you would. And, unlike them, you have it in your contract that you approve any changes made to any article you write. So, if I decide to [violate that agreement], you can turn around and sue me and end up owning the whole magazine. So, think about what'll be best for your friend Chad -- just don't take too long," Zoe added before exiting the apartment.
When Sonny returned home, the shower was running, so Sonny quickly removed his clothes and joined Will, who was pleasantly surprised to see his husband. Sonny said he had missed Will on the basketball court earlier, but Will found that hard to believe, since Ben had served as Will's substitute on Sonny's team. Sonny conceded that Ben had major reach, but he suggestively added that Ben didn't have Will's moves.
After the husbands made love, they emerged from the shower and got dressed as Will told Sonny about Zoe's earlier visit. Sonny was excited to hear that Will had already received a new assignment, but he was rendered speechless when Will revealed that Chad was the subject.
Zoe was on the phone with someone when she entered the Brady Pub, and Lucas overheard her saying her full name, so he waited around for her to finish the call so he could confront her about what she had done to his son. Lucas accused Zoe of using Will -- a great guy who was full of talent and integrity -- to sell magazines, and he wondered how she could possibly sleep at night. Without waiting for a response, Lucas added that he was happy that Will no longer worked for Zoe.
Zoe calmly retrieved a file from her briefcase and handed it to Lucas. When Lucas inspected the contents of the file and realized that Zoe had hired Will to work for Sonix, he quickly backpedaled, hoping she wouldn't let his earlier comments affect the way she treated Will as an employee. "It's okay -- I hired the son. That's not gonna change because the father is a horse's ass," Zoe assured Lucas before abruptly exiting the pub.
Clyde went to Club TBD and handed Ben an envelope that was stuffed with cash. Ben thought Clyde was trying to bribe him, but Clyde clarified that he was just returning the money Jordan had given him a few weeks earlier. Clyde had decided that it had been wrong to accept the money, which Jordan had worked hard for, but he thought she would probably be upset if he tried to return it to her himself, so he wanted Ben to handle the task.
Clyde claimed that he had decided that the money wasn't as important as having Jordan and Ben back in his life again, since he loved them. Ben suspected that Clyde probably wanted him to tell Jordan that Clyde had seemed humble and sincere, but Clyde conceded that he didn't have any control over the things that Ben chose to say about him to Jordan. Clyde said he only wanted Jordan to know he was sorry.
Jordan ran into Abigail in the town square and told her about the earlier encounter with Chad, who had seemed like a really nice guy to Jordan. Abigail guessed that Chad probably had been a nice guy when Jordan had seen him earlier, since he had likely exhausted all of his anger and hatred on Abigail beforehand. Jordan found it hard to believe that Chad hated Abigail.
Clyde suddenly strolled through the area, so Jordan abruptly excused herself and followed him to a secluded section of the town square, where she demanded to know what Jeremiah was doing in Salem. Meanwhile, Rafe greeted Abigail, who casually revealed that Jordan had suddenly rushed off in the middle of their conversation a few minutes earlier.
At the DiMera mansion, Roman interrupted E.J. and Sami's kiss, wondering if Sami was out of her mind. Roman admitted that, while others had criticized Sami for the lengths she had gone to in order to get revenge after finding out about E.J.'s betrayal, he had believed that she had dished out the appropriate amount of revenge and had finally figured out exactly who E.J. really was. E.J. insisted that he was a man who had always loved Sami, but Roman countered that if E.J. chose to show that love through infidelity, he would hate to see how E.J. expressed hatred.
Sami asked E.J. for some time alone with Roman. After E.J. left, Sami braced herself for a lecture, but Roman was more interested in finding out if Stefano had threatened her in any way. Sami was sure that Stefano was furious, since she and Kate had humiliated him, and the whole thing had been made public, but she reminded Roman that Stefano wasn't dumb enough to issue direct threats that could be reported to the police.
Roman wondered why Sami was apparently still involved with E.J., who had been her other prime target. Sami pointed out that practically everyone had told her that she had overreacted to the situation, but Roman argued that she always overreacted, and he urged her not to suddenly start trying to change that character trait. Roman guessed that E.J. had lured Sami back with promises about protecting her from Stefano. Sami insisted that, while she truly believed that E.J. could -- and would -- protect her, that wasn't why she had married him.
Roman admitted that when he and Marlena had heard about Sami's reaction to E.J.'s betrayal, they had hoped it had meant that Sami had finally realized that E.J. would never change. "Mom has some nerve, pointing the finger at E.J. after what she did to you," Sami bitterly replied. Roman reminded Sami that they had been talking about E.J., not Marlena, but Sami countered that they had been talking about infidelity, and she argued that what Marlena had done to Roman was no different than what E.J. had done to Sami.
Roman admitted that Marlena's betrayal had hurt, but he added that he had let it go years earlier, and he insisted that it had been different than what had happened between Sami and E.J. Sami changed her mind and conceded that Roman was right -- the two situations were different, since Marlena had actually been in love with John, while E.J. had never stopped loving Sami.
"If we went back to 1993, and Mom had done this horrible thing to you, and it hurt you, but she came back, and she said she was wrong, and she said she didn't love John -- she loved you instead, and she wanted to get back together with you -- are you seriously gonna tell me that you wouldn't have taken her back, that you wouldn't have wanted to be a family with your children? Are you gonna look me in the eye and tell me that you wouldn't have taken her back?" Sami tearfully demanded to know.
"Under those circumstances, yes, I would have -- in a minute. No doubt about it, okay? You happy now?" Roman somewhat painfully replied. Sami apologized for forcing Roman to admit that, but he assured her that he was okay. Roman understood that Sami had been trying to make a point, but he found it hard to believe that she could seriously compare Marlena to E.J. Sami clarified that she hadn't been trying to do that -- she had simply been trying to point out that it wasn't possible to choose who to fall in love with, although Roman probably already knew that, since he had once been in love with Kate.
Sami recalled that a wise man had once advised her never to take true love for granted, since it was a gift that was meant to be cherished. Roman joked that the man had probably had too many beers beforehand, but Sami was sure that her father had been completely sober at the time. Roman hugged Sami, and after leaving the mansion, he visited Kate at DiMera Enterprises and revealed that Sami had reminded him of a few things during their earlier conversation, such as the fact that it wasn't possible to choose who to fall in love with.
E.J. tracked his brother down in the park and insisted that their brotherly feud wasn't going to go any further because Chad had already had the allowed moment of fun and power. Chad wondered why E.J. thought he was the one who would get to make that decision. Ignoring the question, E.J. warned that he would cut Chad down if Chad did anything to jeopardize E.J.'s chance to get Sami back.
Chad wondered how Stefano would feel about the threat E.J. had just made. Chad guessed that the news would probably make Stefano wonder how far E.J. would be willing to go to get Sami back, since it was making Chad wonder the same thing at that moment. "Well, you'd better pray to God you don't find out," E.J. advised Chad before walking away. When E.J. returned home, he quickly realized that Sami was upset, and as he tried to comfort her, she started sobbing in his arms.
Chad went to Club TBD and greeted Ben, who had nothing to say to Chad and thought it would be best for Chad to just leave immediately. "Is that any way to talk to your boss?" Chad asked.
At the DiMera mansion, Sami, distressed after the visit from her father, broke down in E.J.'s arms. As he comforted Sami, E.J. said that he understood Roman's desire to protect her. Sami clarified that she wasn't upset because she'd argued with her dad; it was because of what she'd realized during the argument, which was that the revenge, guilt, bitterness, and even being right were really just cold and hurtful -- not just to E.J., but to her, as well. "It needs to be over. It costs too much," she added.
Sami stated, "I want -- I need to forgive you." E.J. guessed that Roman wouldn't approve, but Sami said that her dad understood how much E.J. meant to her. E.J. vowed to earn Sami's forgiveness, adding, "I am just so grateful for the chance." As they sat together on the couch, Sami leaned against E.J., nestling her head on his chest, and he put his arms around her and let out a sigh of relief. After a moment, Sami sat up rather quickly. E.J. reassured her that they would do things her way and on her schedule.
Sami asked what E.J. had in mind for Chad. E.J. asserted that Chad would be angry for a while, but eventually, he would cool off. Sami promised that she wouldn't let Chad get to her if he tried to destroy her relationship with E.J., although she wasn't sure what to do about the rest of the town. "I can think of three little people who'll be very happy that you and I are together," E.J. noted. Sami said she was glad she'd been able to keep the kids from being aware of what had happened.
E.J. asked Sami what she would like to do. Before she could reply, the phone rang. When Sami saw that the call was from George Merkel, one of the DiMera Enterprises board members, she put the call on speaker. Merkel thanked her for the gift and noted that E.J.'s name had been on the card, as well. Sami said that she and E.J. had appreciated Merkel's vote on a recent deal. "You and your husband are quite a team," Merkel declared. After they ended the call, Sami remarked that she hadn't eaten all day. E.J. headed for the kitchen to remedy that.
A few minutes later, E.J. returned with a cart laden with food. As he set the lunch table, E.J. teased Sami that the staff had been grumbling that she and Kate were far more demanding than the DiMera men. Laughing, Sami demanded that E.J. tell her who had said that, but E.J. refused to divulge any names. She was impressed with the simple lunch that E.J. had requested for them, especially when she saw that he'd persuaded the cook to make an apple pie for her.
E.J. raised his glass of shandy -- which Sami remembered they'd drunk on the night they'd met -- and toasted, "To time machines." Sami asked him to explain what that meant. E.J. reminded her of what she'd said on the pier after a tango contest years earlier: "You said that you wished you had a time machine, so that you could travel back and undo all of your mistakes, come back with lots of friends, and you would be the life and soul of every party." Sami laughed at her younger self but admitted that she hadn't been wrong.
E.J. disagreed, explaining that, while he wouldn't mind being able to fix some of his mistakes, a lot of good had come from some of the most colossal ones. He added, "You are the party, Samantha. You always have been." Sami's phone chimed, breaking the spell. She saw that it was a text message from Johnny, but she didn't understand the costumes that he'd sent her a picture of. E.J. looked at it and explained that Johnny and Allie were dressed as characters from a video game they played. E.J. and Sami were impressed with Sydney's improved photography skills.
Sami was eager for the children to return, so everything would feel normal again. E.J. agreed. Sami took his hand, looked into his eyes, and told him that everything felt right. They kissed, then, giggling, they headed upstairs.
At DiMera Enterprises, Roman informed Kate that he'd walked in on Sami and E.J. kissing. Kate was dismayed when Roman revealed that he'd assured Sami that he would support her. She accused Roman of being wrapped around Sami's finger and unable to resist his daughter's manipulations. Roman snapped irritably that it had been a mistake to visit Kate.
With a sigh, Roman pointed out that no one could stop Sami once she'd made up her mind; all he could do was wait to pick up the pieces when things blew up again. When Kate protested, Roman asked why she cared so much, since she hated Sami. Kate asserted, "Because she's my partner, and if she goes down, I don't want to go down with her." Roman reminded Kate that she was a survivor.
At the café in Horton Square, Abigail informed Rafe that she'd been having lunch with Jordan, who had left rather abruptly to talk to someone. Rafe suspected that Jordan had left to escape him, but Abigail assured him that wasn't the case. When Rafe announced his intention to leave before Jordan returned, Abigail remarked that if he did, Jordan would think he was avoiding her. Rafe took a seat.
Abigail asked about the basketball game that Rafe and the guys had played earlier. Rafe admitted that Ben had "schooled" him, probably because Ben was so protective of Jordan. Rafe asked if Abigail had seen whom Jordan had left to talk to. Abigail said she hadn't, but she was worried that it had been Jordan's stepfather, Clyde. Rafe announced that he was going to check on Jordan and headed out in the direction that Abigail indicated. Abigail was pleased that her plan had worked.
In the park outside Horton Square, Jordan confronted Clyde about Jeremiah being in Salem. She suspected that Clyde was "setting up shop" in town, but he insisted that he had no idea why Jeremiah was there. "Stop it, Clyde! I wasn't that young or that blind. I know exactly what Jeremiah did for you -- and you better not even think of doing that here," Jordan warned her stepfather. Clyde maintained that Jeremiah had just been passing through town on his way home from Chicago.
When Jordan accused Clyde of lying to her, he balled up his fist and stepped closer to her menacingly. "Go ahead. Take a swing at me," Jordan dared him. Clyde assured her that he would never hit her, and he unclenched his hand when Jordan pointed it out. After asserting that he had not lied to Jordan about Jeremiah, Clyde instructed Jordan to visit her brother, who had something for her from Clyde. As Clyde walked away, Jordan warned him, "If you're setting up shop here, you'll be sorry."
Clyde growled at Jordan not to threaten him. He reminded Jordan that he could make life difficult for her by telling Ben the whole story about what had happened when she'd left Poplar Bluff. "If he [knew], do you think he'd worship you the way he does now?" Clyde asked. Before Jordan could respond, Rafe showed up. Clyde's demeanor instantly changed from menacing to affable as he told Jordan that he was glad he'd run into her and they'd been able to chat. Clyde said a friendly hello and goodbye to Rafe and left.
Not buying Clyde's folksy act, since Jordan was so obviously upset, Rafe asked what Clyde had just said to Jordan. Rafe reached to take Jordan's arm, but she recoiled and ordered him not to touch her. Rafe observed that something Clyde had said had clearly spooked Jordan. She snapped, "You think that's why I don't want you to touch me?"
Rafe conceded that he might have misunderstood what he'd seen -- just like Jordan had misunderstood when she'd seen Kate in his office. He pleaded with Jordan to let him explain, but she didn't want to hear it. She insisted rather stridently, "I don't want you near me. I don't want you anywhere around, okay? It's not safe." Jordan tried to stop herself, but it was too late. Rafe asked what she'd meant, but Jordan maintained that he wasn't safe for her. After ordering Rafe to leave her alone, Jordan rushed off.
Clyde stopped by Kate's office with a bouquet of hydrangeas and lilies. Kate suspected that Clyde had bribed her assistant with one of the flowers to let him go in without announcing him. As he handed the bouquet to Kate, Clyde acknowledged that he had. Kate admitted that the flowers were some of her favorites, but she added that she had to get back to work. Clyde promised to leave just as soon as Kate set a time for their dinner. Kate pointed out that she had not agreed to go to dinner with Clyde.
Clyde guessed that Kate didn't want to be seen in public with someone like him, but he assured her that he "clean[ed] up real good." He promised that if she gave him one night, he would not bother her again. "Unless you decide to blackmail me, right?" Kate countered. Clyde said that he preferred the term "leverage." Kate asked if that meant there would be no consequences if she declined his invitation. Clyde purred that she would miss out on a fine meal and good company, but his wounded pride would eventually recover. Chuckling, Kate agreed to one dinner. She promised to get back to Clyde with a time.
At Club TBD, Ben was stunned to learn that Chad was his boss and co-owned the club with Sonny. As Chad and Ben were discussing the situation, T returned from the back room and welcomed Chad home with a handshake and embrace. When Chad learned that T worked there, he joked that Sonny had scraped the bottom of the barrel for staff. T boasted that he and Ben were "the A team" and assured Chad that Ben was a good guy. Chad remarked that he was aware that Ben was dating Abigail. "I guess Sonny wasn't the only one scraping the bottom of the barrel," Chad quipped.
Ben announced that it was time for his break and grabbed his jacket from behind the bar. As he was leaving, Ben dropped the envelope of cash that Clyde had given him. Chad picked it up and demanded to know why Ben had such a large quantity of hundred-dollar bills. A furious Ben demanded that Chad give the money back, but Chad held the envelope just out of Ben's reach. Ben threatened to knock Chad to the floor.
At Will and Sonny's, Will revealed that his new assignment from Zoe was to write a story about Chad. Sonny assumed that his husband had turned down the assignment, but Will said that he hadn't given Zoe an answer yet. He added that if he turned it down, she would just assign the article to another writer who didn't care about Chad. "Does this sound familiar?" Sonny asked incredulously. He pointed out that Chad was practically family, plus he wasn't even there to defend himself.
Will informed Sonny that Chad had returned the night before. Sonny was peeved that Chad hadn't bothered to call to let Sonny know that. Will joked that Chad blowing Sonny off would have to go in the article, but he insisted that he had waited to talk to Sonny before deciding whether or not to take the assignment. Sonny got a text message from T just then, which read, "Chad's here. All hell's breaking loose." Sonny and Will hurried out for the club.
T tried to get Ben to back off, but Ben was livid that Chad had accused him of stealing. Will and Sonny arrived just then, and Sonny asked what was going on. After declaring amiably that it was good to see Sonny and Will, Chad showed them the cash-filled envelope and said, "We need to check the bank deposits, because this employee cannot explain why he had this." Sonny somewhat crossly stated that he had checked the cash balance that morning, and everything had been in order.
Chad was still suspicious of why Ben would have that much cash. "Are you running a side business in my bar?" Chad demanded accusingly. Fed up, an enraged Ben grabbed Chad by the lapels and demanded he give the money back. Will and Sonny intervened, but Ben kept going after Chad. Abigail arrived during the scuffle and jumped in the middle of things, ordering Ben to let Chad go.
Sonny pulled Ben aside and questioned why Ben was carrying around so much cash. Ben insisted that although it wasn't his money, he hadn't done anything illegal to get it. He refused to explain anything more about it, but he offered to leave if that wasn't good enough for Sonny. Sonny returned to Chad and asked him for the money. Chad was incredulous, but Sonny asserted that he knew and trusted Ben, and Chad had no evidence to prove the money wasn't Ben's.
"Nothing is out of place at our club, and he hasn't had a problem with anything or anyone until you showed up," Sonny noted pointedly. Chad returned the envelope to Ben, who stalked out of the club. Abigail demanded, "You want to tell me what the hell is going on here?" Chad told her to ask her boyfriend, who had an envelope of hundred-dollar bills he refused to explain. An exasperated Abigail followed after Ben.
Jordan met Ben in the park, and he gave her the envelope. He explained that it was her money and he didn't want to carry it around anymore. Ben could tell that Jordan was upset, but she didn't want to talk about it. She promised they would discuss it later. Abigail showed up after Jordan left and asked Ben what was going on.
Chad told Will that he'd read Will's article while traveling in Morocco. "I was just glad to know the whole story. You're a good writer," Chad said. When Chad got a text message and rose to leave, Will tried to stop him to discuss the new article, but Chad just left him with a dismissive, "Later." Will informed Sonny that he hadn't been able to tell Chad about the article. "Zoe's waiting for an answer, so I guess I should turn it down," Will reasoned. "Really? I'm not so sure," Sonny said.
