At Maggie's house, Chloe prepared to tape her segment for Kate's show, and Lucas asked how Chloe was doing. Chloe was nervous, because she didn't know much about cooking. Maggie asked Lucas where Kate was, and he said Kate would be there soon with Daniel. Upon hearing Daniel's name, Chloe dropped the ceramic bowl she was holding.

Lucas surmised that Chloe was upset about Daniel being on the show. Chloe covered by saying she was just caught off guard because she heard Daniel didn't want to do the show. She asked if Lucas knew why Daniel changed his mind, and he said he thought it was because Kate offered to donate a lot of money to Daniel's favorite charity.

Maggie admitted to Chloe that she was the one who convinced Daniel to do the show. Maggie questioned whether Chloe was over Daniel. She said if Chloe didn't deal with her feelings for Daniel, she would never be able to move on. Chloe agreed that Maggie was right.

Kate's assistant, Chris, brought out the hors d'oeuvres that Kate asked the Kiriakis chef to make. Chris wondered why Kate wanted it prepared at the Kiriakis mansion instead of at Maggie's house, because Maggie had volunteered to fix the appetizers and he would need to take them over to Maggie's house. Kate did not want to answer his question. She told him to meet her at Maggie's.

When Chris left, Kate started to poison the food, but Daniel walked in and asked why Kate was wearing gloves in the summertime. She lied and said she was pruning a plant while she waited for him. She showed Daniel the letter detailing that the proceeds from his appearances on the show would go to the cancer charity of his choice. Daniel was insecure about how he would perform on camera, but Kate reassured him that he would be great.

Daniel asked why she asked to meet her at the mansion. Kate said it was because she wanted to tell him how much it meant that he would be part of the company and that she put his affair with Chloe behind her. Kate and Daniel toasted a new beginning. He was hungry and asked for an appetizer, but Kate said the food stylist would be upset if he touched it. She explained that they were the treats that he would offer to Chloe. He asked her to take the food over to the show, and she would be there soon afterwards.

At the Java Café, Chad told Mia that he missed her. She asked what he was doing in town, and he said he was there for the summer. Mia didn't want to talk to him, and she made up an excuse about wanting to talk to her manager. Chad couldn't believe that Mia wanted to walk away from him after not seeing him for a year. Mia made a wisecrack. Then, she remembered the night that she and Chad had made love, and she ordered him to leave.

At the church, E.J. gave Sami a court order for temporary full custody of Johnny. Sami told E.J. that he couldn't take Johnny from her, but he said he could, just like Sami took Grace from him. Rafe said E.J. was wrong to seek custody of Johnny. Will overheard them talking and asked if E.J. was trying to take Johnny from Will's family. Sami urged E.J. not to pursue custody, because it wasn't just Sami he would be punishing.

Will asked E.J. if it would be okay for him to visit Johnny at the DiMera mansion, and E.J. said it would be all right. Will told Sami that he didn't blame E.J. for wanting to take custody of Johnny after Sami and Rafe lied about Grace. Will said E.J. had every right to take Johnny from Sami.

Father Matt told Nicole that some nuns from the Convent of the Holy Cross were expected to stop by the church to pay their respects to Grace. He tried to introduce Sister Agnes to Nicole, but the nun said she knew who Nicole was. Nicole said she didn't know Sister Agnes, so Father Matt introduced them.

Nicole asked if Sister Agnes arrived at the church alone, and the nun said she didn't. Nicole asked who accompanied Sister Agnes, and she mentioned Sister Claire. Father Matt asked whether Sister Theresa was with her, and Sister Agnes said that Sister Theresa was assigned to a new convent and had left town a few days before. Nicole saw Will walking out of the church and called after him.

Sami couldn't believe that E.J. was seeking custody of Johnny after Grace's funeral. Rafe told her that they would fight E.J. Sami accused E.J. of delighting in the suffering of others. E.J. asked if she thought he was happy about taking Johnny. Sami admitted that she had made mistakes, but she said E.J. couldn't act like he never did anything wrong.

E.J. said Sami did not have a moral leg to stand on. He threatened to sue her for slander if she made any accusations against him. Sami said E.J. could buy politicians, but she asked what they would say if they knew what E.J. did to the mayor, Philip, and Stephanie. E.J. said it didn't matter. Nicole walked in and asked what was going on, and Sami accused her of being behind the custody petition. E.J. defended Nicole and said he didn't need a reason to take Johnny from Sami. He gave Sami one hour to bring Johnny to him. Sami vowed to see Nicole and E.J. in hell for what E.J. was doing.

Mia told Chad never to call her goldilocks again. She was upset that he never called her the whole time he was away. He apologized and said he assumed she wouldn't take his calls based on the way they ended things. He asked if she remembered the fun times they had together, and Mia told Chad that she remembered the fun they used to have.

Chad asked to hang out with Mia after work, but she tried to blow him off. That was when Mia's boss announced that he had found someone to cover her shift, after all, so she could start the next day. Chad was excited that they could catch up. Mia told Chad that she didn't want to see him again.

Father Matt and Sister Theresa walked into the sanctuary and asked what was going on, because they heard shouting. Sami and Rafe stormed out, and E.J. shouted after them. Father Matt wanted to speak to E.J. alone, and he urged E.J. not to do anything that he would regret. E.J. told him to tell that to Sami, because she was the one who played God and would regret it.

Nicole tried to approach Sami, but she ordered Nicole to go away. Nicole told Sami that it was E.J.'s decision to go after Johnny, and Nicole had nothing to do with it. Sami didn't believe her, because Nicole looked guilty. She asked what Nicole was hiding. Nicole said she didn't do anything. Nicole said that what Sami did was wrong. Sami thought Nicole would not have a problem with Sami keeping E.J. from Grace, because E.J. had been focused on Nicole and Sydney-never on Sami and Grace. Sami said E.J. would always think about Sami and Grace.

In the park, Will called Lucas, who said that they were about to tape Kate's show, but Will insisted that he needed his father. Lucas agreed to meet Will, and asked Chris to take over as associate producer while Lucas was gone. Chloe tried to run after Lucas, but she ran into Daniel as he was heading in the door. Daniel asked if his presence would make Chloe uncomfortable, and she said she would be fine. He said the one good thing to result from his part on the show was that Kate had finally put Daniel and Chloe's affair behind her.

Kate lifted Daniel's fingerprint from the glass of champagne he was drinking and planted it on the poison she used for the appetizers.

Chris advised Chloe and Daniel how to appear natural on camera. Then Kate arrived and took over. The director suggested they start filming right away so the appetizers didn't go bad. Kate told Chloe that she hoped Chloe was hungry, because the appetizers were "to die for." The director planned to shoot video of Daniel offering an appetizer to Chloe.

Nicole asked E.J. how things went with Father Matt, and he said that they agreed to disagree. E.J. wanted to go home to get ready for Johnny. Nicole asked if they should take the picture of Grace home with them, then she broke down in tears, saying how wrong it was. E.J. said it wasn't Nicole's fault, and she said it was. She said she felt guilty because Sami hated that Nicole was in Johnny's life. E.J. assured her that it had nothing to do with Nicole. She told E.J. to go ahead without her so it would be easier for everyone.

Nicole mourned Grace privately. She asked for Grace's forgiveness. She went outside and reminisced about how she helped deliver Grace. She felt guilty about switching Grace and Sydney, and she felt like she might have caused Grace to die. She felt horrible that Grace dying made Nicole's life better. She thought about how E.J. would never forgive Sami for lying, and that made Nicole's place in E.J.'s life more secure than ever. Nicole said she would do anything to bring Grace back.

At the park, Will confronted Lucas over Lucas knowing that Grace was Will's biological brother. He called Lucas a liar just like Sami and Rafe. Sami told Rafe that she needed to take Johnny to E.J.'s by herself so she could explain to Johnny what was happening. Rafe understood, and he vowed that they would fight for custody of Johnny and they would win.

Lucas told Will that it was complicated. Will accused Lucas and Sami of having no problem lying to him and E.J. Will said that Sami was paying the price because E.J. was taking Johnny away from Sami. Lucas took off to see Sami. Mia saw Will, and Will hugged her. Mia asked Will what was wrong, and he promised to tell her what happened later. He asked why she wasn't at work, and she said she wasn't needed, after all. Will asked if she was in trouble. Meanwhile, Chad got a job at the Java Café.

Sami told Rafe that Mickey Horton, Abe, and Roman told her that she had no choice but to give up Johnny to E.J. immediately. She broke down into tears in Rafe's arms.

At the DiMera mansion, E.J. told Sydney that her brother would be living with them.

Lucas stopped by Sami's place to see how she was doing. Lucas offered to help Sami overturn the custody arrangements. He said she could always count on him. He said Sami was a great mother. After Lucas left, Johnny ran out to Sami and asked to play, but Sami explained that he had to go to his father's house. Sami dropped Johnny off at the DiMera mansion, and E.J. asked Sami to shut the door on her way out.

The crew was in Maggie's kitchen, preparing to film Chloe's show for Hearth and Home TV. Peter, the director, instructed Daniel to offer Chloe an appetizer. An impatient Kate ordered them to just get on with it. Daniel and Chloe took their marks, and the director called, "Action," while Kate remembered dosing the appetizers with a deadly toxin. Chloe took the proffered morsel, but suddenly flashed on having steamy sex with Daniel. She abruptly snapped back to reality, fumbling the tray, its contents spilling all over her and Daniel.

While Peter irritably called, "Cut," a humiliated Chloe apologized for being such a klutz. Lucas arrived in time to hear Kate reproach Chloe, and Chloe retort that she wasn't cut out for TV work. Kate's assistant, Chris, declared himself "Solution Man," and brought in a tray filled with deviled eggs he'd found in Maggie's fridge. Kate huffily declared that they wouldn't work.

After the others had cleared out of the kitchen, Kate asked Lucas to get everyone ready for a retake. He only agreed once she'd promised to relax a little. Alone in the kitchen, Kate pulled the bottle of poison from her purse, and used the dropper to apply it to the deviled eggs.

Upstairs, Chris delivered a clean shirt to Daniel, and then bumped into Chloe in the hallway. He gushed that she and Daniel oozed chemistry, like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. After a giggling Chris had walked off, Chloe knocked on Daniel's door. She averted her eyes as he pulled on the shirt, and apologized for wasting so much time. "I don't know what got into me."

Daniel asserted that Chloe was nervous because she didn't think the two of them could be together without something happening. She reluctantly admitted that she didn't. Daniel reminded her that he didn't really want to be there, either, but Kate was making a very generous donation to breast cancer research in his late wife's memory. He added that Chloe was a cancer survivor, so they were honoring her life, too. "In a way, I guess we've come full circle," he stated. "So maybe this is fate." Chloe concurred that perhaps he was right.

Chris returned to the kitchen just as Kate had stashed the poison bottle. Squealing, he admired how she'd fixed up the deviled eggs, and "sorta made 'em shine." Pretending not to know what he was talking about, Kate asked if Chloe and Daniel were ready for the re-shoot. Chris replied that they were in one of the guest rooms together. Kate asked Chris to make sure no one touched the appetizers, and left to fetch Chloe and Daniel.

Chloe helped Daniel with a button he'd missed, and he assured her that he respected that she wanted to fight for her marriage. As she turned to leave, he noticed that she hadn't fastened her zipper. He stood behind her to zip it up, tenderly moving the hair out of the way, and they both remembered another time he'd done the same thing. Chloe turned around wordlessly, and as they gazed longingly at each other, a vengeful Kate spied them through the partly open door.

When Lucas returned from outside, he found Chris discussing a problem on the walkie-talkie. Chris repeated Kate's order about the deviled eggs to Lucas, and then rushed out. Impatient to get the shoot finished, Lucas paced, muttering that he was starving. After a quick peek in the fridge, he eyed the hors d'oeuvre tray. "You know what; I am the producer," he declared to himself. "They're not going to miss just one of these deviled eggs."

Kneeling beside Grace's grave, Nicole mournfully stated, "I would do anything to bring you back, little Grace." Rafe arrived in time to overhear, and asked what Nicole meant. Nicole replied that it wasn't fair that precious Grace had been cheated out of a long life. Rafe agreed, but wondered why Nicole was so upset. Nicole reminded him that Grace was Sydney's sister, and she was sad that the two of them would never get to know each other. She added that although she cherished every moment with Sydney, it didn't change how sorry she felt for Grace-or for Sami.

Rafe was glad that Nicole was concerned for Sami. Nicole said that she'd finally realized that life was too short to be petty and vindictive. The two of them briefly commiserated over how much Johnny would miss his little sister. Nicole tearfully declared that Sami must be in hell, losing Johnny after having just buried Grace. Rafe asked if Nicole would talk to E.J. about the injunction, if she were really sympathetic to Sami's situation.

Nicole regretfully replied that she couldn't, but before she could explain why, Arianna's arrival interrupted them. Nicole left after agreeing to think about Rafe's request. Rafe reminisced about how happy Grace had been when he'd visited her at the convent, but he nearly broke down when he lamented not being able to protect her. Arianna gently reminded him that no one could have. Rafe declared that the best way to honor Grace's memory was to help Sami.

After Arianna had left, Rafe cleared the leaves from the headstone of a woman named Emily Hudson, who had died a couple of years earlier. "I'm so sorry," he whispered.

Sami arrived at the DiMera mansion to drop Johnny off. Once E.J. had Johnny in his arms, he rudely told Sami to leave, but she refused. E.J. sent Johnny outside to play with Harold, the butler, and Sami angrily confronted E.J. She asserted that what he was doing out of revenge against her was hurting their son more than anyone. E.J. countered that she'd lied about Grace to everyone, and then she gave parental rights to "some little bodyguard you shacked up with." Sami argued that Rafe had been a far better father to Grace than E.J. would have been-and if Rafe wanted to be Johnny's father, too, E.J. couldn't stop them.

E.J. looked Sami straight in the eye and replied in a sinister whisper, "I'll kill him before that happens." Sami was appalled that after all the other horrific crimes E.J. had committed, he had the nerve to threaten Rafe openly. E.J. contended that what Samantha had done was criminal. She maintained that she would do it again, because she'd do anything to protect her children from E.J. and his family. She swore she would tell the judge about all of his sociopathic misdeeds, and win permanent custody of Johnny.

When E.J. argued that what she'd done was completely reprehensible, Sami reminded him of the times that he'd told her she was a good mother. She asked him to find some compassion for her again and to try to forgive her, because her intention had never been to hurt him, only to protect Grace. E.J. replied that what she did was unforgivable, and any feelings he'd had for her were gone forever. Sami wanted to know what E.J. planned to do when Johnny missed her. When E.J. implied that Johnny would forget about her in time, Sami quietly argued, "Even you are not so heartless as to believe that that will actually ever happen."

Johnny ran back in just then, and E.J. declared that the boy looked like he needed a nap. Harold volunteered to take Johnny upstairs. E.J. told Johnny to say goodbye to his mom, as she was about to leave, so the little one ran over and hugged Sami. Trying to hide her heartbreak, she promised she'd see him again very soon. After Johnny had gone again, a determined Sami repeated to E.J. her vow that she would see Johnny soon. "Whatever you have to say to get yourself through the day, I suppose," he replied coldly.

Sami stormed out just as Nicole was returning home. Hearing the front door slam, Nicole quietly surmised that things must not have gone well with Sami. E.J. declared that it had gone exactly as he'd thought it would.

Nicole asked how Johnny had handled everything. E.J. explained that the boy had been outside during the argument, but otherwise seemed "completely unfazed." Nicole asserted that what E.J. was doing was horribly cruel, because he was punishing Johnny for Sami's mistake. E.J. angrily countered that he was protecting his son. Nicole believed E.J. should forgive Sami-if not for himself, then for his son.

When she returned from upstairs a short time later, Nicole told E.J. that Johnny could sense that something was going on. E.J. refused to believe her, but she asked if he really wanted to keep his son away from his mother forever. E.J. declared that he would handle it. Nicole tried to reason with him, pointing out that a two-year-old wouldn't simply forget about his mommy, and that Sami would never give up. E.J. firmly stated that it was none of Nicole's business, and went upstairs to check on Johnny, leaving his frustrated wife calling after him in vain.

Stephanie was on the terrace of the Kiriakis mansion, speaking with her friend Abby on the phone. As she hung up, she considered taking an anti-anxiety pill, but before she could, Henderson brought her a letter from her mother. She was reading it when Philip arrived. She told him she'd gotten spoiled from getting to communicate with her parents by phone or email whenever she'd wanted, but they couldn't anymore because of where her folks were.

Stephanie explained that, as in most third-world countries, the clinic where her mom was working had a shortage of beds, medicine, and supplies. Philip said that maybe they could help. He called his accountant and arranged for the clinic to receive as much aid as they needed. Stephanie thanked him effusively, but he shrugged it off. "What good is money in a bank account if you don't spend it?"

Philip then suggested that the two of them tell Stephanie's mom the news in person. Stephanie was thrilled and grateful at the prospect of seeing her parents and little brother. Philip hoped that maybe spending his family's money for good might offset everything bad that had happened with the DiMeras. He then went inside to call his man at the State Department.

When Philip returned, Stephanie had to furtively put the prescription bottle back in her purse before she could take a pill. Philip informed her unhappily that they couldn't get visas in time to visit Stephanie's parents, though he'd keep trying to pull some strings. Stephanie was disappointed, but still glad that the clinic would get the supplies they needed.

Sami arrived rather noisily just then. She apologized for barging in on Philip and Stephanie, but explained that she urgently needed their help. "I want to destroy E.J. DiMera once and for all." Seeing her agitated state, Stephanie and Philip tried to calm Sami, and asked what E.J. had done. Sami told them how E.J. had gotten an injunction preventing her from even seeing Johnny, because she'd lied about Grace.

Stephanie was sure that the judge would understand, and would never give E.J. full custody. Sami tearfully declared that she would always miss Grace, but she couldn't let her other children suffer. "I don't think that I can live without my little boy," she cried. She pleaded with them to help her, because she couldn't bring down E.J. on her own.

Philip didn't see how they could help her, but Sami pointed out that E.J. was behind Stephanie's kidnapping. She begged them to tell the police what E.J. had done. "I lost my daughter," she declared. "Please, don't let me lose another child."

At the Kiriakis mansion, Sami begged Stephanie to go to the police and tell them that E.J. had sent Owen to kidnap her. Just as Philip attempted to step in and tell Sami to back off of Stephanie, Henderson told Philip that he was needed inside the house immediately for a call. Stephanie told Philip that she would be fine and urged him to go take his phone call.

Once Sami was alone with Stephanie, Sami reminded Stephanie to think about her family, which included Johnny. "What would you do if it were Joe?" Sami said. Stephanie admitted that she wanted to help keep Johnny away from E.J. Sami excitedly began to thank Stephanie, but Stephanie cut her off explaining that she could not talk to the police about the kidnapping.

When Sami begged Stephanie to lie to the police and say that she had proof that E.J. was working with Owen, Stephanie told Sami that she could not talk to the police. Sami advised Stephanie that the DiMera family counted on people like her to do the right thing, but she urged Stephanie to lie in order to protect Johnny. "Leave me alone," Stephanie barked at Sami before retreating into the mansion. "Not on your life, Stephanie. Not on your life," Sami muttered before leaving the mansion.

Once Sami was gone, Philip and Stephanie headed back out onto the terrace of the mansion. Philip convinced Stephanie that they should go for a swim. After changing into her swimsuit, Stephanie went back out to the terrace to find Philip still in his suit. Philip explained that he needed to handle some business first.

Stephanie told Philip that she wanted to help Sami and tell the truth about the kidnapping, but Philip convinced Stephanie to remain quiet. Philip added that Sami brought on the custody dispute herself when she lied to E.J. about his child.

After Philip left for the pier, Stephanie took one of her pills. Still shaking, Stephanie opened the bottle and took another pill before she stumbled toward the pool. After a quick swim, Stephanie staggered back to the terrace. Wobbling, Stephanie collapsed onto the ground.

Lucas paced the kitchen of the Hearth and Home set impatiently waiting for Chloe, Daniel, and Kate to return. Complaining aloud about his hunger, Lucas decided to snack on one of the deviled eggs. Unaware that Kate had poisoned the eggs, Lucas happily grabbed one of the eggs and hoisted it up to his mouth.

At the Hearth and Home shoot, Daniel talked to Chloe privately in the bedroom. Though both Chloe and Daniel were tempted by their mutual attraction, Daniel told Chloe that he respected her desire to fight for her marriage. As Daniel zipped up Chloe's dress, Kate watched through the cracked doorway. After Kate stormed off in a huff, unbeknownst to Kate or Daniel, Chloe wondered aloud about how the scene would have looked if Kate had seen them together. Daniel assured Chloe that she did not need to worry, because he would never allow them to get so close to one another again. As Chloe nodded in agreement, they heard Kate scream from the kitchen, "Oh my God, no!"

Back in the kitchen of the Hearth and Home shoot, Kate ordered Lucas to drop the deviled egg. Annoyed with his mother, Lucas refused and started to eat the egg. Frantic, Kate slapped the egg out of Lucas' hand and stomped on it with her foot. Daniel and Chloe ran into the kitchen to learn why Kate had cried out. Kate grabbed the tray of eggs and threw them in the sink.

"What are they, poisoned or something?" Lucas joked. After taking a deep breath, Kate said that the eggs actually were poisoned. Noting the quizzical looks on the faces of Lucas, Chloe, and Daniel, Kate explained that because she had used mayonnaise to make the eggs and then had left the eggs baking under the lights, she was sure they were rancid. When Kate announced that she was embarrassed by the mistake, Lucas scoffed at her explanation.

Kate cancelled the film shoot and announced that she would reschedule it for a later date. After complaining of a headache, Kate apologized to Daniel. Worried, Daniel inquired about her headache, but Kate told him she was not concerned about it. Kate asked Daniel to meet her at the Java Café, and Daniel agreed.

At the Brady Pub, Lucas talked to Chloe about his mother's upsetting behavior. Chloe said it was not Kate's fault, but hers, because she was not cut out for television. Lucas lamented not standing up to Kate on Chloe's behalf, but Chloe assured Lucas that there was no need. Noting Chloe's repeated attempts to side with Kate, Lucas asked Chloe why she was sticking up for Kate. Chloe explained that she wanted to keep the peace, and in that spirit, she wanted to put the television show behind her.

After lunch, Lucas brought Chloe and Allie to their new home. Lucas wanted to carry Chloe across the threshold, but she insisted that she preferred to enter the house as a family. Taking Allie into her arms, Chloe marched into the house with Lucas at her side.

At Salem Place, Rafe stopped Will as he was walking by him. Rafe pleaded with Will to mend his relationship with Sami, but Will countered that Johnny was better off with the DiMera family than with his mother. Will lectured Rafe about Sami's ability to make men "do her dirty work" and lie for her. When Will started to walk away, Rafe grabbed his shoulder. Still upset, Will started to take a swing at Rafe, but held back. Stunned by Will's response, Rafe stepped back and told Will that he was feeling the same anger over Grace's death.

Rafe urged Will to tell Sami that he loved her, so that he would not have to go through his grief alone. Rafe explained that if Will left Sami, he might feel it was the right thing to do at that moment, but that it would eat away at him over time. Unfazed, Will walked away.

At the DiMera mansion, an exhausted Nicole sat quietly in the living room as Stefano walked in and sat down on the couch. Stefano expressed his anger that E.J. was grieving for a child that was not his, but he also stated that he was pleased that the situation spurred E.J. to wrest custody from Sami. Nicole expressed sarcasm over Stefano's musings.

When Nicole informed Stefano that E.J. was out taking Johnny to his day camp in order to explain the custody situation to the camp supervisors, she reminded Stefano that Allie attended the same camp. Nicole noted that it would be impossible for Sami to pick up Allie and not notice Johnny. With a gruff sigh, Stefano said that he would put Johnny in a new day camp. Feeling guilty, Nicole noted that it would be a horrible thing to take Johnny away from both his mother and his twin sister.

After checking on Sydney, Nicole went back down to the living room to finish her conversation with Stefano. Stefano noted that Nicole seemed to be feeling guilty, and he was worried it would lead to bad decision making. Stefano urged Nicole not to feel bad for Sami. Frustrated, Nicole told Stefano that he could order her what to do but that he could not order how she should feel. "If you can't feel bad for Sami, you're not human," Nicole cried out.

Frowning, Stefano told Nicole not to feel any sympathy for Sami. Nicole countered that she was afraid that Sami could do a lot of damage in her desperation. Nicole warned Stefano that he might be underestimating what Sami was capable of doing. Shaking his head, Stefano warned Nicole not to identify with the enemy. Stefano thanked Nicole for not trying to change E.J., and she countered that she never wanted to change E.J., but that she reserved the right to disagree with him on occasion.

When Nicole noted that taking Johnny away from Sami was cruel to both the mother and the son, Stefano smiled coldly. Stefano noted that Sami had defied the DiMera family "and look what her life is like now. And look at yours." After Stefano strolled out of the living room, Nicole walked over to Sydney's playpen and stared at her. "You know what happened there, kiddo? I think grandpa threatened mommy one too many times. So mommy is gonna do what she never ever does: the right thing," said Nicole.

Back at Sami's apartment, she frantically packed Johnny's backpack. "We'll be miles away before E.J. even knows we are gone," Sami grumbled as she grabbed her purse and headed to the front door. When Sami opened the door, she found Rafe standing in the hallway. Noting Johnny's backpack in her hand, Rafe asked Sami where she was headed. Stammering, Sami explained that she was going to drop off Johnny's backpack at Lucas' house so he could give it to E.J.

Smirking, Rafe told Sami that her story did not make sense and that he believed she was going to take the kids and run. When a stunned Sami stared at Rafe, he offered to help. Rafe reminded Sami that she could not leave town without Allie and Will. "You're not doing this," Rafe said firmly. When Sami reminded him that he had offered to help her, Rafe countered that he would help her by stopping her from playing into E.J.'s hands.

Rafe explained that E.J.'s case for custody was shaky in light of his family's history, and that if Sami absconded with Johnny, she could only help E.J. secure full custody of Johnny. "I will do anything to get Johnny, but not this. I will do anything for you," Rafe whispered. Rafe embraced Sami as she wept silently. Rafe urged Sami to hang on a little longer, because E.J. had made a mistake in forcing Johnny away from his mother. Rafe reasoned that the town would rally around Sami because she was Johnny's mother and E.J. was a DiMera.

When Sami had quieted down, Rafe went to the kitchen to get her a glass of water. While Sami stood alone in the living room, her phone rang. Noting that the call was from Nicole, Sami grudgingly answered the phone. "I don't have a lot of time but if you tell anyone about this I will kill you," Nicole said. As Sami pursed her lips, Nicole promised to find a way for Sami to see Johnny.

At the Java Café, Kate positioned her purse on the table. When Daniel showed up, he asked Kate whether she was having difficulty with her prescription. Kate interrupted his query to tell him that her problem was with his relationship with Chloe. "It's like a thorn in my heart," Kate commented. Laughing, Daniel teased her about her poetic choice of words.

Daniel theorized that Kate was angry and intentionally making snide comments in order to provoke and punish him and Chloe. Daniel assured her that he was fighting any attraction to Chloe, but Kate noted that the tension on set was palpable. Grimacing, Daniel explained that Kate was only noticing a nervous reaction to being on set.

Leaning closer to her purse, Kate accused Daniel of still being in love with Chloe because he was always rushing to protect her. Kate commented that Chloe was weak and that it was only a matter of time before she slept with Daniel or someone else. "Go to hell!" Daniel yelled at Kate. After taking a deep breath, Daniel begged Kate to give Chloe and Lucas a chance to be happy together.

Softening, Kate apologized and explained that her real problem was that she was not over Daniel. Kate asked Daniel not to hate her anymore. Leaning closer, Daniel assured Kate that he did not hate her, but that he felt more than ever that the television show was a bad idea. Kate urged Daniel to support breast cancer awareness and take part in the reshoots for Hearth and Home. Once Daniel reluctantly agreed, Kate ordered him to go back to work. With a suspicious look on his face, Daniel left the Java Café.

Once Daniel was gone, Kate fished a tape recorder out of her purse and rewound the tape. As Kate listened to Daniel yell at her on the tape, she smiled. "Yes. That will do nicely," Kate purred.

At the Java Café, Nicole told Brady that E.J. had temporary custody of Johnny and a court order taking away Sami's visitation rights. She explained that E.J. was punishing Sami. Brady sensed that Nicole wasn't happy about E.J.'s actions, and Nicole confided that she planned to help Sami see Johnny. She empathized with Sami's plight. Brady wondered if Nicole still worried about Mia. Nicole said she wasn't worried about Mia. Brady promised not to lecture Nicole about honesty-he just wanted her to be happy.

At the church, Mia mourned Grace's passing, and Rafe saw her and asked if she was okay. Mia cried in Rafe's arms. She felt better afterwards. Rafe said he was at the church to pick up Grace's picture and talk to the priest, but he promised to return and talk to Mia some more later. Father Matt walked into the sanctuary and recognized Mia as the one who stopped Nicole and E.J.'s wedding, though he didn't understand why she did it.

At the pier, Philip met his contact and arranged for a shipment. Victor arrived and admitted to Philip that he was checking up on his son. He didn't feel comfortable with Philip meeting with his contact alone. Philip reminded Victor that he had bodyguards. Victor commended him on improving the morale at Titan and on the deal Philip made with the DiMeras. Victor realized he made the right choice putting Philip in charge of the company.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Stephanie got out of the pool, picked up her anxiety medication and passed out. Her cell phone rang, but she was too weak to get up. Daniel arrived looking for Victor and found an unconscious Stephanie. There was blood coming from her head. Daniel called the hospital to arrange for her to be admitted. Then he noticed the bottle of pills next to her and wondered to himself what Stephanie did.

Outside the Brady Pub, Arianna brought Ciara her Tommy bear, which Ciara had left behind. Bo had a vision of Ciara being missing and only finding her bear. Hope told Ciara to hold onto her bear. She explained that Bo had to take care of something and they planned to visit Maggie. Bo warned Ciara to hold onto Hope's hand. He told Hope not to let Ciara out of her sight, and he promised they would talk more later.

At Maggie's house, Melanie flirted with Nathan then asked him out. He told her he would check his schedule and get back to her. Maggie asked Melanie to help with cleaning up the Horton cabin. Melanie wasn't interested at first, so she made up an excuse about being too busy until Maggie mentioned that Nathan planned to be there. All of a sudden, Melanie was feeling generous and promised to make time for Maggie.

At the pub, Melanie confided in Arianna about how much she would miss Max while he was in London. Arianna wondered why Melanie stayed behind if she missed her brother so much. She said it was because Salem was her home and other parts of her life were improving. Arianna asked about whom Melanie was seeing, and she promised to give Arianna details later.

At Maggie's house, Hope was amazed at how much Nathan had grown. Maggie and Hope gushed over Nathan's career accomplishment, and Hope told him that he would love working with Lexie and Daniel. She asked if he met anyone new, and Nathan told her about Mia and Melanie, who were staying at Maggie's house. He could tell by Hope's reaction that Hope wasn't pleased with Melanie. He asked why, and realized she blamed Melanie for Nick being in jail.

Hope started to tell Nathan more about what had happened between Melanie and Nick, but Maggie interrupted, showing her a newspaper article. Hope got upset upon reading it, and Maggie and Hope went to the hospital to talk to Lexie about it. Hope promised to fill Nathan in later. When they left, Melanie asked if he wanted to talk about how to clean the cabin, but Nathan gave her the cold shoulder.

Father Matt asked Mia why she tried to stop Nicole and E.J.'s wedding. She sidestepped the question and said she didn't remember. Then, she changed the subject and told him that Rafe was looking for him. Mia was leaving the church just as Brady walked in for his AA meeting. Mia explained that she was saying a prayer for Grace. Brady pointed out that Sydney was okay and the fact that Sydney was with the DiMeras kept her safe.

Brady understood Mia's attachment to Grace, because Mia and Will had spent a lot of time with Grace. Mia felt a connection with Grace, but she never felt that with Sydney, whom she thought to be her biological daughter. Mia was thankful that Sydney was with a family who was able to take care of her, but she had reservations about the DiMeras based on their reputation. Mia couldn't help but to worry about her daughter.

Rafe saw Mia and Brady together at the church and began questioning how they knew each other. She said they'd met at an AA meeting, but Rafe wanted to know how long she had been in recovery. Brady told him to back off, which made him question whether they were trying to hide something. Brady said that he understood Rafe dealt with liars in his line of work, but Brady insisted that they weren't hiding anything. Brady excused himself, and Rafe continued his line of questioning with Mia. He had overheard Brady mention another female, and he wanted to know whom they were referring to.

Stephanie woke up in the hospital, and Lexie and Daniel were standing by her bed. She asked what happened and Daniel asked if she remembered falling. All she remembered was hearing her phone ring after she went swimming. When Lexie left the room, Daniel confronted Stephanie about the pills he found near her. He explained that the pills were potent, and she admitted that she took more than she was prescribed when she was felt anxious. Daniel warned her that she could have died. Stephanie agreed to stop taking the pills altogether.

Philip needed advice about Stephanie. He told Victor that he wanted Stephanie to be the head of public relations at Titan, and Victor told him to think about how she would need to defend Titan and the family. Philip told Victor that Stephanie agreed to keep the DiMeras' part in her kidnapping a secret. Bo walked in as they were talking. Bo cautioned that working outside the law meant one might lose the protection the law could provide. Lexie called Philip to inform him about Stephanie being admitted to the hospital.

Daniel told Stephanie that her test results were fine, and she was anxious to be released from the hospital, but he wanted her to stay longer. He questioned why she didn't want Philip to know about it, and she said she didn't want Philip worrying. Philip walked in and asked what happened. Stephanie told him that she slipped and bumped her head. Daniel left them alone to talk about what happened. Stephanie told Philip that she wanted to go home and all he was all she needed. She looked at her bottle of pills over his shoulder as she hugged him.

Victor explained to Bo that he was discussing family business. Bo said he thought he was Victor's family, but decided that he would concentrate on protecting his own family.

At the pub, Nicole asked Arianna about her relationship with Brady. Nicole tried to sound like she was making casual conversation, but Arianna could tell that Nicole had an agenda, because she saw Nicole's face when Nicole saw them together. Arianna asked how E.J. would feel if he knew she was asking about Brady. Arianna knew that Nicole felt threatened by Arianna's relationship with Brady.

Back at Maggie's, Melanie asked why Nathan's opinion of her had changed. He asked how well she knew Nick. She started to tell him how had Nick hurt her, but she changed her mind and rushed off.

At the hospital, Hope told Lexie that the anonymous donation Hope made to the charity that helped parents with autistic children was reported by the newspaper. Lexie promised to find out who leaked her name. Maggie thought Hope should have been happy that she was finally getting the recognition she deserved, but Hope didn't want recognition.

Hope and Ciara met Bo at the cemetery where they laid flowers on Zack's grave. Hope thought about what she would do if Ciara had not been born after they lost Zack. She also thought about what Sami was going through. Hope and Ciara started to leave, and Bo stayed behind to look at Zack's grave again. Bo saw Zack, who picked up Ciara's bear and handed it to Bo. Zack warned that if Ciara lost the bear, something bad would happen.

At the hospital, Melanie agreed to help Maggie by picking up a last-minute volunteer shift. Philip saw Melanie and asked if she was having a bad day. Melanie told him that people thought the worst of her. He said his opinion of Melanie had improved, because she had changed. Stephanie emerged from her hospital room, and Melanie asked how she was. Philip explained that Stephanie slipped and hit her head. When Melanie expressed concern, Stephanie was defensive and insisted she was fine.

Nicole tried to do damage control with Arianna. She said she was happy with Arianna getting involved with Brady, as long as she treated him right. Arianna asked why Nicole was so worried about Brady, and Nicole explained that she and Brady were involved before and that Nicole loved him. Nicole told her that the right woman might be able to get Brady to love again. Brady walked in and asked what Nicole was doing.

Mia explained that she knew Nicole when Nicole helped out at a program that Mia was involved with. Mia refused to give any more details and rushed off. Rafe asked Father Matt if he knew Mia. Father Matt said he only knew what Mia did.

Melanie made up the bed in Stephanie's room and discovered Stephanie's pills.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Victor asked how Stephanie was. Philip assured him that she was okay. Victor warned him to be careful what they said around Bo and asked him to keep certain details of their business a secret from Stephanie. Stephanie headed toward the terrace where Victor and Philip were, but she stopped short and listened in on their conversation. She heard Philip promise to keep Stephanie in the dark and to tell her only what she needed to know.

At the Java Café, a man read the newspaper article about Hope donating half a million dollars to charity. He circled Hope's picture and said the words, "Rich. Sweet."

Brady wanted to know why Nicole was talking to Arianna about his personal life. Nicole tried to explain, but she decided to just leave. Arianna asked Brady how his father's surgery went. Brady said the surgery went fine. He warned Arianna not to believe anything Nicole had to say. Outside the pub, Mia told Nicole that she was starting to feel better about saying goodbye to Grace. Mia thanked Nicole for helping her see Grace when she was dying. Mia said she didn't really think about Sydney anymore, and she was confident Nicole would be a good mother.

Father Matt explained that Mia stood up at Nicole's wedding and stopped the nuptials momentarily before a man led her away. Rafe said he didn't even know that Mia knew Nicole.

When Nicole answered the doorbell at the DiMera mansion, she was surprised to find Rafe on the doorstep. He announced that he wanted to apologize. Nicole led him into the living room, where Sydney was burbling happily in her playpen. Rafe explained that he felt bad because he'd interrogated her instead of being sympathetic when he'd found her mourning at Grace's grave. Nicole seemed to accept his apology, but wanted to know why he was really there.

Rafe confessed that he did have an ulterior motive: to give Johnny his favorite book. Nicole replied that Rafe couldn't give it to him right then, because Johnny was at day camp. She anxiously noted that returning the book made it seem as if Sami were giving up on fighting for custody. Rafe replied that Sami still planned to fight; she just wanted her son to be happy, even while he was temporarily living at the mansion.

Rafe then casually mentioned that he'd met someone Nicole knew: Mia. He asked how Nicole knew her, and Nicole stuck to her original story that she volunteered at a center for troubled teens. When Rafe asked if Nicole knew that Mia was a drug addict, Nicole firmly denied it. She explained to a confused Rafe that she meant Mia wasn't a drug addict anymore. Rafe was concerned because Mia used to babysit Grace, and suspected that Mia wasn't who she claimed she was. He asked Nicole for the phone number of the teen center so he could check up on Mia. Nicole refused, citing the center's policy of confidentiality. She asserted firmly that Grace's death was not Mia's fault.

Rafe confessed that he actually wanted to discuss the custody hearing, but Nicole reminded him that she'd already turned down his request to help. Rafe argued that what Nicole said in court could make the difference between Sami getting joint custody of Johnny and never seeing him again. Nicole declared that she wasn't comfortable discussing the case with Rafe, and asked him to leave before E.J. got home. Rafe agreed, but first smiled at Sydney, who was playing with her mommy's necklace. "That's a beautiful little girl," he said to Nicole. "Keep her safe." After Rafe left, a determined Nicole declared that he couldn't ever find out what she'd done.

In Maggie's kitchen, Nathan found Melanie contemplating Stephanie's prescription bottle. He asked about the pills, but Melanie retorted that it was none of his business. Maggie entered and wished them both a good morning, but Melanie left in a bit of a huff. Nathan crossly demanded to know how Maggie could let Melanie live there after she'd ruined Nick's life. Maggie firmly maintained that if Nathan ever wanted to finish his internship, he should stop jumping to such wrong, stupid conclusions.

Maggie then sat Nathan down and told him the whole story: Although none of his family had realized how bad things were at the time, Nick had started taking pain pills and mixing them with alcohol; he'd stalked Melanie, with whom he was obsessed; finally, he killed Melanie's father, and took her hostage. The only reason Nick had gotten such a light sentence, Maggie continued, was that Melanie had testified on his behalf. Nathan was stunned. Maggie asserted that Melanie was much smarter and kinder than people gave her credit for, and urged Nathan to apologize.

Stephanie awakened from a nightmare in which she'd taken Philip's hands in hers, only to find that his were covered in blood. When Philip stirred a short time later, she confessed that she'd had a bad dream, but claimed she couldn't remember what it was about.

Philip found Stephanie on the terrace after both of them had gotten dressed. He noted that she still seemed rattled, and offered to cancel his meeting. Stephanie assured him that she would be fine.

After Philip had gone, Melanie stopped by to see Stephanie. Although Stephanie maintained that she wasn't in a chatty mood, Melanie excitedly announced that she'd gotten into nursing school. Stephanie somewhat unenthusiastically congratulated her. Melanie then asked how Stephanie was feeling. When Stephanie asserted that she was doing just fine, Melanie pulled Stephanie's prescription bottle from her purse. She asked if she could do anything to help Stephanie.

Stephanie thanked Melanie for being concerned, and for returning the pills. Melanie gently noted that Stephanie shouldn't be ashamed if she needed the pills, and was surprised to hear that Philip didn't know Stephanie was taking them. Stephanie asked Melanie not to say anything to him, because he already blamed himself for what had happened. Melanie assured her, "I got your back." She then left.

Kate worked on her computer, editing a tape-recording of Daniel, splicing together things he'd said about his job and his late wife, until it said, "I love Chloe."

Lucas and Chloe were headed toward the waterfront, each carrying armloads of shopping bags, when Daniel, out for a jog, accidentally ran right into Chloe. After making sure she was all right, he apologized, and asked about the shopping bags. Lucas explained that they'd just bought some things for their new house. Daniel was excited to hear that the house was finished, but declined Lucas' invitation to visit right away, citing his busy schedule. After they'd all shared a chuckle over Chloe's ineptness in the kitchen, Lucas left to meet Philip.

As Daniel was apologizing if he'd been rude to Lucas, Chloe's phone rang. It was Kate, ordering Chloe to meet her at the Java Café immediately to discuss re-shooting the show for Hearth and Home TV. Kate hung up without waiting for an answer. Chloe immediately called Kate back, firmly declaring to Daniel that she wasn't Kate's slave. Kate was displeased when Chloe asserted that they would have to meet later in the day, but conceded that Chloe could call when she was available.

Daniel was impressed with Chloe's bravery. Chloe then stated that she had to pick up something for Lucas at the Kiriakis mansion. Daniel offered to go so Chloe wouldn't have to face Victor, but Chloe assured him that Victor was out of town. They discussed Kate and Victor's obvious hatred for Chloe, and Daniel admitted that he'd considered confronting Victor about it. Chloe thanked him for sticking up for her.

Philip ran into Carlo, one of the Kiriakis henchmen, at the Brady Pub, and they discussed some work Carlo had done for Philip. When Philip saw Lucas walk in, he said goodbye to Carlo, and joined Lucas at a table. Lucas asked why Philip had wanted to meet in person. Philip announced that he wanted Lucas to be his best man, but was taken aback when Lucas refused. Lucas explained, "How can I stand up for you when the groom's father treats my wife like scum?"

Philip was disappointed, but understood. He offered to talk to Victor for Lucas, insisting that the old man had changed, but Lucas declined. Philip declared that he had to give Stephanie the happiest day of her life, although he wasn't sure he could. He clarified that she was having a hard time getting past what had happened with Owen, but she didn't want to see a shrink. Philip just wished she would open up to him more. Lucas urged his brother to be patient with Stephanie.

When Maggie bumped into Kate at the hospital, Maggie asked what she should get Lucas and Chloe for a housewarming gift. She added that she was considering some children's artwork for Allie. Kate replied that it sounded perfect, noting that she was buying them a set of elegant silverware with long, sharp knives.

Kate grabbed Daniel as he walked by and asked what he was getting for Lucas and Chloe. Daniel replied that he hadn't had long to think about it, as he'd just learned that the house was finished. When Kate left to take a phone call, Maggie remarked that it must be torture for Daniel to have to hear about Lucas and Chloe all the time. Daniel just shrugged uncomfortably.

Nurse Maxine found Daniel online later, trying to pick out a gift for Chloe and Lucas that wasn't too personal. She suggested that he send fruit instead of one of the candy dishes he was looking at.

When Kate overheard Daniel ordering a fruit basket to be delivered to Lucas and Chloe's house, she smiled smugly. "Oh, Daniel. You're making this way too easy for me."

As Melanie was walking home, she passed Nathan on the waterfront, and tried to ignore him. He pleaded with her to give him a minute so he could apologize, and she reluctantly stopped. He admitted that he'd been wrong about her, and apologized for not letting her explain what had happened between her and Nick. Unconvinced, Melanie asked what he really wanted. Nathan insisted that he was being sincere, even offering to get down on his knees and beg. Melanie laughed and forgave him, albeit somewhat grudgingly.

Nathan then said that he had a personal question for Melanie, and asked what kind of pills she was taking. Melanie explained that her friend had left them at the hospital, but wondered why the friend didn't want her fiancé to find out she was taking them. Nathan asserted, "That's a bad idea," but didn't reply when Melanie asked if she should tell the fiancé.

When Chloe went by the Kiriakis mansion, she went out to the terrace to visit with Stephanie. When she asked how Stephanie was doing after hitting her head, Stephanie snapped at Chloe. Stephanie immediately apologized for being short-tempered. Chloe assured her that she understood, explaining that she'd often been testy with people when she had leukemia.

Chloe then said that she knew someone who might be a big help, if Stephanie decided that she wanted to talk. Stephanie politely declined, since she already had a therapist-although the therapist was on vacation. Chloe pointed out that Stephanie's problems weren't on vacation, adding that the man she knew was a great listener who never judged, and his advice was usually dead-on. Stephanie conceded that it couldn't hurt to talk to him, and asked for his name.

Melanie was surprised when she bumped into Philip at the Brady Pub later. "I was just thinking about you," she said. "I have to talk to you about something."

Lucas met Chloe at the Java Café, and she presented him with a large gift bag. Lucas was thrilled to see that it contained a photo album, which he thought had been lost in the fire at the Kiriakis mansion years before. Chloe beamed as Lucas looked through it enthusiastically, explaining, "My dad gave this to me when I was visiting him in Africa." Chloe divulged that Henderson had found it and cleaned it up, and Lucas noted that the album had been his welcome to the Horton family. Chloe said that she wanted him to have it, because of the new house, and he could add new pictures to it, of Will and Allie-and any future children the two of them might have. Lucas kissed her happily.

Father Matt was pleasantly surprised when Stephanie sought him out at St. Luke's. He asked how her parents were enjoying Africa, and remarked that he hadn't seen much of Stephanie in a while. She confided that Chloe had suggested that she talk to him. Father Matt assumed it was because Stephanie needed help. "Yes, I do -- desperately," she replied.