Nicole ran into Brady at the park, and she tried to hurry off, but Brady stopped her and asked what was wrong. Nicole told him that E.J. said she couldn't see him anymore. Brady told her E.J. couldn't tell her whom she could be friends with, but Nicole said E.J. made her happy. Brady said she sounded like a Stepford wife, and he wondered what happened to the "tough, brainy woman who used to be one step ahead of E.J. all the time." She said she wasn't cowering, and it wasn't E.J.'s fault.

Nicole told Brady that Philip knew she and Brady were keeping a secret, but he didn't know about the baby. Philip thought Nicole and Brady were having an affair, she said, and if Nicole convinced E.J. to give up the alternative fuels project, Philip wouldn't tell E.J. about their suspected affair. She said it worked, and the fuels project belonged to Titan. Nicole said Brady had to stay away from her for Brady's sake, too. Nicole felt if she convinced E.J. to give up the fuels project, everyone would be happy, but Brady wondered if Nicole was really happy.

Nicole said she was happy, but Brady pointed out that Dr. Baker or Philip could blackmail Nicole again. She said she'd waited her whole life to be part of a family, and Brady asked her if she liked feeling afraid, because she looked panicked and afraid when she told Brady that she couldn't see him anymore. Nicole said she wasn't afraid - she just wanted him to stay away from her, because she knew he could be happier. Brady said he was plenty happy, but he didn't think she could say the same.

Brady advised Nicole to leave E.J. if she had any doubts. Nicole defended her love for E.J., but Brady said that Nicole would be waiting for E.J. to find out the truth about Sydney, and when he did, Nicole's life would be ruined. She said even if E.J. hadn't told her to stay away from Brady, she would have done so on her own, because Brady depressed and frightened her. Brady said she wouldn't be scared if she didn't believe that Brady was right.

Nicole claimed E.J. was being protective because E.J. loved her. Brady said the woman E.J. loved was a submissive person who would do anything to please E.J., and that was not who she was. Brady said she was worth being loved just for who she was. Nicole said she would have that some day, and she would have Brady to thank for it. Nicole said it was hard to feel like she deserved happiness when people like Sami wanted her to fail.

Brady was surprised to hear that Sami was back in town. Nicole said she had an awkward encounter with Sami. Brady wondered why Nicole was so afraid that Sami would be able to steal E.J. from Nicole, and Nicole said it was because she didn't think she was worthy of E.J. or anyone else. Brady asked her if she looked in the mirror and saw how beautiful she was. He said she was smart and funny and there wasn't anything she wouldn't do for the people she loved.

Nicole said he forgot to mention that she was the biggest screw-up Brady ever knew. Brady said she'd just been unlucky. She said that was true except that she had a friend who made things up to make her feel better, but he said he wasn't making that up. She kissed him on the cheek and thanked him for being the best friend that she didn't deserve.

Philip went to the DiMera mansion at E.J.'s request. E.J. told Philip that he was no longer interested in the alternative fuels project, but Philip wondered what the catch was. E.J. said there was no catch and that he didn't want his family caught up in a feud between their families. Philip was insulted and said that Nicole was his friend. E.J. said Nicole wasn't Philip's friend anymore, and Philip asked if E.J. was choosing Nicole's friends.

E.J. said Nicole was too kind-hearted and trusting, so E.J. warned her to stay away from people who didn't deserve her time or attention - people like Philip who sucked the life out of others. Philip said E.J. fit that description. E.J. warned Philip to stay away from Nicole. Philip said E.J. wasn't allowed to order him around or tell him who his friends were. E.J. said Philip was a bigger fool than E.J. thought.

At the hospital, Will interrupted Sami and Lucas' fight. Sami was moved to tears to see her oldest son back from overseas. Will said he came home because he heard Sami was being let out of witness protection and that Lucas was in an explosion. Lucas suggested that Will stay with Sami and the twins at Marlena's house. Sami told Will how much she missed him and then left to pick up Johnny. Will stayed behind to spend more time with Lucas, who was wondering what was taking Chloe so long.

At the Brady Pub, Victor felt vindicated that Kate felt the same way about Chloe that he did, and Kate vowed to make Chloe suffer like never before. Kate asked Victor if he would help her get even with Chloe, and Victor was more than willing to help. Kate said before she told Lucas about Chloe's true colors, she needed to find a distraction for Lucas - a new woman to get involved with - so that Lucas wouldn't be so hurt when he found out the truth. Victor said it was good to see that the old Kate was back, and she said the old protective Kate never left.

Stefano asked to join Kate and Victor at their table, but Victor told Stefano to get lost. Kate overruled Victor and said if Victor had a problem with Stefano joining them, Victor should leave. Stefano accused Victor of holding on to petty grudges, but Victor saw nothing petty in authorizing E.J. to commit corporate espionage. Kate ordered Victor to behave. Stefano asked how Kate was doing, and she said she was in remission. Stefano was happy to hear that and ordered a round of drinks at Stefano's expense, but Victor said he'd rather put a nail in his eye. Then, Victor got up and left.

Stefano told Kate she had an aura about her, and she said it was nice to be appreciated. He inquired about whether Daniel appreciated her, and she said she and Daniel were through. Stefano asked about whether Victor was helping her forget, but she said she and Victor were just friends. So, Stefano asked Kate out on a date that night. Kate said she would think about it, and Stefano said he was hoping she'd at least consider it.

Chloe went to Maggie's place to pick up Allie, and Chloe begged Maggie not to tell Lucas the truth about her and Daniel. Maggie pointed out that Chloe was the person who betrayed Lucas, but Chloe felt like she could make Lucas happy. Maggie pointed out that Lucas deserved better than someone who lied to him and cheated on him.

Chloe told Maggie that she got a sign from God that she and Lucas belonged together. Maggie mocked Chloe's revelation, but Chloe said she knew in her heart that Lucas was the man for her. Maggie agreed not to say anything to Lucas about Chloe and Daniel, but she made it clear to Chloe that she was doing it for Lucas to keep him from drinking again.

At Marlena's place, Chloe dropped off Allie off with Sami. Chloe told Sami to call her when Sami wanted her to pick Allie up again, but Sami said Allie would be staying with Sami for a while. Chloe noticed Sami had given birth to her baby and mentioned it out loud to Sami, so Sami took Allie into the other room, then came back to the living room to tell Chloe off. Chloe said she just noticed that Sami was a lot thinner and she was paying Sami a compliment. Sami said she didn't want any compliments from Chloe, and she threw Chloe out after mentioning that Will was back.

Sami thought about her baby, Grace, at the convent when there was a knock at the door - it was E.J. He brought Johnny's stuffed penguin, but Johnny was already asleep, so Sami invited E.J. in. E.J. said he was fine with her spending a few more days with Johnny. Sami figured it would be good for E.J. to spend time with Sydney, and E.J. said he didn't need to get Johnny out of the house to spend time with Sydney, and that Johnny would never be pushed aside for any reason.

E.J. knew that Sami didn't like her child being raised in the same household where Nicole lived. Sami said E.J. was right, and it was obvious that Johnny was well loved and well cared for while Sami was gone. She said E.J. was a great father, and she was grateful that E.J. showed Johnny each day how much he cared for their son. Then she caressed his arm. E.J. noticed that Sami seemed sad. Johnny started crying, so Sami had an excuse to leave the room.

E.J. called Stefano tell him that Philip took the bait and thought the feud was over. Sami returned to the room with Allie and Johnny. E.J. offered to help put the kids to bed, and while he was out of the room, she called the convent to check on Grace. She told Sister Theresa to give the baby a kiss for Sami and tell her Sami would be there soon to take care of her. Sister Theresa wondered if Sami had figured out a plan, and Sami said she thought she was starting to figure it out.

After they put the kids to bed, Sami asked E.J. why he was there, and he said he was just dropping off Johnny's penguin. She said if he were really happy at home, he'd be home and not there with her. E.J. said he and Nicole weren't joined at the hip. Sami wondered if E.J. was reconsidering the idea of marriage to Nicole. E.J. said maybe he shouldn't marry Nicole and maybe he might make Nicole's worst nightmare come true and marry Sami.

Lucas asked Will about his love life and marveled at how much Will had grown up. Will resented that Lucas and Sami were still lying to him, and he wondered what Lucas and Sami were lying to him about. Lucas told Will how he fell off the wagon because Chloe broke up with him. Lucas felt sorry that he let Will down, and Lucas was hoping that Will wasn't sorry that he came home.

Lucas said the only reason he told Will about his drinking was because he didn't want Will to end up like Lucas. Chloe came in and was glad to see Will. She asked for a hug, but Will rejected her, saying Lucas almost died and she was the reason.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Philip gave Victor the torn-up formula for the alternative fuels project he had gotten after Philip pressured Nicole to convince E.J. to give the project up. Victor wondered how E.J. got the formula, and he ordered Philip to find out exactly how Melanie got the formula to give it to E.J., or Philip would have to find another job.

Philip yelled at Victor for threatening to fire him if he didn't find out the Melanie-E.J. connection. Philip thought it was too late to work on Victor's request. Then, Victor realized that Philip was behaving that way over Stephanie. Philip admitted that he and Stephanie broke up because of the sacrifices he made for the alternative fuels project, but he admitted that it was all worth it.

An emotional Daniel wandered through the park thinking about his breakup with Chloe and the kiss that followed. Upset, Daniel rushed into the Cheatin' Heart and ordered a scotch. Chelsea entered the bar looking for Max, but when she spotted Daniel knocking back drinks as fast as they were coming to the table, she walked over to check on him. Daniel asked Chelsea to leave him alone, but Chelsea steadfastly refused.

Max returned from the back room of the Cheatin' Heart and spotted Chelsea talking to her ex-boyfriend. Max ambled over and announced that he wanted to show Chelsea a text from a friend. Max held up the phone with "Ditch him" typed out in the text message. Chelsea joked that she had juvenile friends, and Daniel took the opportunity to sneak outside away from Chelsea. Once outside Daniel called Chloe's cell phone, but he could only manage a grunt before hanging up on her voicemail.

Back inside the bar, Max warned Chelsea that, judging by the way he was drinking, Daniel was a ticking time bomb. Refusing to give up, Chelsea attempted to talk to Daniel when he returned to the table for his drink. Chelsea questioned whether Kate was the reason for Daniel's mood, which made Daniel realize that Chelsea had not heard the news. Daniel updated Chelsea on Kate's condition, telling her that Kate was in full remission from the cancer. Thrilled, Chelsea leaped up and pulled Daniel into a hug.

Jealous, Max walked over to check on Chelsea and she informed him the good news about Kate. Max went back to work, and a suspicious Chelsea returned to questioning Daniel, since he still seemed upset. Daniel explained that he had been thinking about how he had screwed up Chelsea's life. Chelsea said she was fine, but Daniel countered that she needed to leave him alone and go out with Max to celebrate. Chelsea agreed to do what Daniel asked, but she made Daniel promise that he would not have any more drinks.

As Daniel stumbled out the door to walk home, Chelsea told Max what Daniel had asked her to do. Eager to spend the evening together, Chelsea ran behind the bar and kissed Max. Outside, Daniel stared through the window at Chelsea and Max. "Chloe did the right thing," Daniel muttered.

At the DiMera mansion, Nicole learned from Mary that E.J. had gone over to Marlena's penthouse. Quickly deducing that E.J. was visiting Sami, Nicole handed Sydney off to Mary and commenced pacing the living room with worry.

In Lucas' room at Salem Hospital, Will apologized to Chloe for being rude. Chloe admitted that she was to blame, and asked Lucas to forgive her. Feeling awkward, Will excused himself from the room so that Lucas and Chloe could talk about their relationship. Lucas claimed that Chloe was not to blame for his drinking, since she was just being honest with him. Lucas questioned whether Chloe had pulled away because he was taking her for granted. Chloe tried to interrupt and insist that Lucas was not to blame, but Lucas pressed on, promising that he would pay more attention to her in the future. Still feeling guilty, Chloe begged for another chance to change, and the two agreed to get back together. Chloe swore they would be happy, no matter what.

As the two lovers held one another in the hospital bed, Lucas quietly asked Chloe to always be honest with him no matter how much it hurt. Chloe insisted that she was the reason that Lucas almost died, but he disagreed. As Lucas wondered aloud about the night of the accident, he questioned why he was at Daniel's. Guilty, Chloe remained quiet.

When the nurse came in to check on Lucas, Chloe stepped into the hallway to take a frantic call from Nicole begging her to go to the DiMera mansion. Nicole explained that she was worried because E.J. was visiting Sami. Chloe promised she would be over shortly, and then headed back into Lucas' room.

Chloe told Lucas about her call from Nicole and determined that Nicole had seen Sami without her baby. Lucas confided that Sami had lost the baby, and begged Chloe to keep the secret. "If anyone found out about Sami and E.J..." said Lucas, just as Will came back into the room. "Found out about what?" Will asked, annoyed. Chloe excused herself and left Lucas alone with Will.

Lucas explained that E.J. and Sami had been living together, but he said that they had only grown close because of Johnny. Though Lucas thought about Sami's pregnancy, he did not mention it to Will. Will joked that Lucas was keeping something from him because he feared Will would try to shoot E.J. Not amused by Will's joke, Lucas told Will to drop the issue because it was complicated. Will said that if Lucas and Sami were leading normal lives, then it would not feel like home. Will announced that he would be back in town for a while. Happy with the news, Lucas asked Will to be the best man at his wedding. Will reluctantly agreed, then walked out.

When Chloe arrived at the DiMera mansion, she told Nicole that she had broken things off with Daniel. Nicole expressed her concerns for Chloe's long-term happiness, but Chloe explained that she had made a promise to God in order to save Lucas' life. Chloe informed Nicole that she believed God had brought Lucas back to life and made him forget about her affair with Daniel. Nicole was reluctant to believe that Chloe had made the right decision, but Chloe changed the subject to Sami.

After telling Chloe about her fears about Sami's baby, Chloe said her that Sami had lost her child. Shocked, Nicole remained silent for a moment before wondering aloud what Sami and E.J. were discussing. Suspicious, Nicole attempted to call E.J., but Chloe intervened and hung up Nicole's cell phone before she could reach him. Chloe urged Nicole to let it go. As Chloe headed out, Nicole repeated Chloe's suggestion to let it go. However, once she was alone, Nicole remarked, "That is so not my style."

At Marlena's penthouse, E.J. said, "What if I made her worst nightmare come true and married you?" Sami laughed at his suggestion, and E.J. theorized that Sami was jealous of Nicole because Nicole had him. Sami dismissed E.J.'s suggestion and insisted that she was worried about his relationship with Nicole because "you're the father of my children." Confused by her statement, E.J. asked why Sami had said children. Quickly recovering, Sami explained that she only meant she thought of both Lucas and E.J. as co-fathers to the twins. E.J. warned Sami not to start a war with Nicole, because it was unfair to the kids.

As Sami and E.J. talked, his phone rang. E.J. answered the call from Nicole and admitted that he was at the penthouse dropping off a toy for Johnny. E.J. joked that Sami was annoying him and that he would be home soon. Uncomfortable with the sounds of Sami and E.J. laughing together, Nicole hung up on E.J.

When Sami continued to make jokes at Nicole's expense, he cautioned Sami to have patience and sympathy for Nicole, since she had just given birth. This caused Sami to get teary-eyed again, and E.J. questioned why she always seemed to fall apart when he mentioned Nicole and Sydney. Curious, E.J. asked if Sami were jealous. Sami admitted that she was only worried for the safety of the baby growing up in the DiMera household. When E.J. mentioned how happy Johnny was, Sami admitted that she knew that E.J. would protect their son.

As Sami still seemed sad, E.J. asked her what had happened while she was in the witness protection program. Sami explained that she had seen one person protecting her die and another almost die, and that it had caused her to think a lot about what would happen to her children if she had been killed. "You're not the same person who went in there, are you?" E.J. asked. Wiping away tears, Sami admitted that it was clear that he loved Nicole, but that it made him vulnerable to her. "Part of me will always love you," Sami said. When E.J. began to grin, Sami laughed and said that she had to qualify her statement by noting that E.J. would always be a DiMera, and that she could not let her guard down.

Sami promised to stop saying "nasty stuff" about Nicole, but asked that, in return, E.J. would protect Johnny from turning into a DiMera. "When it comes to our son, he's on his own," E.J. responded. E.J. explained that the part that Sami loved about him was the part that resisted turning into Stefano. E.J. continued that for Johnny to be his own person, he needed to decide what path he wanted to take in life and could not be forced down any road. E.J. concluded that Johnny was a DiMera and that they could not hide that from their son. Smiling, Sami agreed with E.J. and admitted the part that she loved was still alive in him.

"E.J. it's like I'm seeing a side of you that I never got the chance to meet." Sami said wistfully. "Well, you didn't really allow me the chance to show you," E.J. whispered. Pleased, Sami thanked E.J. for the talk and then went to check on the twins. While Sami was in the bedroom, there was a knock at the door. E.J. opened the door to find a smiling Rafe. Upon seeing E.J., Rafe's smile faded fast. However, Sami walked into the living room and spotting Rafe in the doorway. She ran over and joyfully hugged him. As Sami and Rafe hugged, E.J. watched with an annoyed look on his face.

The Cheatin' Heart had closed for the night, and Max and Chelsea were kissing near the bar, enjoying their time alone. Max offered to get Chelsea something to drink while she waited for him to finish locking up. She suggested that they open a bottle of good champagne and toast her grandma's good health, then hastily amended her request to two glasses of ginger ale. Max was relieved, but admitted he would have opened the champagne in spite of the cost, because he was crazy about her.

When Max returned with the glasses, he shyly noted that Chelsea's smile had become brighter since she'd learned about Kate's remission. They soon moved their date outdoors to the park, where they snuggled on a bench. Chelsea pointed out a crocus peeking out from under the snow. She explained that, even when it seemed winter would never end, crocuses were a reminder that spring was on its way. Max remarked that pitchers and catchers reporting for spring training did the same thing for him. She teased that baseball was hardly romantic, so he complimented her eyes, and they kissed some more.

Chelsea then confided that she was afraid their being together was a mistake, adding that she was worried she'd lose his friendship if things didn't work out. Max did his best to reassure her, vowing that he'd do everything in his power to keep anything bad from happening to her. He finally asked her to just trust him. Chelsea confessed that she already did, but she didn't really trust herself. Max admitted with some frustration that he didn't know what to do, because he didn't want to push her into anything.

Chelsea declared that she was suspending their date, so that she could talk to her friend. She asked what Max would do if she told him-as a friend-about the date she was on. Max replied that he could tell she was scared, but her date seemed like a guy who would do anything to make her happy. A relieved Chelsea announced that their date was back on, and kissed him.

Bo was relaxing at home, when he had a vision of Hope in bed, making love with another man. Hope could tell something was bothering him, so she asked him what it was. Bo admitted that their separation had hurt him a lot. Hope promised she would never leave again, but noted that he seemed to still be brooding. Bo confessed that he'd had another vision, and haltingly told Hope what he'd seen. A dismayed Hope joked that she wished he could have a premonition about their winning the lottery instead of something so awful.

Bo reminded Hope that they'd agreed that he would share any further visions he had, because the one he'd kept to himself about her shooting Kayla had later come true. Hope teased that she'd be sure not to bring any strange men to the bedroom. Bo didn't laugh, wanting only to know whether she'd come back to him because she'd wanted to, or because she'd felt she had to. Hope reassured him that he was the only man she would ever love, and playfully suggested that she'd like to prove it to him. Bo happily agreed, and they scampered up the stairs together, shedding clothing as they went.

Bo and Hope had just gone upstairs, when Chelsea and Max returned to the Bradys' house at the end of their date. They each confessed to feeling a little awkward, but agreed that they'd had a good time. After a moment's hesitation, they kissed goodnight.

Stefano arrived at the DiMera mansion just in time to overhear Nicole complaining aloud to baby Sydney, "Why is your daddy still with that nasty woman who gave birth to you?" Stefano demanded to know what she'd just said. Nicole covered, claiming she was just irritable because E.J. had left hours before to return one of Johnny's toys to Sami. Stefano wondered why Nicole found Sami's presence so threatening. Nicole snapped that life had been blissful before Sami had returned, when it had just been Nicole, E.J., and the baby. Stefano thought that Nicole needed to calm down, and left to ask Mary to make some herbal tea for Nicole. After he'd gone, Nicole declared to herself that she needed to find out why Sami had told Lucas that her baby had died.

Stefano returned bearing tea, ready to play the doting grandfather, only to find Nicole putting on her coat. He was concerned that Nicole was going to confront E.J. at Samantha's, but Nicole asserted that she just needed some privacy so she could clear her head. As Nicole angrily stalked out, Stefano let out a disappointed sigh. "Why don't I believe you?" he muttered.

At the convent, Sister Theresa was surprised to find Nicole at her door. The nun ushered "Mary" into her office, and Nicole confided that she'd given her baby up for adoption. Sister Theresa smiled kindly, and hoped that "Mary" would find comfort in knowing that her baby was with a couple who could love and care for her. Just then, baby Grace cooed from her bassinette in the corner of Sister Theresa's office. Nicole pretended to be surprised, and asked if she could see the infant. When Sister Theresa left to warm a bottle for the baby, Nicole picked the child up, lovingly fussing over her. As she was apologizing to the baby for giving her to "that horrible, horrible woman," suddenly an idea dawned. "Wait a minute-maybe it doesn't have to be this way!" She held the infant close, smiling deviously.

Back at the DiMera mansion, Stefano ushered in his henchman, Dieter. Dieter reported that he'd followed Nicole, as Stefano had instructed: instead of doing something unsavory, as they had expected, Nicole had gone to the Convent of the Holy Cross.

At Marlena's townhouse, Sami greeted Rafe with an elated hug, while a bemused E.J. watched. Rafe noted that his former charge looked happy and relaxed. Sami pointed out that she could finally go outside again, and declared that she was glad to see him. They beamed at each other. As Rafe caught her up about getting a clean bill of health from the doctor, E.J. interrupted somewhat awkwardly to introduce himself. Sami apologized for forgetting about him, and introduced Agent Hernandez as the man who had guarded her in Witness Protection.

When Sami and Rafe shared an inside joke, E.J. remarked that they seemed to have gotten pretty close. Rafe pointed out that they'd been together day and night for a long while, hinting pointedly that he'd learned a lot about E.J. Sami told Rafe how Johnny couldn't sleep without his Laughing Penguin, and then filled E.J. in that Rafe had been the one who had gotten the penguins for the twins. Despite E.J.'s protests that it was too late, Sami excitedly went to the bedroom to get Allie and Johnny, so Rafe could meet them.

While Sami was in the other room, the two men sized each other up, each trying to prove they knew Sami best. When Rafe mentioned all the stories he'd heard from Sami while they were in the safe house, E.J. countered that Rafe had only heard one side of those stories. Rafe wanted to know why E.J. wasn't at home with his new family.

After Sami and Rafe had played with the twins for a few minutes, E.J. remarked that the children looked sleepy, and volunteered to put them back to bed. Sami agreed, so E.J. trundled the twins off to the bedroom. Sami emphasized to Rafe what a good dad E.J. was, maintaining that E.J.'s father, not E.J., was the reason she was keeping Grace a secret. "If I had a kid like Johnny with a mother like you, I certainly wouldn't be so concerned with pleasing my daddy," Rafe argued. They bantered lightheartedly for a bit, and admitted they'd missed each other. Rafe then produced a new picture of Grace for Sami, but asserted that it wasn't right that she and Grace weren't together. Sami reminded him that she could never let Stefano to find out that she'd had E.J.'s baby.

Rafe was frustrated that he couldn't do anything more to help Sami. She assured him that he'd done plenty-taking care of her, keeping her safe, bringing her home alive. They laughed about how they hadn't been able to stand each other at first. Rafe wished aloud that he could still help her somehow, and Sami softly agreed, nestling her head on his shoulder. E.J. returned, glowering from the hallway when he witnessed the intimacy between them.

E.J. then strolled in, noisily interrupting as Rafe was telling Sami about his new assignment. Sami asked Rafe to wait while she went in to kiss the twins goodnight. E.J. tried to persuade Rafe to leave, but Rafe countered with sarcastic worry about how E.J.'s fiancée was stuck at home, all alone with a new baby. They exchanged scarcely veiled insults, and then Rafe recalled how he'd been with Sami when E.J. had called to inform her that he'd moved on with Nicole. E.J. tried to justify his protectiveness of Sami, but Rafe proclaimed that it was possessiveness.

Sami returned just in time to overhear E.J. ordering Rafe to leave. E.J. complained that Rafe had been analyzing his life, so Sami told E.J. to leave if he didn't like it. Rafe got a phone call informing him that he had to leave for his new assignment that night. E.J. didn't try to hide his smile, while Sami sadly confessed that she would really miss Rafe. As she walked him out, Rafe promised he'd be back soon. Sami was worried that his assignment was dangerous, so he tried to reassure her. As he kissed her forehead, she pleaded with him to be careful, then their eyes met, and he tenderly kissed her on the lips. E.J. opened the front door just then, and spied their kiss.

Bo had a nightmare of Hope having sex with another man. Hope woke him up and said his paranoia had to stop. Hope thought his latest vision was the result of his guilty conscience over when Hope shot Kayla. She thought he was punishing himself. Bo pointed out that Hope used to believe in his visions, but all of a sudden, she thought his mind was playing tricks on him. Bo felt bad that he wasn't able to protect Theo or his sister from getting hurt, but he hoped he would be able to protect Hope. Hope said it felt like Bo really believed she would cheat on him.

Bo pointed out Hope's hypocrisy, because she said he should believe his visions, and yet with the latest vision, she was acting like he was crazy to think it might come true. Hope said it was because this time was different, and she said that her decision to move out of the house subconsciously made him doubt her loyalty to him. Hope decided to call Bo's visions "thoughts" - bad thoughts that had no basis in reality. Hope said Bo had control over his thoughts and could put them out of his mind, because no one would ever come between them.

Chelsea woke up next to Max after they made love, and she thanked him for being so understanding. She said she was unsure the night before, but all she wanted to do in the morning was kiss him, and she did. Chelsea couldn't believe that she and Max were getting back together. Max admitted he was self-absorbed in the past when they first dated, but he said Chelsea acted crazy back then. Chelsea admitted to being obsessed with him a while before. She wondered why he chose to be with her again, and he said it was because she was beautiful, fun, spontaneous, smart, and a challenge.

Chelsea asked Max if he had any regrets about their past, and he said no, and he didn't have any regrets about them being together at that moment, either. Max realized how late it was, so he kissed her and tried to figure out a polite way to leave. Chelsea made it easy for him and told him it was okay to leave, and he didn't have to say anything. As he was descending the stairs, Bo was in the living room drinking a cup of coffee. Max had an awkward moment with Bo, and Chelsea ran downstairs in her robe to give Max his wallet, which he had left behind.

Max tried to explain to Bo why he spent the night, and then Hope came downstairs and said hi to Chelsea and Max. Hope realized she didn't hear the doorbell, but Bo told her it didn't ring, because Max had spent the night. Chelsea thought that Hope was still staying with Hope's grandmother and that Bo was supposed to be in Chicago on police business. Bo told her not to change the subject, and Hope said she and Bo worked out their differences.

Hope offered to get them some breakfast, but Bo told her it could wait until Max explained what he was doing in Bo's house. Max said he and Chelsea were out late the night before, and they ended up at the house. Bo asked Max if he spent the night under Bo's roof in Chelsea's bed, and Max admitted he did. Max tried to apologize to Bo for disrespecting him, but Bo threw Max out. Chelsea got angry at Bo and ran upstairs.

Hope didn't agree with how Bo handled the situation, and Bo pointed out that Max and Chelsea had sex in their house, not some motel. Hope said at least Chelsea wasn't having sex with some long-haired biker. Bo agreed to chase Max down and make things right, but Hope volunteered to go after Max while Bo made things right with Chelsea. Meanwhile, Chelsea was upstairs packing her clothes. Bo knocked on the door, but she told him to go away. Bo said he wanted to apologize, so she opened the door. He admitted he overreacted, and said he would always be protective of her no matter how old she was, but she didn't want his protection when it came to her love life, and he didn't get a say either way.

Hope went to the Cheatin' Heart to talk to Max and tell him that Bo was sorry, and Max wondered why Bo wasn't there to apologize. Hope said that was because she told Bo to talk to Chelsea, and Bo was dealing with some personal issues. Max agreed to forgive Bo, and Hope said she hoped that Chelsea was as forgiving as Max was.

Back at Bo's house, Bo admitted to Chelsea that he might be overcompensating for missing out on the years he lost being her father. Chelsea said she was mortified by the way Bo handled the situation, and she asked him to apologize to Max. Bo agreed to tell Max he was sorry. Chelsea said she couldn't make her own mistakes if she was living at home, and she planned to move out. Chelsea came downstairs and said goodbye to Bo and explained that she'd be staying at Stephanie's house for a few days. Bo sat down and had another vision of Hope having sex with someone.

Brady ran into Daniel at the park, and Daniel told Brady he drank too much the night before. Brady asked Daniel if it was worth it, and asked who the woman was that he was getting drunk over. Brady said he heard that Kate broke up with Daniel, and wondered how Daniel was doing. Daniel said he had been seeing someone else and thought back to when he and Chloe were together. Brady wondered if Daniel and the mystery woman were still together, and Brady judged by Daniel's reaction that the relationship was over, but Daniel said it would never be over.

Brady was confused, and Daniel started to explain but decided against it. Brady asked if the woman was married, and Daniel said she wasn't married yet and she didn't love the guy she was going to marry the way she should love him. Brady understood what it was like to be in love with a woman he couldn't have. Brady and Daniel went for a run, and then Brady confided in Daniel about how self-destructive Brady was when Brady and Chloe had their issues. Daniel didn't want to talk about it anymore, so they went for another run.

Hope saw Daniel at the park, and she asked if he was okay. Daniel lied and said he was, and Hope didn't believe him. Daniel denied that he was lying and said he couldn't complain. Hope apologized for getting in his business. She told him he was listed among Salem's most eligible bachelors in Salem Style magazine. Daniel couldn't believe he was on that list, because he didn't consider himself a bachelor.

She hoped that meant he found someone who made him happy, and she said she cared because he was good to Bo when Bo was sick. Hope said goodbye, so he started to make a call when Chloe walked nearby and noticed him, but he didn't see her. Chloe turned around and tried to walk away, but she bumped into Brady. Brady noticed how Chloe was avoiding Daniel.

Nicole tried on her wedding dress, while Chloe tried on her bridesmaid's dress. Chloe complained that her dress made her look like "Princess Fiona in 'Shrek' after she turned into an ogre." They bonded over their mutual hatred for Sami. Chloe didn't understand why Nicole still felt threatened by Sami, since Chloe heard that Sami lost her baby. But Nicole believed that since E.J. and Sami shared a child - Johnny - she would always be a threat to Nicole. Chloe wondered if E.J. was smart enough to realize that Sami was a "phony, classless loser," but according to Nicole, E.J. thought Sami was "adorable and fun."

Chloe accused Nicole of being paranoid. Nicole admitted that E.J. might not be into Sami anymore, but Sami had a crush on E.J.-and Sami was used to getting what she wanted. Next, Chloe tried on her wedding dress while Nicole tried on her bridesmaid dress. The saleslady thought the dress was perfect for Chloe, but Chloe wasn't satisfied.

Nicole accused Chloe of being picky, but Chloe said she wanted her wedding to be perfect because she wanted Lucas to know that she would give him a wonderful life and would love and support him forever. Nicole wanted to know if she was trying to convince Lucas or herself. Nicole pointed out that Chloe was in love with someone else, but Chloe said she wasn't in love with Daniel; she loved Lucas and planned to spend the rest of her life with him, because it was the right thing to do.

At the Brady Pub, Nicole and Chloe had lunch together. Nicole ordered a light meal, saying she was watching her figure so she could fit into her wedding dress, but Chloe said Nicole didn't even look like she'd had a baby. Chloe was planning to have lunch with Kate later so she could show Kate pictures of her wedding dress. Nicole wondered if Kate would be upset that Kate wasn't there to help Chloe pick out her wedding dress.

E.J. went to see Roman at the police station to file a complaint about Rafe. E.J. accused Rafe of having an ulterior motive and crossing the line professionally and personally. Sami overheard E.J. and accused him of crossing the line. E.J. told Sami that the conversation was not meant for her to hear, but Sami felt that since he was talking about her bodyguard, that made it her business.

E.J. tried to dismiss Sami, but she wouldn't have it. She demanded to know what E.J.'s problem was with Rafe. E.J. didn't think it was appropriate for her to have a relationship with her bodyguard. Sami demanded to know how he knew they had a relationship. E.J. said even though he didn't see Rafe and Sami together in protective custody, he saw them the night before at Sami's place. Sami said that made it irrelevant, because since Rafe wasn't guarding Sami anymore, they could have any relationship that they wanted to have.

E.J. accused Sami of acting ridiculous, and she said what was ridiculous was E.J. criticizing Rafe after all that Rafe had done to protect Sami. Roman asked Sami if she came to the police station for a reason, and she said she was there to ask her father to put in a good word with Rafe's superiors. Roman got a phone call and excused himself, so Sami asked E.J. what he had against Rafe. E.J. said he was bothered that someone in Rafe's position would allow himself to get personally involved with Sami.

Sami realized that E.J. was upset because he saw her and Rafe kiss. Sami accused E.J. of acting like a jerk, and accused him of spying on her. E.J. denied spying on her, and she said she and Rafe were having a private moment. E.J. said if she wanted to have a private moment, she should have waited until he was gone. Sami pointed out that they were in the hallway when they kissed.

E.J. said he was trying to protect her from Rafe. Sami pointed out that E.J. didn't even know Rafe, so E.J. asked her how much she really knew about Rafe. Sami said it was none of E.J.'s business, and E.J. accused her of being in love with Rafe. Sami told E.J. off and said Rafe was a better man than any of the guys she'd been with who she thought she was madly in love with, but it was too late to change history.

Sami wondered why E.J. was so interested in who she loved. She figured out that it was because of Johnny. E.J. said he was concerned about Johnny and Sami, and E.J. had a vested interest in whomever Sami hooked up with. E.J. agreed not to ask Sami again about her feelings for Rafe. E.J. started to leave, but she stopped him. Sami said what affected her affected her son with E.J., and she admitted that she kissed Rafe because she had feelings for him.

E.J. accused Sami of having questionable taste in men, so she accused him of being hypocritical since he was marrying Nicole, who had a tainted history. Sami said Rafe, on the other hand, risked his life for Sami and even got stabbed while trying to buy a stuffed penguin for Johnny. Sami refused to let E.J. belittle Rafe. E.J. asked Sami if she wanted to have a relationship with Rafe.

E.J. said Sami would be very successful in her pursuit of Rafe, but she said she didn't pursue men anymore. E.J. told Sami to tell Roman that it wasn't urgent anymore, and then he left.

Back at the pub, Sydney woke up, so Nicole took her out of her stroller. Then, Chloe got a call from the bridal salon telling her that she left her credit card. The waitress asked to hold Sydney, and Nicole asked the waitress to watch Sydney while she went outside to make a phone call. After Nicole went outside, Sami watched as the waitress held Sydney. While Nicole was trying to reach E.J., Sami approached the waitress and asked to hold Sydney. Nicole looked inside the pub window at Sami with Sydney, and it infuriated her.

When E.J. got home, Roman called to tell him that the topic of Rafe was off-limits, so E.J. wondered if Rafe was going back to his job in Washington. Roman didn't know, but he said he planned to make some phone calls on Rafe's behalf to try to pull some strings. E.J. hung up and said to himself that the sooner Rafe got back to Washington, the better.

Nicole was furious when she looked through the window of the Brady Pub and spotted Sami holding a sleeping baby Sydney. She stormed in and quietly ordered Sami, "Give me my baby now." As Sami placed the infant in Nicole's arms, she murmured sincerely, "She's beautiful." Nicole was still livid, so Sami explained what had happened: she'd seen Michelle holding the baby and merely wanted to say hello, and then Sydney had fallen asleep in her arms. Nicole retorted that she knew Sami couldn't be trusted, and began putting Sydney in her stroller to leave. Sami declared that the two of them needed to talk.

Nicole wasn't interested, but Sami finally convinced her to sit down. Sami pointed out that their children shared a father, so—regardless of whether they liked it—they were all connected. Nicole was still hung up on Sami holding Sydney, but Sami told her bluntly to get over it. She then told Nicole about running into E.J. at Roman's office earlier, and how E.J. was interfering in her life. Nicole was skeptical, certain that E.J. would only have gone to talk to Roman about Sami's former bodyguard out of concern for Johnny. Sami argued that she simply wanted to try to find a way for the two of them to get along, and noted that she had been the mother of a DiMera child for longer than Nicole had. Even though she wouldn't trade Johnny for anything, Sami declared, she wouldn't do it again in a million years.

Kate bumped into Stefano on her way into the pub, and he asked if he could keep her company until Chloe arrived. As they sat down, they both wondered aloud what Sami and Nicole could be talking about. After some small talk, Stefano observed that Kate seemed downright angry with Chloe, and asked why. Kate wouldn't say, but vowed that Chloe would regret it forever.

Nicole believed that Sami was scared, but Sami assured her that she didn't want E.J. involved in her life any more than Nicole did. Nicole was unconvinced that her telling E.J. to butt out of Sami's life would have any more of an impact than when Sami said it, nor was she concerned that Sami was a threat to E.J. and Nicole's relationship. Sami somewhat reluctantly revealed that E.J. had gone ballistic when he'd seen Rafe kissing her, and she believed it was because he was jealous. Nicole wasn't buying it, and pointed out that she could be just as formidable an opponent as Sami. Nicole then left, pushing Sydney's stroller.

Chloe was about to walk through the park, but hastily turned to leave when she saw Daniel there, and nearly ran into Brady. When he saw her glancing warily in Daniel's direction, Brady noted that something had seemed to be bothering Daniel when they'd gone for a run together earlier—and something seemed to be bothering Chloe, as well. Brady wondered if she were having second thoughts about the wedding. Chloe didn't really want to discuss it with Brady, so he assured her that he would always be there if she did need someone to talk to. Chloe apologized for having to rush off, as she was late for a lunch date, but thanked him sincerely.

After Stefano had left the pub, Chloe joined Kate, and apologized for being tardy. She added that she'd been worried that Kate was angry with her after Lucas had fallen off the wagon. Kate assured her that if she were mad, she'd be up-front about it, because the fallout from secrets could be devastating. A relieved Chloe excitedly removed her digital camera from her purse, to show the pictures of her wedding gown to Kate. Kate was surprised that Chloe had already picked out a dress. Chloe explained that she had gone with Nicole to shop for Nicole's wedding dress, and they had found one for Chloe in the process. In thinly veiled language, Kate pretended to be pleasantly surprised that someone as impetuous as Chloe would willingly choose to settle down.

When Kate spotted Daniel walking in the door, she called him over to get a man's opinion of Chloe's dress. Daniel mumbled, "It looks fine to me," then excused himself and went to the bar. Kate noted how uncomfortable he'd seemed, and surmised that it must mean he didn't like the dress. She continued, "I think that's something the two of you have in common—that bedrock honesty that makes you so uncomfortable when you're lying." Clearly self-conscious, Chloe asked whether Kate liked the dress. Kate equivocated that perhaps they could find something more flattering for Chloe's figure, and then made a remark out of the blue about how wild Daniel was in bed. Chloe nearly choked on her coffee.

E.J. answered the doorbell at the DiMera mansion, and found Melanie demanding payment for the fuels project. He declared that she would not get another dime from him, so Melanie reminded him that they had a contract. E.J. informed her that there was a clause in said contract—which she had signed in triplicate—that stated that their deal was null and void if he decided not to follow through with the project. He further clarified that he was exercising that option—and that she must forfeit her cash advance. Melanie was furious, and believed that E.J. was trying to con her. E.J. calmly suggested that perhaps she should read any contracts she signed in the future, adding that she wasn't quite as smart as she thought she was, and then closed the door. Melanie punched the doorframe in a fit of anger, and then declared as she stormed off, "Oh, no, no, no, E.J., my friend. This is not how this is going to end!"

When Stefano returned to the mansion, he told E.J. that he'd seen Nicole having lunch with Samantha Brady. E.J. seemed unconcerned, so Stefano reminded him of the women's infamous hatred for one another. E.J. hoped they were simply trying to work out their differences for the children's sake, although Stefano found the idea of those two having a civil conversation laughably far-fetched.

Philip summoned Stephanie to his office, and when she arrived, he closed the door behind her and began kissing her. Stephanie kissed him back at first, but when he proclaimed that they could get back everything they'd had, she became incensed. She declared that she'd have to get a lobotomy to forget what he'd done, or to overlook what she knew he'd do in the future. Philip insisted that he knew he'd made a mistake, but he was trying to change. He was asking her to steer him in the right direction, when Melanie barged through the door.

Melanie was surprised to find Philip and Stephanie together, but stuck to her mission. She informed Philip that E.J. no longer wanted the fuels project, adding that she and Philip could move forward with it together. Philip asserted that he would, indeed, take the project over—but without her. When Melanie argued that Nick had wanted her to receive any profits it made, he threatened to sue her for breach of contract and intellectual property theft. Melanie accused Philip of getting E.J. to back out of their deal, and of being vindictive. Philip freely admitted to both, and then ordered her to get out or be thrown out. Obeying him grudgingly, Melanie sarcastically stated that Stephanie was lucky: "You got yourself a real Prince Charming." She slammed the door on her way out.

When Stephanie began to leave as well, Philip said he thought they'd been making progress before Melanie arrived. Stephanie replied that she didn't like how he had threatened to sue Melanie purely to scare her. Philip argued that it was just business, but Stephanie pointed out that "business" was also his justification for kissing Melanie. She thought his ruthlessness was his way of showing the world that he was just as strong as his father. Philip refused to apologize for trying to emulate Victor. Though Stephanie insisted she wasn't judging Philip, she believed that their backgrounds made them incompatible, because she couldn't stand to watch the way he lived.

Philip asked Stephanie if they could continue their conversation later, because the real reason he'd summoned her was that he needed help accessing a computer file. He explained that his tech-support guy was out sick, and she was the only one he could trust. Stephanie sat at his desk and made couple of quick entries. "Something's not right," she exclaimed worriedly.

Meanwhile, at the DiMera mansion, Stefano was looking over E.J.'s shoulder at the computer. They seemed pleased that Melanie had run back to Titan exactly when they expected her to. Stefano mused, "I wonder if Victor and Philip have any idea that they are about to be blown out of the water."

Melanie went by the Cheatin' Heart to complain to Max about how mean Philip and E.J. had been to her. Max reassured her that Philip would never carry out his threat to sue her, because she didn't have any money. He urged her to try to learn something from what had happened. Melanie didn't want him to lecture her, after hearing both E.J. and Philip call her stupid. Max reminded her that she would have to work really hard for the kinds of things Philip and E.J. had been given. Melanie tiredly declared that she wanted to be alone for a while.

Nicole returned home and greeted E.J. Stefano eavesdropped from the foyer, as Nicole demanded, "What the hell does it matter to you who Sami kisses these days?" Stefano then dialed his henchman, and instructed him to return to the convent and find out why Nicole had gone there.

Sami called Sister Theresa to check on Grace. The nun assured her that Grace was only in danger of being spoiled, as the infant had everyone at the convent wrapped around her little finger. Though Sami still worried that her secret would get out, she was pleased that everyone seemed to love Grace. Sister Theresa then gushed about how calm the baby had been the day before when a young woman had held her. Sami flipped out, anxiously demanding to know who the woman was.