At the hospital, Hope entered Rafe's room as he was wiping some sweat off of his face. Hope was pleased to see that Rafe was working hard to get back on his feet, since she missed having his help at the police station and wanted him to return to work as soon as he was able to do so.
Hope excused herself when Gabi arrived to visit Rafe a short time later. Gabi excitedly showed Rafe a video of Arianna, who had recently learned how to roll over on her own. Rafe noted with a hint of discouragement that Arianna was progressing more quickly than he was, but Gabi was confident that he would be back on his feet before Arianna started walking.
Rafe could tell that Gabi was in a good mood, so she admitted that she had enjoyed her recent date with Cameron -- aside from the shooting that had abruptly ended the date, of course. Gabi added that it was easy to be around Cameron because she didn't have to worry about all of the added pressure that her relationship with Nick had entailed. Rafe agreed that Gabi's relationship with Nick had always seemed a bit intense.
Gabi acknowledged that her relationship with Nick had never seemed right to Rafe, who shrugged and dismissively summarized that Nick was no longer in her life. Rafe added that he simply wanted Gabi to be happy, and she assured him that she finally was.
Elsewhere, Kate abruptly ended her phone call when Jordan entered the physical therapy room. Knowing that her references were in order and that the hospital administrators seemed to be happy with her work, Jordan struggled to determine what Kate was trying to find out about her. Kate replied that she was trying to find out everything about Jordan, who was a completely closed book who had managed to insinuate herself into Rafe's life and make him dependent on her.
Jordan insisted that Kate was making insane, unfounded accusations, but Kate suspected that she had hit a nerve because it seemed like the conversation was bothering Jordan. "I see you coming, Jordan -- don't ever forget that. And I will not stand by and let Rafe be hurt again -- not in any way," Kate vowed. Kate summarized the Bernardi incident for Jordan, who surmised that Kate was worried that Jordan might pose a similar threat to Rafe.
Kate admitted that she didn't know if Jordan was a threat because Jordan lived her life in an incredibly secretive way that simply wasn't normal. Jordan defensively countered that she was just a normal, private person who showed up every day and did her job without making everything into a big public spectacle. Kate doubtfully reiterated that she might be more inclined to believe Jordan if it weren't for the fact that her accusations had clearly bothered Jordan.
Jordan regained her composure and told Kate to feel free to dig into her past if that was what it was going to take to make Kate feel better, although she added that Kate would simply be wasting time that could have been spent helping Rafe recover instead. Jordan exited the room, stopping in the hallway to breathe a heavy sigh. A short time later, Maxine was surprised to find Kate alone in the physical therapy room.
Maxine jokingly wondered if Kate was using the free weights, prompting Kate to dryly reply that she would be more inclined to use the punching bag instead. Kate wondered if Jordan was always as mean as she had been earlier. Maxine insisted that Jordan was a caring and professional individual and that it would be difficult to get her to act differently.
Maxine suggested that the gift that Kate had talked about purchasing for Jordan earlier might lighten the mood between them. Playing along, Kate agreed, but Maxine knew that Kate had lied about the gift so that she would have an excuse to ask some pointed questions about Jordan. Maxine advised Kate to find a way to get past her issues with Jordan, insisting that Jordan was a good person whom Rafe was lucky to have as his therapist.
Later, Kate found Jordan and Rafe in a secluded section of Horton Town Square, where they had gone to get some fresh air. After apologizing for her earlier behavior, Kate excused herself so that Rafe and Jordan could continue to enjoy their break from the hospital. Rafe tried to probe Jordan for additional information about Kate's apology, but Jordan refused to discuss the matter with him, claiming that she had already forgotten about it. "So, now everyone is friends again. That way, Jordan won't see me coming," Kate muttered as she strolled through the town square.
At the Brady Pub, Hope ran into Nick, who was using his laptop to search for a job outside of Salem. Nick reasoned that Salem didn't really have anything left to offer him, and Hope quickly agreed. Nick admitted that he was surprised that Hope hadn't made a single attempt to talk Nick out of leaving Salem. Hope explained that she simply wanted what was best for Nick and that lying to him wouldn't solve anything. Hope summarized that it was going to be hard for Nick to catch a break in Salem, and he agreed.
Hope wished that things had gone differently for Nick, but she optimistically added that the good news was that he wouldn't have to worry about running into Gabi all of the time if he moved to a different city. Confused, Nick insisted that he and Gabi were very good friends and that he wasn't trying to leave Salem so that he could get away from her. Unconvinced, Hope predicted that it was going to be hard for Nick, who had fallen hard for Gabi, to move on with his life, but she confidently added that he would eventually move on with his life, just like Gabi had.
After Hope left, Nick quietly wondered who Gabi had gotten involved with. Turning his attention back to his laptop, Nick muttered that he needed to secure a modeling gig for Gabi so that they could leave Salem right away.
In Will and Sonny's apartment, Will entered the living room while Adrienne was talking to Sonny about what Marge had done at E.J. and Sami's engagement party. Despite Marge's actions, Adrienne still felt sorry for Marge and Timmy, and she revealed that she had been thinking about asking Justin to represent Marge as a pro bono client. "Okay. Seriously, Adrienne? The woman tried to kill my mom and E.J. You want your husband to defend her? Adrienne, do you realize what -- what a bloodbath it could have been last night, or are you just blinded by your hate for my mom and for the rest of my family?" Will asked incredulously.
Adrienne assured Will that she understood just how bad things had gotten during the engagement party, prompting him to offer to let her borrow a thesaurus so that she could find some words that would more accurately describe the situation, such as disastrous or catastrophic. Adrienne clarified that she was simply trying to say that Marge was a sick woman who needed help, and she predicted that Sami would agree with that statement. "Um...probably, if you caught her on the right day," Will dryly conceded.
Changing the subject, Will wondered how J.J.'s hearing had gone. Adrienne reported that Justin had said that the hearing had been a serious wake-up call that had hopefully hit home for J.J. Later, after Adrienne left, Sonny carried Arianna into the living room and overheard Will talking to someone on the phone. When Will ended the call, Sonny wondered what the conversation had been about.
Will explained that one of his professors had secretly submitted one of Will's essays to a literary competition at Berkeley. Sonny recalled that the essay had been about him, Will, and Arianna. Will reported that he had won a fellowship and that the college wanted to fly him out to California later that month so that he could spend a week working with professional writers to get his essay ready for publication.
Sonny enthusiastically assured Will that there would be plenty of time to prepare for the trip, prompting Will to clarify that he had declined the offer. "With the three of us combined, we can barely give Ari what she needs, so I can't go away for a week," Will reasoned as he played with Arianna. Later, Sonny went to see Gabi at Club TBD, unaware that Nick was close behind him. Nick seized the opportunity to eavesdrop on Sonny and Gabi's conversation.
After a brief discussion about Gabi's recent date with Cameron, Sonny told Gabi about Will's big news. Gabi insisted that Will would be crazy to turn down such an incredible opportunity and that she and Sonny could definitely handle taking care of Arianna for a week without him. Sonny jokingly wondered if Gabi believed that they would be able to get along with each other for a whole week, and she replied that she would be willing to try if he was also willing to try.
Sonny excused himself so that he could return to the apartment and sell the idea to Will. Gabi said that she would join Sonny if he gave her a moment to get her stuff together, so he went to check the recent receipts while Gabi placed some textbooks in her backpack. After Sonny left, Nick casually greeted Gabi, who awkwardly returned the greeting before abruptly excusing herself.
After Gabi left, Nick placed a phone call to a modeling agency, but they informed him that they weren't accepting new applicants. "Don't worry, Gabi -- I won't give up. We. Are. Getting. Out of here. And far away from Cameron Davis. Ugh," Nick muttered after angrily ending the call.
Later, Sonny and Gabi returned to the apartment and insisted that Will needed to take advantage of the amazing opportunity that he had been given. Teasingly suspecting that Will might be battling a fear of success, Sonny added that he, Gabi, and Arianna believed in Will and would be fine without him. Will guessed that Sonny just wanted to take Will's place in Arianna's life. "I do. Ari's gonna be calling me Da-Da, and when you get back, she's not gonna know who you are," Sonny jokingly confirmed, and Gabi added that Will would also return to find that Sonny had replaced Will as her best friend.
Will doubted that Gabi and Sonny would be able to go a whole week without fighting, but they doubtfully assured him that they would definitely be able to accomplish that task. As Sonny and Gabi continued to urge him to accept the fellowship, Will reluctantly grabbed his phone and made the call.
At the Horton Town Square, J.J. agreed to give Daniel five minutes to say whatever he wanted to say. Daniel promised that he wouldn't testify against J.J. if the vandalism case went to trial. J.J. shrugged and dismissively replied that, while Daniel's support was duly noted, it ultimately wouldn't matter because the prosecutor wouldn't need Daniel's testimony to make a solid case against J.J. anyway.
Daniel explained that he simply wanted to make it clear that he was on J.J.'s side, just like Jennifer was. J.J. started to walk away when Daniel mentioned Jennifer, but Daniel stopped him and pointed out that the five-minute window of time that he had given Daniel had not yet expired. J.J. refused to listen to statements about his mother, so Daniel tried to talk about Jack instead, but J.J. didn't want to discuss his father with Daniel, either.
J.J. impatiently glanced at his watch and warned that Daniel had used up four of his allotted five minutes. Choosing a different approach, Daniel reminded J.J. that he had always feared that Daniel was trying to take Jack's place in Jennifer's life. J.J. claimed that he no longer cared one way or another, but Daniel wasn't convinced. "You can forget all about it -- forget it -- 'cause I am out of your mother's life for good. You win," Daniel declared.
J.J. braced himself for the catch, prompting Daniel to explain that he simply wanted J.J. to return home and never take Jennifer's love for granted, since it was worth more than anything else that J.J. would ever have. In response, J.J. dismissively declared that Daniel's time was up. Daniel tried to find out if J.J. was going to take his advice and return home, but J.J. reasoned that if Daniel was truly planning to walk away from Jennifer, their family drama was no longer Daniel's business.
Daniel nodded and assured J.J. that he would stick to his plan to walk away from Jennifer, although he stressed that he was doing it for J.J., who deserved a chance at a bright future. "You really don't listen, do you? I told you before, I don't care who she's with, okay? You want to take my dad's place? You're more than welcome to it, okay? I'm not -- I'm not his kid anymore, and I'm sure as hell not hers, either, so I'm not gonna go home like a good little boy, okay? You know what? For all I care, you can go ahead and move in. I really don't give a damn about it anymore," J.J. insisted before walking away.
In the waiting area at the hospital, Theresa laughed off Jennifer's warning that she would kill Theresa if Theresa had any further contact with J.J. "Ooh, Jenny, it is such a help to me when you tell me what's important to you; that way, I can devote all of my time into making sure you don't get it," Theresa said as she pushed Jennifer away. Jennifer replied that Theresa was welcome to go after her as long as J.J. was kept out of their battle.
Confidently predicting that Theresa was going to crash and burn eventually, Jennifer urged her to refrain from taking J.J. down with her. "You are an addict, and a user, and a liar, and people like you, they end up in a junk pile, and I am not gonna let my son be the collateral damage. He is holding on by a thread; this is his last chance, Theresa. So if you were a decent human being, you would back off, but you know what? I know that's not gonna happen, so I'm just telling you, if you harm my son, I will make it my life's work to see that you pay," Jennifer warned as onlookers started to gather to watch the argument.
Theresa dismissively stated that she was officially scared, prompting Jennifer to wish that Theresa were smart enough to take the threats seriously. As Jennifer started to walk away, Theresa teasingly stated that if she agreed to leave J.J. alone, she would have to find someone else to have some fun with, such as Daniel. Jennifer refused to take the bait, reiterating that she only cared about making sure that Theresa stayed away from J.J.
Theresa glanced around at the onlookers and joked that she and Jennifer should have sold tickets. Comparing the argument to something out of one of the Real Housewives television shows, Theresa wondered if it was time for her and Jennifer to start pulling each other's hair yet. Jennifer angrily insisted that she was talking about her son's life and that the situation wasn't the least bit funny.
"No, what we're really talking about, Jennifer, is how upset you are that your little boy doesn't have to listen to you anymore. You want to blame drugs, you want to blame me -- how about you look in the mirror? How about you check that attitude of yours that talks to him like he's five years old? How about you stop being such a sanctimonious bitch all the time and listen to J.J. for once?" Theresa suggested. Jennifer insisted that she had tried talking to J.J. and that her attempts had been unsuccessful because of the lovely little habits that Theresa had gotten him into.
Theresa scoffed and summarized that J.J. had simply grown up and realized that parental love and concern was really nothing more than a trap. Jennifer wondered if that was how Theresa truly felt about Shane and Kimberly, who would do anything for Theresa, even if she went home and spat in their faces. Theresa insisted that Jennifer didn't know anything about Kimberly and Shane, but Jennifer disagreed. Jennifer knowingly added that Shane and Kimberly would never give up on Theresa, just like Jennifer would never give up on J.J.
"Well, maybe they should. Maybe you all should. I mean, God knows J.J. would be better off if you just walked away," Theresa replied, prompting Jennifer to angrily slap her. Joking that she loved watching control freaks finally lose control, Theresa turned her cheek and encouraged Jennifer to also slap the other side so that it wouldn't look like Theresa's makeup was uneven.
Jennifer reiterated that she wasn't going to let Theresa ruin J.J.'s life, and she begged Theresa to give him a fighting chance. "Well, if he likes it that way, I can arrange it," Theresa suggestively replied, prompting Jennifer to warn her to shut up. "You are so disgusting! Is that the hold that you have on my son? 'Cause if it is, you are a sadistic, manipulative little slut!" Jennifer loudly countered as Daniel entered the waiting area.
Refusing to let Jennifer continue to verbally abuse her, Theresa walked away after urging Jennifer to find a way to solve her own problems without dragging Theresa into them. As she shouted that Theresa needed to remember her earlier warning, Daniel approached Jennifer and wondered what had happened. Jennifer insisted that she hated Theresa and that she hadn't said any of her words lightly.
At the Horton house, Jennifer received a visit from Adrienne. After hearing about J.J.'s recent acts of defiance, Adrienne tried to assure Jennifer that he wouldn't be foolish enough to get into any further trouble, but Jennifer wasn't convinced. Jennifer reminded Adrienne that J.J. was eighteen years old and felt invincible. Jennifer feared that J.J. would inevitably end up in prison, but Adrienne insisted that Jennifer was wrong and was simply panicking.
Jennifer reasoned that being in denial wasn't going to solve anything. Adrienne urged Jennifer to refrain from assuming that the worst-case scenario would actually happen, but Jennifer insisted that J.J. had left her with no other options. Jennifer mused that it seemed like J.J. wanted Jennifer to see him at his worst and realize just how bad things could get. Jennifer guaranteed that J.J. had met up with his drug buddies immediately after leaving the Horton house earlier, despite the fact that he was perfectly aware of the risks that were involved with hanging out with them. Jennifer predicted that she was going to receive a phone call from a cop later that night.
At the Horton Town Square, Theresa ran into J.J. and wondered if he was holding drugs. J.J. innocently wondered if Theresa knew what could happen to him if he were discovered with drugs in his possession, but she reminded him that she wasn't a cop. Theresa urged J.J. to let her help him celebrate his release, suggestively adding that other things might happen that night if he agreed to party with her.
J.J. evasively stated that he was going to need some time to take care of a few other things first. Theresa warned that J.J. would lose his spot if he took too long to contact her, and he assured her, somewhat dismissively, that he would call her later. "Well, that was way too sober and grown-up and chicken," Theresa disgustedly muttered as she watched J.J. walk away.
Theresa placed a phone call to her dealer and told him that she was looking for something stronger than marijuana, summarizing that it was going to be one of those nights. Later, Theresa received an unexpected visit from Daniel at her apartment. Meanwhile, J.J. returned to the Horton house to retrieve something, but when he tried to leave after accomplishing his task, Jennifer blocked his path.
"I want you to listen to me right now. This is it. If you walk out this door right now, I don't ever want to see you again," Jennifer tearfully stated.
Rory and Bev were at a table in Horton Square when Abigail walked by. They stopped her to ask if she'd seen J.J. because they were worried about him. Incredulous, Abigail ordered Bev and Rory, "I want you to stay the hell away from my brother. His life is a total nightmare now, thanks to you both." Before Abigail could stomp away, Bev and Rory insisted that they were afraid for J.J., who had become very withdrawn and no longer returned their text messages or even phone calls.
"I'm just afraid he'll do something," Bev fretted. Although admittedly worried about J.J., Abigail believed that what had happened could turn out to be a good thing, since J.J. had moved home. "He's pretty down on his mom. I don't think he'd be too happy at home," Bev pointed out. Abigail asserted that perhaps J.J. had realized being with the two people he loved most -- his mother and sister -- was what was best for him.
At the Horton house, an emotional Jennifer warned J.J. that if he left, she never wanted to see him again. J.J. reminded her that if he weren't living there, he would go to prison. "It's your call," Jennifer said. J.J. snarled that Jennifer couldn't tell him what to do -- and if she didn't like it, she could pick up the phone and send him back to prison. Jennifer tried to get J.J. to be reasonable, but he was still angry that she had lied to him about his father.
J.J. flung his backpack down, pulled out a bag of weed and a pipe, and defiantly showed them to his mother. He said that he was thinking about going to smoke it with Theresa. "I know you don't like her, but you gotta admit she's pretty hot," J.J. added. Jennifer was incredulous that J.J. would flaunt his drug in front of her when he was one step away from prison. J.J. shoved the phone in his mom's face and suggested she call the cops and turn him in.
When Jennifer couldn't make the call, J.J. derided her for being unable to do much of anything. As J.J. flung open the door to storm out, he startled Abigail on the doorstep. She begged her brother not to go, so J.J. grudgingly joined Abigail and Jennifer in the living room. When Abigail mentioned Chad, J.J. dropped the chip on his shoulder for a moment to inquire about his sister's beau and express concern for both Chad and Abigail.
Abigail said that she was glad to know that J.J. cared and deep down was still the sweet brother she'd always known. Believing Abigail was ambushing him at their mom's request, he headed for the door again. Abigail implored him to sit down and talk things out with them, but J.J. snapped, pointing at Jennifer, "She thinks she's head of the family? My family's dead to me -- just like dad!" Abigail put her hands on J.J.'s arms to prevent him from leaving, but J.J. shoved her away and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.
Abigail tried to convince her mom that J.J. hadn't meant what he'd said, but Jennifer knew otherwise. "Now I know what I have to do, because he is walking around with marijuana -- so I need to call the police and have my son arrested," Jennifer declared. Abigail couldn't believe what she was hearing. Jennifer asserted that she hadn't been able to do it before but after seeing J.J. shove his sister, Jennifer knew she had to practice tough love.
Jennifer explained that she had taken J.J.'s abuse over and over because she'd thought that it would prove to him that she loved him, but he was indifferent -- so she had no choice. "Mom, he cannot be arrested again!" Abigail pleaded. Jennifer argued that J.J. needed consequences for doing drugs, stealing, and doing whatever he wanted, and she had to stop lying to herself. "Your brother is going to get caught. So better now than when he starts mainlining drugs or committing a crime that can't be forgiven," Jennifer asserted.
Abigail tried to talk her mom out of it, reminding Jennifer that it would be sending J.J. to prison. Jennifer contended that J.J. would have a better chance to recover if he were caught sooner rather than later. Abigail filled Jennifer in on her conversation with J.J.'s friends. Jennifer asserted that proved her point, that J.J. was determined to self-destruct. "My love for him means nothing to him, and the police are the only ones that can handle him right now," Jennifer said.
Abigail urged her mom to reconsider, asserting that what J.J. needed was their help, but Jennifer countered that she needed to keep J.J. from making things worse. As Jennifer started to call the police, a distressed Abigail issued an ultimatum: "Mom, I swear to God, if you do this, I will never speak to you again!"
When Daniel knocked on the door of Theresa's apartment, she was pleasantly surprised and instantly turned on the charm. Unmoved, Daniel told her that he needed a favor, so Theresa invited him in. Daniel advised Theresa to stay away from J.J. A disappointed Theresa wondered, "Why do you even care about J.J.? He hates you." Pointing out that Daniel and Jennifer had broken up, Theresa guessed that Daniel was only there to make inroads with Jennifer.
Daniel asked how his breakup with Jennifer was any of Theresa's business. Theresa asserted that he had stuck his nose in her business by ordering her to stay away from J.J. Daniel countered that it had merely been a request. Theresa flirtatiously said that she might be willing to tell J.J. to go away if she knew there was something better waiting for her. While Theresa blithely went about making screwdrivers for the two of them, Daniel insisted that he was only there to help J.J. stay out of prison.
Theresa encouraged Daniel to at least try the drink. When he ignored her, she assured him that he wasn't too old for her -- and reminded him that he and Jennifer were over. Daniel didn't want to discuss his personal life with Theresa, but she became even more aggressively flirtatious. As he headed for the door, Daniel said, "Seriously, Theresa? You're coming on to someone who's not even the least bit interested." Theresa maintained that Daniel's eyes told another story, as they had when they'd first met.
Daniel countered that she had fooled everyone when she'd first started at the hospital -- but she didn't have him fooled anymore. A dubious Theresa pointed out that Daniel had gone all the way over there to talk to her about a high-school kid. She offered to stay away from J.J. in exchange for one thing. She gripped the lapels of Daniel's jacket and pulled him to her seductively, but he thrust her hands away and told her it wasn't going to happen.
Daniel wondered what had happened during Theresa's childhood that had caused her to decide that was how to deal with a man. Theresa testily insisted that she didn't need a shrink, and since Daniel wouldn't give her what she needed, she'd get it somewhere else. When Daniel left, she shouted at the closed door that he was "the most egomaniacal jerk on the planet."
Theresa immediately picked up the phone and invited J.J. over. When he showed up, she gave him Daniel's untouched drink. "So...this is finally happening. I am so ready. I bet you are, too," Theresa purred, running her fingers through J.J.'s hair.
When E.J. entered the living room of the DiMera mansion, Kristen informed him that her and Brady's wedding had been moved up. Before the conversation could continue, Kristen got a phone call. When Kristen hung up and turned back to E.J., her eyes were glistening with tears. She told E.J. that a pregnancy scare had made her hopeful, so she'd gone for some tests. "I guess where I'm concerned with fertility, I'm pretty much the Sahara Desert," Kristen said sadly. E.J. put his arms around her consolingly.
Kristen mused that she might deserve infertility for the terrible things she'd done -- but she wasn't going to dwell on it because she was about to marry a man she was crazy about, and she had a wonderful family. E.J. noted that family could be a godsend in times of trouble, adding dourly, "One minute you're on top of the world: you're about to get married; you're planning your future. The next minute, you're nothing."
Kristen demanded to know what was up with E.J. He admitted that Samantha feared she and the children would never be safe in that house, but he was sure that they would work things out because they were still in love. "When it comes to falling in love with a DiMera, father can be somewhat problematic," E.J. pointed out.
Kristen wondered if, after what they'd overheard in the chapel, their father really had changed. "He doesn't make promises lightly," Kristen reminded E.J. E.J. argued that Stefano would have promised anything to anyone while Chad had been at death's door. "Now Chad's on the mend, I'm sure that father will just view it as a momentary lapse in his rather nefarious concentration," E.J. guessed. Kristen and E.J. agreed that it was Daniel to whom they owed a debt for saving Chad's life.
E.J. asked if Daniel were still standing up for Brady at the wedding. Kristen wasn't sure because of everything Daniel and Jennifer had been going through. Suddenly inspired, Kristen suggested that E.J. stand up for her while Sami stood up for Brady. E.J. thought it was a great idea.
When Daniel arrived at the hospital, he sought out Anne to discuss how Anne had managed to get Theresa rehired after Jennifer had fired her. Anne maintained that Theresa was a bright young woman with a lot of potential, but Daniel believed that Anne had done it to spite Jennifer. Anne claimed that Jennifer had fired Theresa out of spite. Daniel argued that Theresa was insolent and shouldn't be working anywhere, especially not a hospital.
Anne stonewalled Daniel, so he promised to get answers from someone else. In front of a handful of staff at the nurses' station, Anne accused Daniel of having a "thing" for Theresa. She cattily wondered how Theresa had ended up with Daniel's bracelet. Daniel pronounced Anne a "sad, lonely woman" who had it in for Jennifer Horton. He reiterated that Theresa shouldn't be working in the hospital -- and he would be glad if she weren't living in Salem.
Anne accused Daniel of bedding Theresa -- and then throwing her aside -- after his breakup with Jennifer, and Anne guessed that Daniel would soon move on to his next conquest. Daniel firmly professed that he hadn't been with Theresa and never would. He pronounced Theresa a dangerous person who was out to hurt Jennifer and J.J. -- and Daniel wanted Theresa fired. Anne reminded Daniel that she had hired Theresa and wouldn't fire her.
E.J. got off the elevator in time to overhear an exasperated and annoyed Daniel ordering Anne, "I want Theresa out of here. Do you understand? I don't care how you make that happen, but I want that woman gone."
In the sanctuary at St. Luke's, Eric prayed for God to help him find the truth. Eric started to remember the night with the woman in the hotel, but shook his head. "No. Nicole would never do that to me," he said, his brow furrowed with doubt. He reflected back on Daniel's conclusion that Eric had been deliberately poisoned, as well as his own questions about whether Fay and Nicole were the same person. "Nicole -- no! She would never do that to me!" Eric exclaimed, wondering a moment later, "But who else could it be?"
In the rectory, Nicole was fussing with a floral arrangement for Brady and Kristen's wedding when Brady walked in. When Nicole saw the handwritten vows in Brady's hand, she offered to give them to Eric. "I would never trust you with these, Nic," Brady replied. Nicole became angry, asserting that it was Kristen whom Brady shouldn't trust. Nicole stopped herself mid-rant and declared, "You're so stupid, you deserve what's coming to you."
Brady irritably accused Nicole of trying to turn him against Kristen by lying to him, but Nicole insisted that she hadn't lied. Brady reminded Nicole that he had been unfaithful with her while he and Kristen had been broken up, and Kristen had forgiven him -- so Kristen had no reason to lie to him because she knew that he would have forgiven her if she'd done the same.
Fed up, Nicole announced that she was tired of trying to be a friend to Brady. She grabbed the flowers and stormed out, and Brady followed her to the church, where he caught up with her in the vestibule. He grabbed Nicole by the arm, causing her to spill water from the flower arrangement, which she set on a table. Brady maintained that Nicole was an unhappy person who wanted everyone else to be miserable.
Brady started accusing Nicole of being in love with Eric. "You want him so much; you think about him all the time... You probably dream about the guy," Brady surmised, continuing to needle Nicole about it until she finally exploded. "All right! All right! Yes, I love him! I love Eric. I'm obsessed with him, and I can't help it. Are you satisfied?" an anguished Nicole cried. Inside the sanctuary, a horrified Eric overheard.
Nicole continued tearfully that she had always loved Eric, and she was miserable when she wasn't by his side. "What do you mean, 'when'? You will never be with him -- unless you've had some overnight rendezvouses that I don't know about," Brady said, incredulously reminding Nicole that Eric was a Catholic priest. Nicole shouted that it didn't change the way she felt about Eric, no matter how she'd fought it. Sobbing, she continued that things had started getting weird, and she had started making mistakes and doing crazy things.
Brady demanded to know what Nicole was talking about. Nicole would only admit that she had lost control -- and she had quit to get away from Eric. Bawling and ashamed, Nicole admitted that sometimes she was so confused that she didn't recognize herself anymore. "That makes two of us. I don't recognize you at all," a disgusted Brady declared. Snapping out of it momentarily, Nicole shoved Brady's shoulder and told him to go to hell. "After you, bitch," Brady retorted coldly before walking out.
When Brady arrived at the DiMera mansion, Kristen could tell that he was tense about something. He admitted that he'd just had a nasty argument with Nicole, but he urged Kristen not to worry about the details of it. Kristen reminded him that they'd learned in Pre-Cana counseling that they were supposed to be completely honest with each other.
After Brady warned Kristen that she wouldn't like what Nicole had said, he said, "Nicole told me something that I know is not true, but if it starts spreading around, you should be prepared for it." Kristen asked somewhat anxiously what Nicole had said. "She told me that while you and I were broken up, you had an affair with someone and lied to me about it," Brady said.
Back at St. Luke's, Nicole began to weep again. At last she dried her tears, picked up the flowers, and carried them into the church, where Eric had been listening behind the door to her entire exchange with Brady. As Nicole walked up the aisle and placed the flowers on the altar, she didn't see Eric until she turned around to leave. She started to hurry out again to give Eric his privacy, but he asked her to stop and look at him.
"I heard what you said to Brady -- every word," Eric said grimly. Nicole apologized and admitted that she had never been more embarrassed. She asked Eric if they could just forget about it, but Eric was adamant that she stay so they could discuss it. Nicole tried to play the whole thing off as a misunderstanding because she wasn't in love with Eric. Eric reminded her, "You said you were in love with me. You said you were obsessed with me." Nicole insisted that she'd only said it because Brady thought she still had feelings for him.
"You are lying! You are standing in the house of God. There's no point because I know the truth. I just want you to say it," Eric demanded. Her face crumpling as she tearfully uttered the words, Nicole admitted, "I love you." Nicole reiterated that she was sorry, adding that she was always hurting people and doing things she shouldn't. "Well, maybe it's time to confess what those things are," Eric suggested sternly.
Beginning to sob again, Nicole admitted that she had lost control, and even though she'd tried to fight it, she knew she'd crossed a line. She continued that she hadn't thought she was capable of doing the things she'd done -- but Eric had to understand why she needed to leave. "What I let myself do and think is just wrong!" Nicole cried. Eric suggested that Nicole start there, but Nicole refused, reminding him of a sermon he'd recently done. "I need to remove myself from the occasion of sin," Nicole explained.
"I am so terribly, terribly sorry for what I've done. Can you forgive me?" Nicole implored. Eric angrily demanded to know if Nicole really expected understanding and compassion. Nicole tearfully reminded Eric that he was a priest, and they went back a long way. "I don't know how you expect me to forgive what you did! I don't even know if God can forgive you for what you did!" Eric roared furiously.
A bewildered Nicole asked Eric what he was talking about. "How can God not forgive me? It's not a sin to love someone, is it, if there was no real harm done, right?" she questioned unsteadily. Eric proclaimed that what Nicole had done was vile and beyond belief. "Eric, what do you think I did?" an utterly confounded Nicole asked. Distraught, Eric's eyes filled with tears as he informed her, "It's not what I think; it's what I know. You raped me."
In the Horton living room, Abigail begged Jennifer not to call the police to arrest J.J. Abigail swore that if Jennifer called the police then Jennifer would lose both her son and her daughter. Determined, Jennifer picked up the phone and called Hope. Once Jennifer ended the call, Abigail shook her head. Jennifer said that she was convinced that she had to do something to stop J.J. from hurting himself.
When Jennifer argued that prison might keep J.J. from destroying his life, Abigail remarked that sending J.J. to prison with criminals would also destroy J.J.'s life. Furious, Abigail stormed out of the house into the night.
When Hope arrived, she found Jennifer pacing in the living room. Jennifer asked Hope to arrest J.J. in order to protect him. Hope asked Jennifer where she could find J.J. With a scowl, Jennifer said that she was worried that J.J. was with Theresa. Hope offered to talk to Theresa and send J.J. home. Hope promised that if J.J. refused to return home then she would talk to Jennifer about how to proceed.
In Theresa's apartment, J.J. and Theresa made out on the couch. When Theresa pulled away to sip her alcoholic drink, she asked J.J. if he had any drugs with him. J.J. argued that he could not be found with drugs because he could go to prison. With a suspicious glance, J.J. noted that Theresa only promised to hook up with him when she had an ulterior motive. Theresa denied the accusation and kissed J.J. again.
J.J. pushed Theresa away and explained that he was having family problems. J.J. reached into his pocket, pulled out marijuana, and offered it to Theresa. With a grin, Theresa happily took J.J. up on his offer. When Theresa asked about the broken window at the bookstore, J.J. admitted that he had been upset with his father. Theresa empathized that her father had never been home and that her mother had been an ice queen. Theresa joked that she and J.J. had the same kind of parents.
After smoking a joint, J.J. and Theresa started to kiss again, but they were interrupted by a loud noise. Startled, J.J. stopped and wondered aloud if someone was spying on them. Theresa rolled her eyes and noted that the noise was from the heating system. To calm J.J. down, Theresa opened the front door and checked to see if anyone was in the hallway. As J.J. opened the windows to wave the smell of marijuana out of the apartment, Theresa giggled. Theresa noted that there were no cops patrolling the hallway.
Unnerved, J.J. ducked into the bathroom. Tired of J.J.'s behavior, Theresa called Daniel's cell phone and left a voicemail for him. J.J. overheard Theresa saying "Danny boy." Theresa was interrupted by a knock at her door. Theresa was surprised to find Hope at the door, and Theresa walked into the hallway and closed the door to her apartment. When Hope asked what Theresa was hiding, Theresa said that she had a biker friend over, and he was not dressed.
Hope asked Theresa if she had seen J.J., and Theresa said she had not seen him. Theresa added that she did not want to hang around with "that loser." Theresa promised to call Hope if Theresa made contact with J.J. Hope reluctantly left. When Theresa walked into her apartment, J.J. confronted her about what she had said to Hope.
Theresa said she had put on a show for Hope to get her to leave. Unfazed, J.J. explained that he had heard Theresa on the phone with a guy before Hope arrived. Theresa admitted that she had been leaving a voicemail for Daniel because he was a real man who knew how to "get things done."
Overwhelmed with emotion, J.J. swept Theresa into his arms and threw her onto the couch, kissing her. Theresa pulled away and grabbed a bottle from her cabinet. Theresa noted that there was a drug called Nirvana in the bottle and that she wanted J.J. to have some with her. J.J. stared at the bottle, unsure what to do next.
Abigail rushed over to the Kiriakis mansion to talk to Maggie. Abigail begged Maggie to talk to Jennifer. In her calmest voice, Maggie reasoned aloud that Jennifer was attempting to teach J.J. a lesson, since J.J. had continued to make the wrong choices with his life. Abigail argued that J.J. needed time to think.
Nodding, Maggie added that if J.J. did not change his ways, he would destroy his life. Maggie argued that Jennifer was pushing J.J. to make a decision whether to move forward or throw his life away. Abigail refused to believe that she could not help her brother.
When Hope returned to the Horton house, she told Jennifer that J.J. was not with Theresa. Terrified that her son was breaking into a house to find shelter, Jennifer begged Hope to find J.J. Hope suggested that Jennifer wait a day and give J.J. time to think about his situation. As Abigail returned home, she heard Hope say that she would pick up J.J. if Jennifer decided to proceed.
Abigail begged Hope not to arrest J.J. Hope assured Abigail that they were going to wait a day before taking J.J. into custody. Jennifer thanked Hope for her advice. Hope nodded and left. Alone with her daughter, Jennifer thanked Abigail for returning home. Abigail said that she had to return home to her family. Abigail assured Jennifer that J.J. needed time to think and that he would return home as well. Nodding, Jennifer wished aloud that J.J. would not do something he regretted.
In the DiMera living room, Brady informed Kristen of Nicole's accusation that Kristen had slept with another man during Brady and Kristen's breakup. Kristen vehemently denied the accusation and asked Brady to promise that he did not believe Nicole. Brady said he had no doubt that Kristen had told him the truth when she had said that she had not had sex with anyone during their breakup.
Brady said that Nicole was a liar and that he had told Nicole that she was no longer his friend. Kristen told Brady that he had done the right thing. Angry, Kristen yelled about how much she hated Nicole. Suspicious, Brady asked why Kristen was reacting so strongly. Kristen explained that she had heard from the fertility doctor and that he had told her that her last medical hope for a pregnancy had proven to be a failure. Brady hugged Kristen tightly and promised to love her with or without children in their family.
After his talk with Kristen, Brady walked over to Daniel's apartment. As Brady knocked on the door, Maggie walked down the hallway. Maggie informed Brady that Daniel had been involved in a public fight with Anne at the hospital. Maggie was upset that she could not reach Daniel, and she admitted that she needed to go to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. Brady offered to walk Maggie to the pub to grab a coffee and find a meeting to attend.
At the hospital, Daniel was working in his office when Stefano stopped by to thank Daniel. Stefano offered to help Daniel with the woman that was causing problems with Daniel. Daniel declined the offer. With a grin, Stefano assured Daniel that his offer was on the table if Daniel wanted to take advantage of it. Daniel thanked Stefano and ushered him out of the office. As he left, Stefano advised Daniel to deal with his problem because it would only get worse.
Once alone, Daniel looked at his phone and noticed that he had a voicemail from Theresa. "A message from my problem," Daniel muttered. Daniel listened to the rambling voicemail on speakerphone and wondered aloud what game Theresa was playing. Daniel stared at his phone on the desk next to the flash drive. Daniel grabbed the phone and left without looking at the flash drive.
In the DiMera mansion living room, a worked-up Kristen paced and screamed about Nicole as Stefano stared sympathetically at his daughter. As Kristen threw a tantrum about Nicole's interference, Stefano assured Kristen that all would be fine. Upset, Kristen wondered aloud how Nicole knew that Kristen had slept with someone during her breakup with Brady.
Kristen worried aloud that she would lose Brady if he learned the truth. Stefano reminded Kristen that the flash drive had been destroyed. In an effort to calm his daughter, Stefano counseled Kristen to focus on her future and her happiness with Brady.
In the church, Eric accused Nicole of raping him. Nicole quietly denied the charge. Confused, Nicole asked Eric why he would believe she would hurt him when she loved him. Eric noted that he had not believed that Nicole could have raped him but that the evidence against her had piled up and convinced him that she had been the one that had drugged him in the hotel. Nicole pleaded that she loved Eric, and he accused her of losing control.
Nicole argued that she had driven to the capitol in order to deliver Eric the notes for his meeting because the fax she had sent had not gone through to the hotel. Nicole swore that when she had arrived at the hotel, Eric had been sick, and she had been scared. Picking up on Nicole's comment, Eric argued that Nicole had been scared because she had drugged Eric, and she had been worried that she might kill Eric with the drugs.
"You honestly believe that?" Nicole asked in disbelief. Eric said he did. Eric recounted the evidence, explaining that there had been a tall woman in a wig that had checked into the adjoining room at the hotel where he had stayed. Eric argued that Nicole had called an ambulance because she had feared that she had given too many drugs to Eric, and she had directed the ambulance to Salem in order to buy time while the drug filtered out of Eric's system.
As Nicole shook her head in confusion, Eric noted that the woman that had checked into the hotel had checked in as Fay Taylor. Nicole argued that the name was a coincidence. When Eric disagreed, Nicole noted that it would have been stupid for Nicole to use that name as an alias if she had been the woman that checked into the hotel. Eric added that Nicole had refused to talk about that night because she had felt guilt over what she had done.
Nicole explained that she did not talk about the night at the hotel because Father Matt had urged her not to because it upset Eric. Nicole urged Eric to talk to Father Matt. Shaking his head, Eric yelled that Nicole had a history of lying and that he would not believe anything that Nicole said. Nicole swore that she was not lying. Fighting tears, Nicole said that she had wanted to be near Eric and work with him but that her feelings had eaten away at her, and she had decided to leave the church to cut ties with Eric.
"I love you, and I have always loved you, and that is the truth. I would never do anything to hurt you. Especially not in that hotel room, and if you think that I could do something so awful to the person that I love then you never knew me at all," Nicole said. Eric countered that he finally knew what kind of person Nicole was and that he had been deluded when he believed that he could salvage Nicole's life. Eric called Nicole sick and twisted.
Hurt, Nicole whispered that she was a sad woman in love with someone who could not return her affection. Nicole argued that Eric remembered something that had never happened, but Eric disagreed. Nicole swore on her soul and swore to God that she was innocent. Offended, Eric said, "How dare you?" Furious, Nicole picked up a basket of flowers off of the altar and threw is to the ground. "To hell with God!" Nicole screamed as she marched out of the church.
At the Horton house, Jennifer received a visit from Lucas, who apologized for his recent absence and acknowledged that he had picked a lousy time to go out of town. Lucas offered to try to talk some sense into J.J. as a fellow guy who had gotten into some trouble of his own in his youth. Jennifer admitted that, while she appreciated the offer, she couldn't help Lucas start a dialogue with J.J. because she didn't know where her son was.
Lucas was surprised to hear that the situation had gotten bad enough for Jennifer to consider turning J.J. in to the police herself. Lucas felt like an accomplice because he had allowed J.J. to exploit Lucas' negative opinion of Daniel as a way of convincing Jennifer to ease up on J.J.'s punishment when J.J. had been grounded a few months earlier. Lucas tried to apologize, but Jennifer insisted that she and J.J. were the only two people who were truly at fault.
Lucas confidently assured Jennifer that J.J. was a good guy who would eventually decide to get his act together, but she wasn't convinced. Jennifer announced that she was going to go to the hospital and try to distract herself with work. Lucas optimistically suggested that J.J. might be waiting for Jennifer when she returned home later that night. "Yeah, well, that would be a miracle, and I don't really believe in those anymore," Jennifer replied.
At the DiMera mansion, Stefano entered the living room and announced that he wanted to talk to Sami, who was packing some things into Allie's suitcase. Assuming that she knew what he was about to say, Sami preemptively informed Stefano that she wasn't going to apologize for what she had said to him at the hospital earlier. "Nor should you. Almost every word that you have said is true," Stefano admitted.
Stunned, Sami listened as Stefano revealed that he had promised God that he would try to be a better person if God spared Chad's life. Sami skeptically wished Stefano luck and assured him that everyone would be waiting with bated breath for him to fulfill his promise. "Samantha, I'm sorry. From the bottom of my heart, please accept my apology for everything I've put you through," Stefano said, ignoring Sami's earlier remark.
Sami incredulously demanded to know how Stefano expected her to respond to his apology, assuming that he might be waiting for a big bear hug, a sloppy kiss, and an assurance that everything had been forgiven. Stefano explained that he simply wanted Sami to give him a chance to make amends. Shocked, Sami admitted that, while she was still inclined to believe that she was being set up, it did seem like Stefano was being sincere.
As Stefano assured Sami that he had no intentions of ever burying another child, Lucas entered the living room and greeted them. Stefano politely complimented Lucas on the sweet, lovely daughter that he and Sami had raised. After encouraging Lucas to feel free to visit Allie at the mansion as often as he wanted to, Stefano exited the room. Confused, Lucas asked Sami what had just happened.
"I don't know. That's Stefano 5.0 -- the new and improved Phoenix," Sami explained with a shrug. Sami admitted that, while she was still suspicious of Stefano's true motives, he had seemed genuinely sincere during their earlier conversation. Lucas dismissively asked if living at the mansion had caused Sami's IQ to drop dramatically. Without waiting for a response, Lucas changed the subject, challenging Sami to convince him that Allie was going to be safe at the mansion.
Reminding Lucas that a team of security guards had patted him down before allowing him to enter the mansion, Sami argued that Allie would probably be safer there than she would be elsewhere. Lucas disagreed and wondered why Sami would want to live in a place where guards were required to keep the residents safe. Sami insisted that the shooting had been a freak incident and that such things didn't occur often, but Lucas pointed out that Stefano and E.J. had made plenty of other enemies over the years.
Sami assured Lucas that E.J. had always done everything that he could possibly do to keep the kids safe, but Lucas countered that E.J. hadn't even been able to protect Chad from being shot. Sami argued that the world was a dangerous place and that shootings could occur anywhere at any time. Sami refused to overreact and uproot her kids simply because of one isolated incident.
Lucas pointed out that he and Sami had already made plans for Allie to stay with him for a few days, and he urged Sami to take some time to reconsider her position while Allie was gone. Lucas announced that, while Allie was still welcome to hang out with her siblings as often as she wanted to, he no longer wanted her to do so at the DiMera mansion. Sami warned that Lucas would be violating their court order if he refused to return Allie to her at the end of their father-daughter visit, but he doubted that she really wanted to take the matter to a judge.
Lucas added that he would happily return Allie to Sami if she moved to a different location. Before Sami could respond, Allie interrupted to greet Lucas. "You son of -- son of a bitch," Sami tearfully whispered after Lucas and Allie exited the mansion.
At the hospital, Abigail told Cameron that she felt like Chad was hiding something from her. Abigail feared that Chad's shooting had caused him to reevaluate his life and decide that he no longer wanted her to be a part of it, but Cameron assured her that she was wrong. Confused, Abigail wondered what other explanation there could possibly be for Chad's recent odd behavior. Cameron evasively encouraged Abigail to ask Chad that question.
In Chad's room, Chad told E.J. that Cameron had figured out that Chad had lied about having a brain tumor. E.J. nodded and admitted that he was the person who had told Cameron the truth. Chad initially felt betrayed, but he soon realized that E.J. had done what had been necessary to save Chad's life. E.J. urged Chad to preemptively reveal the truth to Abigail so that Cameron would never get the opportunity to do so himself. Chad didn't think that there would be a way for him to spin the lie in his favor, but E.J. assured him that there was always a way to do so.
A nurse interrupted to inform E.J. that Kayla had asked to see him, so he said goodbye to Chad and went to Kayla's office. Citing an unforeseen complication as the reason for her inquiry, Kayla started to ask E.J. for the name of the specialist who was treating Chad's brain tumor, but Cameron entered her office and revealed that Chad had lied about the brain tumor.
Kayla was outraged about the fact that Chad had lied about having a serious medical condition, but E.J. dismissed her objections and pointed out that Chad had since been shot, which was a serious medical condition in its own right. E.J. impatiently urged Kayla to get to the point of the meeting that she had requested. Kayla nodded and explained that some serious complications had arisen with Chad's injury.
Kayla explained that significant damage had been done to Chad's celiac artery and that he could eventually suffer from hepatic failure if the damage wasn't properly repaired. Kayla recommended sending Chad to a surgeon in Boston who was the best in the field. E.J. agreed to talk to Stefano and make the necessary arrangements for Chad to be flown to Boston the following day. After E.J. left, Kayla wondered if Abigail was aware of Chad's deception. Cameron shook his head and admitted that it wasn't his place to break the news to Abigail.
In Chad's room, Chad told Abigail that there was something that he wanted to talk to her about. Abigail guessed that Chad was going to say that he no longer wanted to be with her, but he assured her that he still loved her. Before Chad could reveal what he had really been planning to say to Abigail, Kayla interrupted and asked to talk to him privately. Chad assured Kayla that she could say whatever she needed to say in front of Abigail.
After explaining the situation to Chad, Kayla estimated that he would have to stay in Boston for at least a few weeks before he would be well enough to travel back to Salem. Chad asked Abigail to get a glass of water for him so that he could ask Kayla some technical questions about the procedure privately. After Abigail left, Chad wondered why Kayla had been avoiding eye contact with him.
Kayla admitted that she knew that Chad had lied to Abigail. Chad tried to offer an explanation for his actions, but Kayla interrupted and informed him that she wasn't interested in hearing what he had to say about the matter. Kayla knowingly guessed that Chad had lied to get rid of his competition for Abigail's affections, and she wondered if his actions had been worth it in the end. "Was what worth it?" Abigail asked as she reentered the room.
Kayla ignored the question and excused herself. After Kayla left, Abigail wondered what she had missed. Chad reiterated that he had something that he needed to talk to Abigail about. "I did a terrible thing, Abigail, and I want you to hear the truth from me," Chad hesitantly stated.
In the waiting area, Stefano revealed that he was going to accompany Chad to Boston and stay with him during the entire recovery process. Stefano told E.J. to stay in Salem with Sami and the kids. Later, E.J. returned to the DiMera mansion, where Sami told him about her earlier conversation with Lucas and Lucas' plan to keep Allie away from the mansion.
Back at the hospital, Jennifer was surprised to see that Maxine was looking at the framed photograph of her and Daniel that had once been in his apartment. Jennifer started to ask questions about the broken object, but some nurses were clearly eavesdropping nearby, so Maxine dragged her off to the Brady Pub so that they could talk about the matter privately. At the pub, Maxine revealed how she had obtained the picture frame.
Jennifer admitted that she understood why Daniel had apparently thrown their photograph away, adding that it seemed like he had finally decided that their relationship was over. Jennifer waited for Maxine to object, but she reluctantly conceded that Jennifer might be right. Jennifer guessed that Maxine believed that Jennifer had ruined a very special relationship because of J.J., but Maxine pointed out that those were Jennifer's words.
As Jennifer and Maxine continued to talk, Jennifer noted that Maxine seemed to be acting kind of strange. Maxine reluctantly revealed that a rumor about Daniel and Theresa had recently started circulating the hospital, but Jennifer laughed off the rumor as a ridiculous and impossible one. Jennifer thanked Maxine for the warning and dismissively added that Theresa was the least of her problems. Later, after Maxine left, Jennifer quietly said goodbye to Daniel and tossed the broken picture frame in a trashcan.
In Theresa's apartment, J.J. eyed the vial of liquid that Theresa had referred to as Nirvana. Confused, J.J. reminded Theresa that she had previously stated that they were going to hook up that night. "Oh, we are -- and baby, the sex is gonna be off the charts," Theresa promised. J.J. admitted that he couldn't believe that Theresa had scored drugs for them to enjoy that evening.
Theresa acknowledged that, as J.J. had previously observed, she had always selfishly used his drugs in the past without giving him anything in return. Theresa assured J.J. that she planned to finally return the favor that night and take care of him for a change. J.J. appreciated the gesture, although he clarified that he hadn't meant for his disbelief to sound like a thinly veiled sarcastic remark about Theresa's selfishness.
J.J. watched as Theresa squeezed equal amounts of the drug from a dropper into two glasses of orange juice. J.J. observed that it seemed like it wasn't the first time that Theresa had used the drug. Theresa confirmed J.J.'s suspicion and laughed as she guessed that he was a virgin. J.J. wasn't amused, but Theresa clarified that she had simply meant that he had never used GHB before.
"No, I must have. Well, I mean, I've pretty much done everything, you know? Sometimes you don't even know what it is, right?" J.J. dismissively replied with false bravado. Theresa assured J.J. that he would have remembered if he had ever had GHB before. Despite his continued attempts to act unimpressed, J.J. allowed himself to question Theresa about the effects of the drug, admitting that it sounded similar to a roofie to him.
"Oh, no, not at all. You'll very much be awake, and every touch, every kiss is gonna be magnified like hundreds of times. It's better than any high you've ever had, and the sex? Well, it's gonna blow anything you've ever done out of the water. Trust me, you're gonna thank me for this," Theresa promised as she seductively rubbed her hands across J.J.'s naked chest and back. Theresa admitted that she envied J.J. because he was about to experience the drug for the first time.
"I remember my first time with G. It was just beyond amazing. It's beyond, J.J. I mean, you just become really sensitized, and -- I mean, just total escape. You do want to escape, right?" Theresa asked. After confirming her suspicion, J.J. reminded Theresa that they had already smoked marijuana and that she had also consumed a lot of alcohol. J.J. assumed that those facts might mean that he and Theresa would not be able to safely ingest the normal recommended dosage of the drug, but she dismissively assured him that she had never had a problem combining GHB with marijuana and alcohol in the past.
After handing J.J. his glass, Theresa consumed her entire drink in one big gulp. Meanwhile, J.J. raised his glass to his lips and took a tentative sip of the concoction before placing it on a nearby table. Theresa encouraged J.J. to consume the rest of his drink, but he claimed that he didn't need to take much of the drug to get the job done. "Oh, come on, J.J. I know that's not true. I mean, I know you've never done this before -- you don't have to pretend. Seriously, if you'd done it before, then -- well, then I'd be more worried, but this is a grown-up drug," Theresa said as she traced a finger along J.J.'s chest, and he assured her that he understood that.
Theresa guessed that J.J. had also never used cocaine. "Look, I like to just relax -- mellow out -- and that's why I smoke," J.J. explained, trying to hide his embarrassment over his obvious lack of experience. Theresa kissed J.J. and assured him that she thought that his innocence was sweet, but he countered that she could just get a puppy to achieve the same effect. As J.J. slumped down on the couch, Theresa amended her statement, explaining that she was simply glad that she was going to get to be a part of a night that J.J. was never going to forget.
Theresa seductively encouraged J.J. to take the GHB ride with her, pointing out that he was still sober enough to pass a driving test. J.J. assured Theresa that he was still with her despite the fact that he hadn't consumed as much of the drug as she had, but she countered that his mother and all of his problems were also still with him. "Oh, now there's a buzzkill," J.J. muttered as he shook his head.
Theresa wondered if J.J. wanted his mother, sister, Daniel, and the cops to just go far, far away. "Yeah, there's -- there's gotta be an app for that, right?" J.J. jokingly replied, and Theresa handed his glass to him as she assured him that there was a way for those problems to disappear. J.J. accused Theresa of stalling and pointed out that he was "ready to go," so she shrugged and consumed the rest of his drink herself, reasoning that at least one of them needed to be in the mood for what was about to happen.
J.J. assured Theresa that he was already in the mood, and he wondered if she was going to be able to handle the extra dose of the drug that she had just consumed. Theresa assured J.J. that she was fine, and they started to kiss. As J.J. and Theresa undressed and things progressed, he suddenly noticed that she was no longer responding to his kisses. J.J. shook Theresa and called out her name, but she remained unresponsive.
"Oh, my God, she's not breathing," J.J. said as he placed his head against Theresa's chest.
From his hospital bed, Chad admitted to Abigail, "I let Cameron think that I was dying of a brain tumor when there was nothing wrong with me." Abigail was horrified as she listened to Chad recount how Cameron had found a shadow on his CT and had thought it could be a brain tumor, and Chad had flipped out because that was what Lexie had died from. The thought of losing Abigail forever had been unbearable. "So you thought that you were dying and you didn't say a word to me?" Abigail said incredulously.
Chad explained that he hadn't wanted to worry her. He continued that he'd seen a specialist, who had run some tests and determined that there was no tumor. Chad had been on his way to tell Cameron the good news when he'd seen Cameron and Abigail making out in the park. Since Cameron had known exactly what Chad had been doing at that moment, Chad had assumed that Cameron had been trying to get Abigail in bed while pretending to be concerned about Chad. "When I saw the two of you, it felt like someone punched me in the gut," Chad said.
Chad continued that when Cameron had asked about Chad's appointment, the lie had just slipped out and Chad hadn't known how to take it back. Abigail realized that was when Cameron had broken up with her. Chad maintained, "Cameron is a great guy, but you and I both know that he's not right for you, otherwise he never would have walked away so easily." Chad tried to persuade Abigail that none of it mattered, since they were meant to be together. Furious, she argued, "Yes, Chad, it does matter. It matters a hell of a lot!"
Chad asserted that the important thing was that they loved each other, but Abigail contended that their whole relationship had been built on a lie. She revealed that the day she'd seen her with Cameron in the park, she had been planning to tell Chad that she had chosen Cameron. "He broke up with you, and that's the only reason you ended up with me?" Chad asked, stung. Abigail said that hadn't been the only reason. She had cared about Chad a lot, and she had waited a long time for to have someone like him in her life.
Abigail reminded Chad bitterly, "You were my first. And I thought that was so special." When Chad insisted that he had never meant to hurt her, Abigail declared that she had heard enough. She started to leave, but Chad stopped her by asking if telling her the truth counted for anything. Hurt, Abigail tearfully confessed that she'd thought she was incredibly lucky to have two incredible men interested in her. "What a fool I was," a heartbroken Abigail concluded before walking out.
Will sat at a table in Club TBD talking to Arianna, dozing in her stroller next to him, about how he didn't want to leave her and Sonny for a whole week. When Sonny joined Will, Will fretted about missing out on Arianna's first Halloween. Sonny promised that he and Gabi would take lots of pictures, plus he and Arianna would video chat with Will.
Sonny presented Will with a brand-new shirt, explaining, "My boyfriend will not be outdone by some tweed-wearing literary types." The thoughtful gift touched Will -- but not as much as learning that Sonny had read Will's essay. "I'm not sure I can live up to what you wrote about me," Sonny confessed, but Will assured him, "You already have."
At the DiMera mansion, Sami gloomily informed E.J., "Lucas came to pick up Allie for their visit, and he said he is not bringing her back to this house -- ever... He said that he is worried for Allie's safety, so if I try to keep her in this house, he's going to get a judge involved." E.J. promised to fix it if Lucas tried that, but Sami asserted that Lucas had a point. She assured E.J. that she was grateful for the sacrifice he'd made for her, but she believed they would always be targets as long as they were living with Stefano.
E.J. tried to convince Sami that Stefano seemed sincere in his desire to change, but she didn't buy it because she'd heard it before -- including from herself. E.J. reminded Sami of everything they'd been through to get where they were. Sami acknowledged that they both had changed a great deal, but the one thing about her that would never change was that she was a mother before anything else. "I can't lose Allie," Sami said. E.J. assured her that he was just as protective of their children -- including Allie -- as Sami was.
"What kind of parents do you think we'll be if we're miserable? And that's who we are when we're apart: we are the most miserable people in the world," E.J. maintained. He urged her not to let others dictate how she should live her life, and to stop listening to the annoying voice in her head that told her to do things like marry good guys like Rafe. Irritated, Sami argued that Rafe had nothing to do with them. E.J. and Sami began bickering about their first meeting, and E.J. started to try to turn the bickering into lovemaking.
As Sami attempted to fight off E.J.'s advances, Will and Sonny suddenly walked in with Arianna. Sami immediately took the baby out of her carrier and kissed her little head while bouncing her up and down. Sonny proudly announced, "Will has some amazing news, and I thought that he should deliver it in person." Will filled his mom in that he'd written an essay about his life that his professor had submitted to a literary contest. "I was chosen to attend a weeklong seminar at Berkeley," Will explained.
A beaming Sami embraced her son, Arianna, and Sonny in a group hug. Sonny informed Sami and E.J. that only twenty people had been chosen to participate from around the country. Chad called just then to ask E.J. to go to the hospital. "I told Abigail the truth," Chad explained. E.J. informed Sami that Chad needed him at the hospital so they could discuss something. After E.J. left, Sonny took Arianna upstairs to see Sydney and Johnny.
Sami was a bit taken aback when Will told her that he was leaving for California the next day. Will asked if Sami and E.J. had been fighting when he and Sonny had arrived. Sami reassured her son that everything was all right -- except she was trying to ensure that she didn't make "another horrible mistake." Will stated his belief that if Sami loved E.J., marrying him wouldn't be a horrible mistake. "What I think would be the horrible mistake is choosing not to spend your life with somebody who makes you happy," Will declared.
As Will and Sonny were walking through Horton Square, pushing a sleeping Arianna's stroller, Sonny noted, "We haven't been apart for this long except when you were in the hospital." They agreed that they would miss each other. Sonny got a text message that Gabi would be out for another couple of hours, so Will and Sonny hurried home to take advantage of the alone time.
When E.J. arrived at the hospital, he tried to reassure Chad that Abigail wouldn't stay angry forever, and she wouldn't just walk away after everything the two of them had been through. Chad confided that it had been really difficult to hear that Abigail had intended to choose Cameron. "And now she knows Cameron dropped her because he thought I was dying... He was the better person, and now I'm sure Abigail's back in his arms as we speak," Chad guessed.
Cameron met Abigail in the park at her request. When she informed him that Chad had told her the truth, Cameron was pleased. Cameron tried to explain that he hadn't been able to say anything to Abigail because of doctor-patient confidentiality, but she slapped him across the face. "Liar!" she spat. Fuming, she explained that her fury was because she felt as if Cameron had given her away to be Chad's "medicine." "We both know that you couldn't decide who you wanted to be with," Cameron tried justified his actions. "Wow. Thank you for making it absolutely clear that I don't want to be near either one of you -- ever," Abigail declared, storming off.
When E.J. returned home, Sami said that it was just as well that their argument had been interrupted, because they probably would have just ended up in bed. She told E.J. about her talk with Will. "We have been through a lot this year, but E.J., I am so happy. My kids are so happy. So I don't care what my mother says, what my father says, what anyone in this town says -- I am not walking away. I am not walking away from the man I love," Sami declared.
In his apartment, Daniel dreamed that Jennifer appeared in his bed to make love to him. He opened his eyes, half expecting to find her there, but he was disappointed to find that he was alone in bed.
When Jennifer arrived home and saw that the lights were on, she rushed inside, hoping to find J.J., but Hope was there instead. Hope said that she hadn't heard anything about J.J.; she had just stopped by to look in on Jennifer. Jennifer said she didn't know what she would do if J.J. didn't return home, especially since she had a terrible feeling that he was in some kind of trouble. Hope suggested that Jennifer call J.J.'s friends to see if they knew where he was.
A little while later, Jennifer and Hope met Rory and Bev in Horton Square. Hope asked the kids when they'd last seen J.J. Bev and Rory explained that J.J. had been avoiding them since he'd smashed up the store. Jennifer said that J.J. hadn't been answering her calls, but Rory and Bev warned her that he'd been ignoring their calls, as well. Although the teens were reluctant, Hope insisted that they at least try to call J.J.
At Theresa's apartment, J.J. freaked out when Theresa passed out and wouldn't wake up -- and he couldn't hear her breathing. He pulled her limp form into a sitting position and slapped her gently on the face, calling her name, but she didn't respond. He was relieved when he discovered that she was still breathing. A panicked J.J. got up from the couch to figure out what to do, and Theresa's phone fell at his feet. He saw that Daniel's was the last number Theresa had called, so J.J. used the phone to call Daniel.
Daniel was dismayed when he saw Theresa's name on the caller ID. Before Daniel could lecture her, J.J. interrupted to beg Daniel to hurry to Theresa's -- alone -- because she needed his help.
While J.J. waited for Daniel to arrive, he got dressed and covered a semi-nude Theresa with a blanket. When Daniel got there, he quickly assessed Theresa's condition and ordered J.J. to call 9-1-1. A hesitant J.J. divulged that he and Theresa had smoked some pot and had taken some "G." After Daniel checked Theresa and found a weak pulse, he leaned her over the side of the couch and made her vomit to clear some of the drugs from her system. He grabbed the phone from J.J. and called for an ambulance.
Daniel hung up and asked J.J. how much Theresa had taken. J.J. tried to recount everything that Theresa had ingested, while insisting that he hadn't participated much. When Bev called J.J. just then, Daniel ordered him not to answer it because no one could know J.J. was there. Daniel instructed J.J. to stay out of sight and leave down the back stairs. A frightened J.J. hesitated, so Daniel took him by the shoulders. "You did the right thing by calling me first, but not a soul can know you are here -- not your mother, not anybody."
Daniel warned that the judge would revoke J.J.'s plea deal if he found out that J.J. had been there, and J.J. would go straight to prison. He ordered J.J. to get everything that belonged to him and get out. A frantic J.J. clumsily did as Daniel instructed and hurried out, while Daniel continued trying to revive the unconscious Theresa. Daniel carried her into the shower, turned on the cold water, and held her under it.
Fully dressed and soaking wet, Daniel was carrying Theresa back into the living room when the paramedics arrived. Daniel placed Theresa on the gurney and relayed her vital signs to the EMTs, then issued instructing for her treatment en route to the hospital. While the medics wheeled Theresa into the hall, Daniel grabbed a plastic bag and sealed Theresa's glass in it, then hurried out.
After Bev hung up from trying to call J.J., Jennifer assured the kids that she loved her son very much. She acknowledged that J.J. had been through a rough time, but she believed he wasn't a troublemaker -- and he would do anything for his friends. "So if you find him, you need to do something for him and call me. Please don't let him make a mistake that could ruin the rest of his life," Jennifer implored Rory and Bev.
When the kids had gone, Jennifer nearly broke down, but then vowed that she was not going to shed another tear for her son. She explained that she should have drawn the line in the sand much sooner for J.J., but he was responsible for whatever happened next. Hope offered to take her cousin home, but Jennifer said that she needed to grab a file at the office, so the two women headed for the hospital.
An anxious J.J. arrived at the Horton house and flung himself down on the couch, but he could only manage to sit still for a moment. He knew he couldn't call the hospital to check on Theresa, but he was too worried to sit around and wait. He grabbed his backpack and rushed back out.
When Jennifer and Hope got to the hospital, Jennifer hurried down the hall toward her office. Hope overheard Karin and another woman gossiping at the nurses' station about Theresa and Dr. Jonas "doing the nasty." Hope reproached them for inappropriate workplace conversation. "Theresa Donovan, she's my niece, and your chief of staff, she's my sister-in-law, a job that used to belong to my grandfather, Doctor Tom Horton," Hope said sternly.
As Hope was warning the women that she would hate to have to tell Kayla that two of her employees had been gossiping about Kayla's niece and the well-respected Dr. Jonas, Jennifer returned. Jennifer maintained that Theresa had used Karin and the other woman had just been repeating lies they'd gathered from Theresa. Shamed, Karin returned to work.
Just then, the paramedics arrived with Theresa, and Daniel exited the elevator behind them. Daniel had called ahead for Dr. Rios, who appeared and asked, "Is this your O.D.?" After quickly assessing Theresa's condition, Rios had the medics take the patient to a trauma room. Daniel gave Theresa's glass to a nurse and instructed her to take it to the lab for analysis right away.
Hope hurried over to ask Daniel what had happened, and he explained that Theresa had overdosed. Jennifer and Hope were both surprised when they learned that Theresa had been at home when it had happened. "Daniel, how did you know that she needed help? How did you even know where she lives?" Jennifer asked.
J.J. ran in just then, but he stayed hidden in the hallway to listen in. Daniel hedged, "It's lucky I did know where Theresa lived or she'd probably be dead." Jennifer agreed that it was lucky, but she didn't understand why Daniel had been there in the first place. Spotting J.J. around the corner, Daniel mumbled, "I, uh, was just there."
