At the police station, Hope told Bo that she missed Ciara, and Bo assured her that she would be with Ciara very soon. He said that Hope wouldn't go back to that prison. Hope said Bo should be getting an award, not jail time, for saving her life. Roman told Bo that Hope was right and that while Bo wouldn't be getting a medal, he wouldn't be going to jail. Roman explained that the governor wanted to put the prison scandal behind him and as long as Bo agreed not to talk to the press about what had happened, the governor would agree not to press charges. Bo assumed that Hope was free to go, too, but Roman said that wasn't the case.

Bo said that if Hope couldn't go free, he didn't want to be free either. Hope objected to Bo's declaration. Bo said that Hope's experience dealing with the prison officials who were murdering women for their body parts should have accounted for something as far as letting her go free. Roman said Hope's case would be reviewed by a judge. Bo said that Hope would not be going back to that prison, because it wasn't safe there. Hope asked Roman to give her a minute alone with Bo.

Hope told Bo to go home and be with Ciara and that Carly was probably anxious for him to get home. Bo said she wasn't because Carly was moving out. Hope asked what had happened, and he said that Carly knew his heart belonged to someone else. He said he couldn't give Carly what she needed, and she deserved someone who could love her completely. Roman returned and told them that he was going to Sami's for Sydney's birthday party. He urged Bo to go home, see Ciar,a and get some rest, but Bo said that wouldn't happen until Hope got pardoned too.

Bo assured Hope that he would find a way to get her back home without a prison break, and he assured her that they would face things together from then on, and he grabbed her hand. An officer told Hope that it was time to go. Hope asked Bo to give Ciara a hug and kiss for her. Then she asked if he had told Ciara that all the time. He said that Ciara always loved hearing it, and soon Hope would be able to tell her that herself.

Hope met with Justin, who filled her in on the case against Ben, Jane, and Bird. Justin said that Hope would be able to stay in lockup at the police station until the judge reviewed her case. Hope said that she was terrified by the thought of going back to prison, but the thought of going home scared her almost as much. Bo interrupted Justin and Hope to tell her that he had a surprise. He stepped out of the room, and returned with Ciara, who ran into Hope's arms. Hope noticed the locket that Ciara was wearing, and Ciara said that it made her feel better whenever she missed Hope. Ciara asked when Hope would be home.

At the hospital, Jennifer asked Carly if Jack had called. Carly said she didn't think Julie had been able to reach him. Jennifer was disappointed. Carly blamed herself for leaving Jennifer alone at the prison, but Jennifer urged Carly not to blame herself. Carly was angry at Ben. Jennifer said she had thought that Ben was a good guy, and she wondered when she would ever learn.

Jennifer told Carly that her brush with death had made her think about her life. She said she had two kids that were almost grown, a husband whose whereabouts were unknown, and she didn't have a job. Jennifer felt like she needed to start her life all over again and didn't know how to do that. Carly said that Jennifer would figure it out. Jennifer felt she couldn't live in limbo forever. Carly said that she and Jennifer were in the same boat. She explained that she and Bo had broken up. Carly said she felt foolish to think that she and Bo would have been able to recapture the past.

Jennifer said that she and Bo loved each other, and the relationship was meaningful for them even if it wasn't meant to last forever. Jennifer assured Carly that she would find someone to love again. Carly said she felt satisfied knowing that she had done the right thing for Bo and Hope, but she didn't feel she had done the right thing for herself. She said she had never felt more cherished in her life than when she was with Bo. She felt she would be okay eventually when the pain went away.

Sami offered Nicole another beer, but Nicole didn't want any more. Sami wondered what was taking Rafe and E.J. so long. Sami noticed the bracelet that Nicole was wearing and complimented her on it. Nicole said she couldn't ever take it off. Sami asked why, and Nicole said it was a tracking device that E.J. made her wear so that he knew where she was every minute.

Sami wasn't shocked that E.J. would do something like that -- she was shocked that Nicole would put up with that. Nicole said she was doing it for Sydney. She was willing to give up her freedom to be a part of Sydney's life. Sami said that would be really touching "if it weren't completely insane."

Nicole asked why loving someone was insane. "Someone who isn't yours, Nicole. She already has a mother," Sami said. Nicole didn't think that mattered, because it didn't mean she couldn't be an important part of Sydney's life. Sami asked if Nicole had considered what would happen in the future when Sydney grew up and found out how Nicole had stolen her from Sami. "You really considered how she's gonna react to that? If she's gonna think that you're worthy of her love?" Sami said that Nicole had "a very fragile relationship with Sydney" and asked if it was really worth Nicole throwing her life away.

E.J. didn't love or trust Nicole and never would, Sami said, and she asked why Nicole would want to marry him. Nicole said that all she ever needed or wanted was to be allowed to be around Sydney and Johnny. Sami thought that Nicole sounded "pathetic and sad." Nicole tried to leave, but Sami stopped her to apologize. She said the Nicole she knew would have taken off the bracelet and shoved it down E.J.'s throat.

Nicole said that would be good for Sami -- Nicole would cut all ties with E.J., and she would never get to see E.J.'s kids again. "They're my kids too," Sami said. Nicole said she didn't care whose DNA Johnny and Sydney had -- she loved them, and she vowed that she wasn't going anywhere. Sami said she was fine with that. "Gee, is that because you don't have a choice?" Nicole asked.

Sami received a text message from Fake Rafe saying that he and E.J. were on their way back from the bakery, so that meant they needed to put Sydney's party dress on. Nicole showed Sami the dress that she had ordered custom-made from Paris for Sydney, but Sami thought it was over-the-top. Sami showed off the dress that she had bought for Sydney, and Nicole accidentally "on purpose" spilled her beer on it. Sami was furious. Nicole was glad she had a backup.

Rafe dreamt that Sami threw a birthday party for Sydney, and Sami didn't seem to notice that he was gone. Rafe woke up and was sure that Sami needed him. He said he needed to get to her. He wondered how it could be that Sami and the kids wouldn't miss him. Rafe had a severe headache, yelled for help, and curled up in a ball on the floor.

On the way back from the bakery, the Rafe impostor asked E.J. for a refresher course on everyone who was at the party, because there were so many names to remember. E.J. told Fake Rafe to blame his confusion on the accident and to avoid talking to Gabi. E.J. assured Fake Rafe that he was doing fine and had captured Rafe's "dullness," and there was no way that anyone would suspect that Fake Rafe was an impostor. Fake Rafe said he wouldn't complain about his job because of all the money that they were paying him. Stefano walked up and asked if Fake Rafe was sure about that, because Stefano would be complaining if he had to live with Sami.

Fake Rafe asked what Stefano meant by that and also what was wrong with Sami. "What isn't wrong with her would take a lot less time to tell you," Stefano said. Fake Rafe said he liked what he saw in Sami -- her "smoking hot bod" and her warmth and affection. Stefano laughed at Fake Rafe. Fake Rafe tried to warn E.J. that he was fine with kids, but he didn't get along as well with babies. E.J. said he was fine with that, because he didn't want his kids to like Fake Rafe.

Sami put the dress that Nicole had bought on Sydney, and Gabi complimented Sydney on it. Fake Rafe, E.J., and Stefano walked in, and Sami asked who had invited Stefano to the party. Will offered to play Candyland with the kids so that Sami could confront Stefano. Sami told E.J. that she and Fake Rafe didn't want Stefano in their home. Stefano insulted Sami's apartment by comparing it to the nursery rhyme Mother Hubbard. E.J. told Stefano to try to get along.

There was a knock at the door, and it was Roman. Roman was shocked to see Stefano and asked what he was doing at the party. E.J. said that Stefano had as much right to be there as Roman did. Sami said that she and Rafe would decide who was invited into their home. E.J. said that it was Johnny and Sydney's party, and he felt both of their grandparents should be there.

Sydney started crying, so Sami offered to get her. Sami asked Will what was wrong with Sydney, and Will said Sydney had looked at Fake Rafe and started crying. Sami thought it was weird, because Sydney loved Rafe. Sami fed Sydney cake and assumed that the reason Sydney was cranky was because she hadn't eaten any cake yet.

Fake Rafe whispered to Stefano and E.J. that he had tried to warn them that he didn't get along well with dogs or babies. E.J. ordered Fake Rafe to get away from them or people would suspect something was fishy. Sami told Fake Rafe that the party was going well except for the unwanted party guests. She was grateful for having the kids together with them. She said you couldn't tell what Johnny had been through. "Except for that eye patch he's gotta wear, poor kid," Fake Rafe said. Sami said that the positive thing that resulted from Johnny's illness was that they were back together as a family.

Roman told Sami that he had been reinstated to the police force, which meant that Rafe was demoted. Fake Rafe said that he could use the time to recover from the accident. Roman said that Rafe had done a great job replacing him. Stefano told Roman that he had heard what was going on at the prison, and he was grateful that Hope had made it out alive. Stefano acted disgusted with the warden's illegal organ donation scheme.

After the party, E.J. said that Johnny had wanted to spend his first night back from the hospital with Sami, and it made sense for Sydney to stay with her as well. Sami thanked him, and so did Fake Rafe. Sami expressed her gratitude to Rafe for having her kids with them for the night, and she was grateful to have her husband back. Will and Gabi left for the movies, and Sami told Fake Rafe to take a nap while the kids were asleep.

Fake Rafe said he felt fine and told her to stop worrying about him. She said she couldn't help it, because she felt guilty about the accident. He asked what she had done, and she said that he had chased after her when she had stormed out and then crashed. Gabi told Will that Rafe seemed "off" -- distracted and cold. Will attributed Rafe's behavior to painkillers.

Fake Rafe assured Sami that he didn't blame her for anything, but she still blamed herself. He said that his memory was cloudy, but they were together. Sami said that he would remember something, and she pulled him into a kiss.

Stefano went home and planned to give Rafe a piece of Sydney's birthday cake but found him passed out on the floor. Stefano gave Rafe some pills to take for his headache, but Rafe wanted to see a doctor. Stefano said that all he had to do was eat. Stefano offered Rafe some cake and urged him to eat, but Rafe wasn't hungry. Stefano thought that Rafe had assumed that the cake was poisoned, so he sampled some himself.

Rafe pointed out that Stefano was diabetic, and Stefano said that was why the cake was more dangerous for him to eat than Rafe. Stefano said that Rafe needed to regain his strength, and Rafe asked why. Rafe asked for some milk. Rafe asked why Stefano was taking such a risk by keeping him prisoner.

At the DIMera mansion, Nicole and E.J. toasted to the way that the party had turned out. E.J. told Nicole that he appreciated the way that she had handled Sami. Nicole acknowledged that it wasn't easy, but she felt it was worth it for the children. She also thought it was generous of E.J. to let Johnny and Sydney spend the night at Sami's.

E.J. and Nicole toasted to kindness and happiness for them. Nicole felt it was surreal being at the mansion, laughing with him and not trying to kill each other. She said she had never thought she would be back in the mansion. E.J. asked whether she was happy, and she said she was.

E.J. told Nicole that she deserved something for the way that she had conducted herself at the party. He took off Nicole's bracelet. He said that he wanted to take the first step towards trusting each other. Nicole said taking back the bracelet was the best gift that he could give her. E.J. moved closer and unbuttoned her blouse. He pulled her into a kiss.

Philip went to Maggie's house to see his son. When Maggie answered the door, Philip was surprised to see that she was holding Parker in her arms. With a smile, Maggie gave Parker to Philip. As Philip gently held Parker in his arms, Maggie suggested that Philip should visit his son more often. Philip promised that he would be a father to Parker.

Kate went to Daniel's apartment to talk to Melanie about Chloe. Kate explained that Chloe was losing her grip on reality. "It's like she doesn't even care about that baby," Kate said. Shaking her head, Melanie disagreed with Kate and noted that as much as Melanie disliked Chloe, she knew how much Chloe loved Parker. Melanie informed Kate that she was not ready to make any decisions. As Melanie opened the door to show Kate out of the apartment, Melanie was surprised to find Philip standing in the doorway.

Surprised to see her son, Kate excused herself and left. Philip brushed past Melanie and walked into the apartment. Melanie updated Philip on Kate's plan to encourage Melanie to help Philip raise his children. Chuckling, Philip noted that his mother's plan was crazy. Philip pointed out that Chloe would not let Melanie raise her child and added that he wanted to raise his children with Melanie. "It's not gonna happen. You betrayed me and then you lied about it. Forever. I don't want you building my life and I don't want you a part of it. And if I need help, my dad's gonna help me and so is Nathan," Melanie said.

When Philip looked surprised, Melanie explained that Nathan had asked Melanie to be with him even though she was pregnant with Philip's child. Concerned, Philip insisted that he did not want Nathan to be his son's father. When Melanie asked how Philip was doing with Parker, Philip informed Melanie that he had visited Parker. "Did you stay for ten minutes or three?" Melanie asked. Angry, Philip argued that he wanted to talk about Melanie and her child.

"I don't care how you feel or how you're trying to make me feel. I'm making all the decisions from now on about Parker, about my baby, about me, about you, about everything. You don't matter," Melanie said firmly. Melanie ordered Philip to leave, and grudgingly, Philip slinked out of the apartment.

At the hospital, Chloe ambushed Daniel in the hallway. As Chloe started to talk about Daniel's heroic effort to save Jennifer's life, a suspicious Daniel curtly asked Chloe why she was at the hospital. Chloe explained that she had an appointment with Dr. Pearlman, a psychiatrist. When Chloe started to ramble on about all the wrong moves she had made in the past, Daniel attempted to excuse himself. Chloe pleaded with Daniel to talk to her, but he refused. When Chloe pouted, Daniel noted that talking to her would not change anything.

Chloe argued that Parker missed Daniel so much that he cried whenever he saw a photo of Daniel. Furious, Daniel ordered Chloe not use Parker as a weapon against him. "Parker will never make me want to come back to you," Daniel said firmly. Chloe countered that she understood Daniel's point of view but that she would like Daniel to look at her the way he used to. "So would I," Daniel said sadly.

In Jennifer's hospital room, Maxine told Jennifer that Daniel had saved her life. Jennifer begged Maxine to let her talk to Daniel so that she could thank him. After Maxine had left, Jennifer stared at a photo of Alice and talked to herself about how lucky she was to be alive. When Daniel entered the room, Jennifer thanked him for saving her life. Daniel noted that he had been doing his job and that Melanie deserved a lot of credit for helping him. Daniel admitted he was a lucky father for having Melanie in his life.

"I just feel like it's all my fault. Trusting Ben, going to that prison. I was such a big fool," Jennifer lamented. Daniel countered that Jennifer was brave for sticking her neck out for Hope. Jennifer thanked Daniel for saving her life. "I'm actually starting to see how much I owe you," Daniel muttered to himself as he left Jennifer's room.

In her kitchen, Maggie cooed over baby Parker as Chloe returned home. Maggie asked Chloe about her doctor's appointment, and Chloe informed Maggie that the doctor was running tests. Chloe told Maggie to go check on Jennifer. As Maggie started to leave, Chloe lost her composure and started to cry. When Maggie asked what had happened, Chloe explained that she had run into Daniel and had attempted to talk to him about Parker. Chloe told Maggie that Daniel had announced that he was not going to change his mind. Worried, Chloe admitted that she was concerned that something was wrong with her.

"It was always my dream to have a baby. And I got that. Now in my head, I know that I love Parker, but in my heart I don't know if I can anymore," Chloe said as she choked back tears. Maggie attempted to give Chloe a pep talk, but Chloe was resistant and told Maggie to visit Jennifer. Worried, Maggie urged Chloe to talk to her. Distraught, Chloe insisted that she needed to be alone.

Chloe walked down to the pier and talked to herself. "You can't stay here. You have to go back to Maggie's, go and be with Parker. Hold him. Love him," Chloe said. Chloe lamented the fact that all she had ever wanted was Daniel and his child and yet she was struggling to connect with her baby. "Oh, God, why am I so awful?" Chloe cried out. Melanie noticed Chloe sitting on the bench as she walked onto the pier. Furious, Melanie demanded to know why Chloe was not with Parker.

At the Brady Pub, Kate was fixing a cup of coffee when Philip entered the restaurant. Philip ordered Kate to stay out of his life and the lives of Chloe and Melanie. "Back off!" Philip barked.

At the DiMera mansion, E.J. kissed Nicole and began to unbutton her blouse. Surprised, Nicole pulled away from E.J. and asked him what he was doing. With a grin, E.J. commented, "It was a kiss and an invitation. What? A fiancé is not allowed to kiss his bride-to-be?" When Nicole was speechless, E.J. asked her if there was a "no sex" rule between them. "I thought that was implied," Nicole said. "I didn't," E.J. responded.

E.J. explained that his invitation to the bedroom was not tied to his arrangement with Nicole. "As you've put on this marvelous performance recently and if we take off the bracelet there could be a new kind of trust between the two of us," E.J. said. E.J. noted that if Nicole did not want to take their relationship further than the original agreement, he was content. Leaning closer, E.J. said that since they were alone in the house, he wanted to explore the possibility of getting closer.

Nicole crossed the living room away from E.J. and noted that he had caught her off-guard. "Most aspects of a relationship are pretty bloody awful. It's also one arena in which I always thought you performed rather well. Unless you want a relationship that is sans benefits," E.J. said. When Nicole remained quiet, E.J. asked Nicole if Brady was the problem. Nicole explained that Brady had moved on and that he was not an issue. When E.J. asked if Nicole was interested in sleeping with him, Nicole declined E.J.'s offer. Confused, E.J. asked Nicole if she had a reason for turning down his invitation.

Nicole explained that because she had kidnapped Sydney, there would always be a rift between her and E.J. "It doesn't matter what our agreement is or how much you've changed. You still hate me for what I did and that hasn't changed. Am I right?" Nicole asked. E.J. assured Nicole that what he cared about was how much Nicole loved his children.

E.J. noted that he and Nicole had different feelings and that the conversation was over. Gently taking Nicole's face in his hand, E.J. leaned his forehead against hers. As Nicole seemed to weaken at E.J.'s touch, he backed away and announced, "Done. Right?" As E.J. smiled, Nicole called him back and then kissed him.

In the dungeon, Rafe asked why Stefano was keeping him alive. "Isn't it obvious? I need you," Stefano said. Concerned, Rafe asked what Stefano had done to Sami. With a smirk, Stefano asked whether Rafe had imagined a possibility that Sami did not miss her husband. Rafe argued that Sami was worried about him or else Stefano had convinced Sami that Rafe had been killed.

At the loft, faux Rafe and Sami made out on the couch. When faux Rafe pulled back, a confused Sami asked him what was wrong. Faux Rafe explained that he had imbibed too many beers. Staring into faux Rafe's eyes, Sami cocked her head and accused him of lying. When faux Rafe denied Sami's charge, she explained that she was concerned that Rafe continued to pretend that he was fine with the fact that Sami had caused his car accident.

Faux Rafe argued that he did not want Sami to blame herself for the accident. Sami paced the living room and berated herself for causing the crash. Attempting to calm Sami down, faux Rafe hugged her. Sami apologized for kissing Rafe so passionately while he was still recovering from his injuries. With a smirk, faux Rafe noted that he was not opposed to getting closer to Sami. Sami promised to take things slowly with Rafe, then started to check on the kids.

Faux Rafe grabbed Sami's arm, spun her around, and pulled her tight to his body. Faux Rafe assured Sami that he was fine and suggested that Sami talk to him and help him jog his memory. As faux Rafe nibbled on Sami's neck and urged her to talk to him, Sami stammered in surprise. Faux Rafe grabbed Sami and pulled her into a passionate embrace.

Sami asked Rafe if he was sure he wanted to make love. Faux Rafe insisted that he was "good to go." Sami appeared confused by Rafe's phrasing, but he continued to kiss Sami and maneuvered her to the bedroom. After a rough round of lovemaking, faux Rafe lay back in bed and talked about how it was "like the first time." With her back toward faux Rafe, Sami agreed, but her face appeared confused.

At the DiMera mansion, E.J. and Nicole adjourned to the bedroom and tore each other's clothes off hurriedly. After having sex, E.J. laughed to himself in relief, while Nicole clutched the sheet to her chest awkwardly. E.J. noted that they should discuss what had happened over a drink. Nicole appeared to relax and agreed with E.J.'s suggestion.

While Nicole went to make a couple of martinis, E.J. received a call from faux Rafe. "Is there a problem?" E.J. asked with concern. "Actually man, I've never felt better," faux Rafe said with a wide smile. Faux Rafe and E.J. each commented that the other sounded chipper. Concerned, E.J. asked Rafe what was going on. Rafe informed E.J. that he had connected with Sami, so E.J. and Stefano did not need to worry about that anymore.

Out in the living room of the loft, Sami grabbed two bottles of water. As Sami looked toward the bedroom door, she appeared worried.

Down on the pier, Lexie thanked Taylor for watching Theo for her. When Lexie asked if Taylor wanted to stay another night, Taylor declined the offer and noted that she was ready to take the bus back home. With a sigh, Lexie encouraged Taylor to visit Nicole one more time before leaving town. Taylor explained that things were too strained between her and Nicole. "Nicole wants me gone, so I'm gone," Taylor said before thanking Lexie and heading for the bus station.

In the DiMera living room, Nicole fixed drinks for her and E.J. "We certainly clicked, huh?" Nicole chattered to herself in reference to E.J. As Nicole wondered aloud whether E.J. would ask for a second round or whether he would ask her to leave, the doorbell rang. Despite being dressed only in E.J.'s dress shirt, Nicole answered the front door when she realized none of the staff was nearby. Nicole was shocked to find Taylor on her doorstep. "You were supposed to be gone. Long gone. For good," Nicole yelped.

Daniel entered Jennifer's hospital room to find a nurse attempting to keep Jennifer from getting out of bed. Jennifer insistently explained to an annoyed Daniel that she was only trying to find out some information about Hope. Daniel firmly stated, "Now, look here, princess: I didn't bust my ass putting your heart back so you could reject it because you're acting like a two-year-old!" Jennifer relaxed a little.

When the nurse had gone, Jennifer pleaded with Daniel to tell her what was going on with Hope, or at least let her use a phone. Daniel refused, stressing that it was critical for Jennifer not to strain herself physically or emotionally. Jennifer promised that she would take care of herself. After Daniel had to leave, Nathan arrived to give Jennifer a sedative. She protested, but Nathan injected it into her I.V. anyway.

Jennifer begged to borrow Nathan's cell phone, but he refused. Thwarted, Jennifer changed the subject, and asked how things were with Nathan and Stephanie. Nathan admitted that they had broken up, not just because of what she'd done, but because he had realized that Stephanie wasn't the right person for him. "That would be Melanie," Jennifer guessed. Nathan agreed, but asserted that it was too late, because Melanie was pregnant with Philip's baby. He then urged Jennifer to get some rest, and left.

Jennifer waited until the door had closed, and then removed her oxygen tube, yanked off all her monitors, and ripped the I.V. out of her arm. She cautiously turned off the heart monitor, and waited until she was sure it wouldn't beep. As Jennifer quietly opened the door, Daniel was on the phone outside, ordering his bank to keep funds in Chloe's account. Suddenly, Jennifer collapsed in the hallway. Daniel dropped the phone and rushed to her side.

Daniel put Jennifer back into bed, and administered another sedative into her I.V., over her protests. Daniel maintained that she had to heal -- and do what she was told. An irked Jennifer accused Daniel of being mean. As the sedative began to take effect, Jennifer started to ramble about what a good guy Daniel was, and how he took care of Chloe and the baby, even after everything that had happened.

"No walkabouts for you," Jennifer murmured. "You are a stand-up guy. You are one in a million." Daniel smiled in spite of his exasperation with his patient. "You say mean things, but you like me," Jennifer babbled, giggling sleepily. "And I like you. I do! You have a good heart. And you know what? Thanks to you, so do I."

At the Brady Pub, Philip threatened Kate that if she didn't stop meddling in Melanie and Chloe's lives -- and his -- he would never let her see Parker again. Kate insisted that she wasn't the enemy, and pointed out, "Look what Chloe did to Lucas -- look what she did to you." Philip asserted that he was not Chloe's victim, and it was his own fault that his marriage to Melanie was ruined. Kate countered that in that case, Philip should do whatever it took to make Melanie forgive him.

Philip hissed that Kate should back off if she really wanted Melanie to take him back, "Because I know Melanie, and if she knows you're sticking your nose into all this, I don't stand a chance." Kate argued that if Philip were concerned about his son, he would know that what the boy needed was a good, strong mother -- like Melanie.

Philip contended that Melanie would be repulsed if he used his child as bait. He repeated his warning for Kate to stop interfering or she would never see Parker again. He left. "Poor boy, racked with guilt," Kate told herself. "Clearly, he needs someone to do his thinking for him."

A depressed Chloe was sitting on a bench on the pier when Melanie showed up. An irate Melanie demanded to know why Chloe wasn't at home, taking care of the baby. Chloe retorted that although it was none of Melanie's business, Parker was with Maggie. Melanie asserted that Parker deserved a better mother than Chloe. "You mean you?" Chloe guessed.

Melanie accused Chloe of being paranoid, and not accepting blame for what had happened. Chloe insisted that she knew it had all been her fault, but she'd paid for it by losing Daniel, and her son had lost a great father. Melanie asked if that meant Chloe was just going to give up and decide not to be a mother. Chloe sarcastically replied that it was probably nice to be as perfect as Melanie. "I know that you got hurt in all of this, but you are -- and pretty much have always been -- a real pain in the ass!" Chloe spat.

The women exchanged barbs about how Chloe had cheated on Daniel with Melanie's husband, and how Melanie had kissed Nathan while married to Philip. Fuming, Chloe contended that she remembered what Melanie had been like before becoming self-righteous and judgmental. Chloe shouted, "Go ahead, live your perfectly wonderful life, and stay the hell out of mine!" After Chloe stormed off, Melanie told herself, "Kate, you're right: Chloe's lost it. And the one who's gonna pay is Parker."

Chloe had returned to Maggie's when Philip pounded on the back door. Chloe informed him that Maggie had taken the baby out, but Philip said that he was there to see Chloe. Chloe assumed that someone had told him what a terrible mother she was. Philip insisted that he knew she was in a bad place, and he didn't want her to have to deal with it all alone. "If there's anything that I can do, I'll do it," Philip promised. Chloe's eyes filled with tears, and she put her arms around Philip gratefully.

Chad went to the Cheatin' Heart, and told the bartender that Adrienne had asked him to fill out an application. The bartender found a blank form behind the bar, and left while Chad filled it out. Chad hesitated when he got to the first question, which asked for his last name. The bartender reviewed the application when Chad was finished, and offered Chad a job as a stock boy, since the previous one had just quit. He then said that Chad could start right away.

Kate was surprised when she went to the Cheatin' Heart for a martini and found Chad working there. "You're a DiMera; you don't need a job," Kate asserted. Chad countered, "Stefano made it pretty clear he had all the family he wanted." The bartender told Chad to get back to work, and Kate noticed that the man referred to Chad as "DiMera." After Chad left, Kate mused to herself, "So you have big problems with Stefano, but not with taking his name."

After Melanie returned to Daniel's, she called Kate. "I've thought about what you said," Melanie admitted, adding, "You're right. We have to get Parker away from Chloe."

After having sex with Sami, Rafe's doppelganger called E.J. "You know that thing you were worried about with me and Sami? Well, don't worry about it anymore," the imposter declared cockily. E.J. quickly inferred faux Rafe's meaning, and asked if Sami had been suspicious at all that the imposter wasn't her husband. Unsure, fake Rafe informed his boss that Sami had left the room after they'd had sex. E.J. guessed that she was just being moody, but urged the ringer to call if it seemed as if Samantha were becoming suspicious. E.J. promised that he should have more information for imposter Rafe soon.

A half-dressed Nicole was displeased to find Taylor on the doorstep of the DiMera mansion. Taylor insisted that she wasn't leaving town without talking to Nicole again. Nicole was furious when she learned that Taylor had confided in Lexie. Taylor maintained that Nicole was making a big mistake, but Nicole made it clear that the two of them would never have the kind of relationship that Taylor seemed top want. Taylor returned the money Nicole had given her, and then reminded Nicole, "I'm your sister, Nicole -- we're family! I know you don't want that to be true, but it is."

As Taylor left, E.J. descended the stairs. Nicole irritably informed him that her sister had just left. E.J. asked if Nicole had invited her to the wedding, and noted that Nicole might want some of her family there. Nicole maintained that she didn't need anyone but him to make their wedding perfect. After they shared an ardent kiss, E.J. pulled away reluctantly, citing work that he had to do. Nicole acknowledged that she had a wedding to plan. As she headed upstairs, she remarked that she was glad they were still so compatible in the bedroom.

In the living room of the loft, Sami looked at her neck in the mirror, and was perturbed to see that "Rafe" had left a hickey. She pulled her hair around to cover the offending mark in embarrassment. Carrie called just then, and Sami explained that she'd called Carrie and Austin earlier to thank them for the gift they'd sent for Sydney's birthday. Sami then confided to her sister about Rafe, "It's like he's a different person, like he's not even the same man."

Carrie assumed that Sami was referring to Rafe's mild forgetfulness since the accident. Sami clarified that he had been different in bed, and far more aggressive. Faux Rafe emerged from the bedroom just then, and listened to Sami's end of the phone call. Carrie helpfully pointed out that at least Sami knew that all of Rafe's parts were in working order. Sami agreed that she was probably making too much of it, and when she turned to see her husband behind her, she told Carrie that she had to go. The sisters agreed to talk again soon.

After Sami hung up, faux Rafe glumly told her that he'd overheard what she'd said on the phone. Sami tried to reassure him that it was all right, but then he noticed the bite mark on her neck. Phony Rafe sheepishly explained that he'd drunk a few beers on top of the painkillers he'd gotten after his accident. Sami was alarmed and angry, but imposter Rafe promised to make it up to her. He then kissed her tenderly.

In the DiMera dungeon, Rafe refused to answer Stefano's questions. Calmly holding up a photograph of Ali, Stefano threatened to make the child disappear if Rafe didn't cooperate. Rafe lunged weakly at Stefano, who only growled that the two of them were going to have a nice, long chat. Rafe was disgusted that the DiMeras would use a little girl as a pawn in their sick game, but Stefano asserted that Ali's fate was in Rafe's hands. He ripped the girl's picture in half to demonstrate.

Rafe conceded that he didn't have much choice but to cooperate. "Your grasp of the obvious is stunning," Stefano noted, then added on his way out, "I'll go tell Elvis the good news." Rafe gazed at the pieces of Ali's picture, which Stefano had dropped on the floor of the cell. "Agree to cooperate -- with what?" Rafe wondered. "What the hell do they want from me?"

E.J. then arrived to visit the prisoner. Proffering a blanket, he maintained that he just wanted to make sure Rafe was comfortable. Rafe took the blanket, but noted sarcastically that E.J. was playing "good cop." He expressed his disbelief that E.J. would kidnap Ali just to get revenge on her mother.

E.J. maintained, "The primary purpose of this operation is not revenge; it is to correct a situation which has got out of control." Rafe wanted to know what the operation was, and E.J. stated that he would show instead of tell Rafe what it was. E.J. pulled out his cell phone, and began to dial as he strolled out of the basement.

After getting dressed, Nicole returned downstairs and phoned her mother. "Have you talked to Taylor yet?" Nicole asked. "I'm just gonna give you a little heads-up before she calls: she's the good one, and I'm the bad one."

Sami was surprised to run into Taylor outside the Brady Pub, and assumed that Taylor was in town for Nicole's wedding. Taylor divulged that she was on her way to see her mom -- and it had been Nicole's idea. Sami couldn't believe that Taylor would leave town just because Nicole told her to. Taylor pointed out that she couldn't afford a place to live because she didn't have a job.

"I'll talk to Grandma. She probably has a room over the pub," Sami offered, and asserted amiably, "If you want to stay in Salem, you should stay. You shouldn't wait for Nicole's permission." Nicole arrived just then, and ordered Sami to butt out. Sami argued cheerfully, "Not only should your sister stay, she should be in your wedding -- she should be your bridesmaid!"

After E.J. returned to the dungeon, his cell phone rang. "Why don't you come right down?" E.J. told the caller. He hung up, and asked his captive, "Do you remember, Rafe, when you asked me -- rather hoarsely, as I recall -- how we were going to keep Samantha from noticing that you were gone?" E.J. opened the dungeon door, and Rafe's impersonator walked in.

Rafe gaped, dumbfounded, at the DiMeras' creation. E.J. was positively giddy at seeing the resemblance between the two men up-close. The imposter declared to Rafe, "Man, I gotta tell ya: I like your life! You have remarkable taste in women." Rafe guessed that the DiMeras had arranged for his doppelganger to have plastic surgery. Faux Rafe confessed that they had, but he had already looked a lot like the original -- and they were paying him a lot of money.

"So they gonna change you back when you're done?" Rafe asked incredulously. As E.J. hustled the poseur back out, Rafe shouted after them, "What the hell do you think they're gonna do with you when they're done?" After the imposter had gone, an overwhelmed Rafe tried to tell E.J. that the plan wasn't going to work.

"I beg to differ," E.J. countered. "The plastic surgeon did an extraordinary job. The voice coach was top-notch. And you do know what they say: if it walks like a duck, and it quacks like a duck, and it dresses like a duck..." Rafe leapt to his feet, but seemed to change his mind about taking a swing at his captor. "It still doesn't matter," Rafe asserted, "'cause he's not me."

Rafe's imposter was sitting alone and drinking a beer at the Cheatin' Heart when Brady arrived. A surprised Brady wondered why Rafe was there when Johnny was in the hospital and Rafe had just been in an accident. Faux Rafe replied that Johnny had been released, and then pointed out that Brady had missed Sydney's birthday party. Brady ruefully admitted that he'd forgotten, because he'd just returned from overseas. He was glad that at least one good thing had resulted from Johnny's illness: Sami's truce with E.J. had allowed her to throw a party for Johnny and Sydney.

Brady asked again why Rafe was there drinking alone, but fake Rafe maintained that it was none of Brady's business. Rafe noted that Brady was drinking straight vodka, plus Brady looked like he'd slept in his clothes. Brady reminded Rafe that he'd just gotten off of an international flight, and pointed out that Rafe had just been in the hospital for a head injury. "Is that the problem with you and Nicole? Drinking?" phony Rafe countered. "Is that why she dumped you for E.J.?"

Brady noted that hitting below the belt wasn't exactly Rafe's style, and asked what was going on. Imposter Rafe calmly argued that since Nicole was back in the lives of Sami's kids, it was up to him to make sure nothing ruined things for Sami. Fed up, Brady left after asserting that he wasn't going to stay away from Sami or the kids. Faux Rafe muttered, "Don't underestimate that guy, E.J. That'd be a mistake."

Outside the Brady Pub, Nicole agreed that Taylor could stay in Salem -- on one condition. Nicole looked pointedly in Sami's direction as she spelled it out, "You don't side with anyone against me." That set Sami off, and she and Nicole began sniping at each other until Taylor interrupted. "I don't know how Johnny and Sydney do this," Taylor declared. "I'm a lot older than they are, and I already can't stand being in the middle of you two!"

Taylor added that she would rather be on a bus out of town than listen to any more of Sami and Nicole's arguing. Nicole stated that Taylor had made the right decision, and handed her sister a wad of cash. Taylor tried to refuse it, but Nicole pressed the money into Taylor's hand. Taylor finally conceded that she would pay Nicole back, then said a warm goodbye to Sami, and left.

Sami was incredulous that Nicole would send family away, especially since Taylor clearly didn't have an ulterior motive. "She's your sister; she just wants to be your friend," Sami noted, before adding, "And quite frankly, Nicole, you could use one." She pointed out that Nicole had already dumped Brady just to honor her "business arrangement" with E.J. -- who was using Nicole.

Nicole maintained that E.J. had changed, and things had become "kinda great" between the two of them. Her eyes widening, Sami exclaimed quietly, "Oh, my God. You're in love with him." Nicole denied it, but admitted that the chemistry between her and E.J. was still there. The women began arguing about their relationships with their respective sisters, and it seemed in danger of turning into a shoving match until Rafe showed up.

Rafe gently but firmly played referee, and Sami backed down. When Nicole had to walk away to answer a phone call from her wedding planner, Rafe pointed out to Sami that he just didn't want her to give Nicole ammunition to report back to E.J. Sami thanked Rafe for stepping in. Just then, Nicole stuck her head back around the corner, and spied Sami and Rafe kissing. She made a wistful face, and then realized that she hadn't been paying attention to her phone call.

After Nicole hung up, she interrupted to ask if Rafe and Sami were about to pick Sydney and Johnny up from Caroline. When Sami confirmed it, Nicole somewhat reluctantly asked if they would give kisses to the kids for her. Fake Rafe agreed, so Nicole left for a wedding-dress fitting. After receiving a text message from Caroline, Sami and Rafe's double left to pick up the kids.

In the DiMera dungeon, Rafe warned that E.J.'s plan to replace Rafe with a doppelganger would never work. E.J. acknowledged that he certainly could have used more time to familiarize the imposter with Rafe's life, but he hadn't been able pass up the opportunity when Rafe had been admitted to the hospital after his accident.

Rafe realized that E.J. was only keeping him alive because the impersonator still needed more details about Rafe's life. E.J. essentially confirmed it, adding that because of Rafe's concussion, the imposter could cover any mistakes he made by claiming memory loss. "You're counting on that to bail him out?" an incredulous Rafe asked, laughing disdainfully "Wow. You're in even bigger trouble than I thought!" He pointed out that aside from a few extremely minor memory lapses, he could remember everything about his life.

E.J. countered that science knew very little about retrograde memory loss, and Rafe could fill the DiMeras in on any details they might have missed in their research. When Rafe asked what would happen if he didn't help them, E.J. reminded him of Stefano's threat to make Allie disappear. E.J. then described in detail everything that Allie had done that day.

It enraged Rafe to think of the DiMeras' goons watching that little girl, and he managed to grab E.J. through the bars, but E.J. easily shoved a weakened Rafe away. Rafe agreed to cooperate, but warned E.J. that it wouldn't work, because Sami was too smart and knew Rafe too well to be fooled. "Sami will figure your guy out," Rafe asserted, and added, "In fact, she'll never even let him into her life." As E.J. fiddled with his phone, he told Rafe, "She already has." He held out the phone to show Rafe a picture of Sami kissing the imposter.

A distracted Brady was walking on the pier when he tripped over Taylor's suitcase, which she'd left right in front of the stairway. Taylor immediately returned from around the corner, and apologized to Brady. Seeing his disheveled appearance and unshaven face, she assumed that he was homeless, and tried to give him Nicole's cash. Amused, Brady gave Taylor the money back, and showed her his gold credit card to prove that he wasn't homeless. Taylor was mortified that she'd jumped to the wrong conclusion.

Brady assured Taylor that he understood, and explained that he'd just gotten off of a long flight and hadn't had a chance to change clothes or shower yet. He introduced himself to Taylor, and she instantly recognized his name. "You used to date my sister," she noted, and introduced herself, "I'm Taylor Walker." He seemed disappointed to hear that Nicole had reacted so badly to seeing Taylor. "One thing I know about your sister right now -- she could use a friend, whether she wants it or not. Be nice if it was her sister," Brady declared, then asked, "So what would I have to do to convince you to hang around?"

After Brady had gone, Taylor called to ask if she could stay with Abe and Lexie for another night. "I've changed my mind; I'm not going to leave Salem," Taylor explained, and elucidated, "I realized something: No matter what Nicole says, I know she needs me."

Kate arrived at the Kiriakis mansion to find Victor on the phone, chewing out his lawyer. When Victor hung up, he told Kate that Titan had just acquired an unapproved and unwanted company. He blamed the purchase on Vivian, and suspected that she had found a loophole in the papers Brady had made her sign, which returned control of Titan to Victor, before allowing her off the island. Victor vowed to find the loophole and shove Vivian in it.

Kate wanted to know if Victor planned to tell Philip or Brady what was going on. Victor maintained that Philip had enough to deal with, and Brady would be livid if he found out what Vivian was doing, since Brady had only rescued her from the island because Victor had insisted. When Victor began dialing his lawyer again, Kate announced that she was leaving. She gave her keys to the mansion back to Victor, and informed him that she was moving in with Stefano -- permanently.

Victor asked if Kate really thought she could turn her arranged marriage into a real one. Kate insisted that her marriage was not an arrangement, and she had vowed not to keep secrets from Stefano anymore. Victor wanted to know if Kate intended to tell Stefano about her plans to take baby Parker away from Chloe. Kate asserted that since Philip, Chloe, and Parker had nothing to do with Stefano, she didn't intend to burden him with it.

Chuckling, Victor told Kate that he loved it when she was so sure of herself -- and so wrong. When Kate insisted that she knew what she was doing, Victor asked, "So, you don't want to know what I know?" Annoyed, Kate accused him of making things up, so Victor merely wished her and Stefano well. "But if I were you, I'd take these keys along with me," Victor added, and said, "If you plan on doing things behind Stefano's back, you may need a safe haven." Scoffing, Kate dropped the keys on the table and left.

Stefano was gazing at a ring, still in its gift box, when Vivian arrived at the DiMera mansion. Her presence annoyed Stefano, but Vivian asserted that she had the offer of a lifetime for him. Stefano grabbed Vivian by the arm to throw her out of the mansion, but Victor called Vivian's cell phone just then. As she showed Stefano Victor's name on the phone, Vivian declared, "This is a meeting I think you might want to take."

Irked, Stefano urged Vivian to get to the point. Vivian purred that she would hate to see Kate hurt a "man's man" like Stefano. Chuckling, Stefano asked, "What are you suggesting, Vivian? That I replace Katherine with you?" Vivian laughed, as well, insisting that she had no desire to become the next Mrs. Stefano DiMera. She explained that she merely wanted to be a part of Stefano's life in a way Kate never could, and guessed that Kate did not know everything that Stefano was up to. Stefano growled that he wasn't up to anything.

Vivian praised Stefano for playing it close to the vest -- especially with Kate, whom Vivian deemed "a very dangerous woman." Stefano irritably pointed out that Vivian still hadn't told him what she wanted. Vivian stated that she wanted to be Stefano's confidante, because she knew Victor Kiriakis better than anyone, and would always be loyal to Stefano. "I get all that from my wife," Stefano pointed out. Vivian reminded him that Kate had a propensity for poisoning people, and given the right provocation, Kate would think nothing of doing just that.

Kate arrived just then, and surprised them both by agreeing with Vivian. Kate clarified, "You said with the right provocation, I could poison someone, and that's true. But I love Stefano, and there isn't anything he could do that would provoke me that much." She caressed Stefano's cheek lovingly, then added that Vivian was quite a different story. Vivian merely urged Stefano to consider what she'd said, and then left.

Stefano presented Kate with the ring, and explained that it was to celebrate their reconciliation. As he slipped it on her finger, he expressed his gratitude that Kate was home, "And all the lies and misunderstandings are behind us." Kate kissed him deeply, but her expression betrayed her anxiety.

Victor was on the phone with his lawyer again when Brady returned home. He listened in while Victor shouted, "Vivian can't be buying companies for Titan Industries because she doesn't control Titan Industries! Is that clear enough for you?" After a pause, Victor declared, "Wrong answer, Marvin. Clean out your desk. You're fired."

After Victor hung up, he told Brady that he hoped Brady had been able to convince the shareholders that Vivian was no longer in charge of Titan, because she had been buying companies without Victor's approval. Brady divulged that he had been the one acquiring other companies. "Vivian was so anxious to get off that island," Brady revealed, and added, "When I shoved the contract in her face, she really didn't ready it thoroughly. She actually didn't sign the company back to you; she signed it over to me."

A furious Victor accused Brady of being a traitor, but Brady maintained that he'd learned everything he knew about betrayal from Victor. Victor demanded to know how he had schooled Brady in betrayal. "You betrayed this whole family when you married Vivian," Brady asserted, and stated, "After you married her, you treated her like a joke." Brady declared that Victor knew Vivian well enough to have known she wouldn't tolerate that, and that she would seek revenge on everyone.

Brady continued, "If I hadn't intervened, Vivian would have buried Maggie Horton in that coffin -- hell, she managed to, for a couple of days. She also managed to bury my mother in a pet cemetery. The way I see it, this all happened because of you, and your arrogance." Scowling, Victor retorted, "I recently told you, you were a chip off the old block. How right I was."

Nicole visited Chloe at Maggie's house and happily told Chloe about Nicole's impending wedding to E.J. Nicole asked Chloe to be her maid of honor, and Chloe agreed. Chloe realized that it was time for Parker's feeding. Chloe took one of Parker's bottles out of the refrigerator and started to give it to him, but Nicole stopped Chloe and reminded her that the bottle needed to be heated first. Nicole wondered if Chloe was feeling all right.

"Why does everybody keep asking me that?" Chloe asked in frustration. After insisting that she was fine, Chloe changed the subject and asked if Nicole was happy about marrying E.J. Nicole admitted that the wedding was more of an arrangement than a marriage. Regardless, Nicole added, she was happy to have Johnny and Sydney back in her life. Nicole reminded Chloe that E.J. and Nicole had once been in love, and added that Johnny's illness had changed E.J.

Chloe looked skeptical, but she said, "If this is what you want, then I'm happy for you." Nicole was still worried about Chloe, so Chloe admitted that she had been having a rough time dealing with her breakup with Daniel. Chloe reiterated that she wasn't interested in talking about her personal life. "I'm really sick of that topic," Chloe explained. Chloe smiled and added, "I'd rather feel happy for you."

Nicole admitted that she was hopeful about her future with E.J. "It's starting to feel like it used to," Nicole explained, then added, "Like when we loved each other." After Nicole left, Chloe started to bake some cookies. Chloe told Parker that she was making cookies because it was something that a good mother would do. After placing the cookies in the oven, Chloe received a phone call from the pharmacy about Parker's prescription.

Chloe started to go to the pharmacy to get Parker's prescription, but then she realized that Parker was sleeping. Chloe knew that Parker would wake up if she put him in the car. Chloe rationalized that the trip to the pharmacy would only take a few minutes, and decided that Parker would be fine on his own while she was gone. Chloe grabbed her keys and left the house, leaving Parker -- and the cookies that were still baking in the oven -- behind.

As Chloe was walking past the Brady Pub, Victor stopped her and asked her about Parker. "He's fine," Chloe said, then added, "He's --" Chloe paused, then assured Victor that everything was fine and rushed off. Despite Chloe's assurances, Victor's suspicions were aroused. Meanwhile, at Maggie's house, the fire alarm started to go off as the kitchen filled with smoke.

At the DiMera mansion, Stefano inspected one of E.J. and Nicole's wedding invitations and wondered why E.J. had decided not to have a church wedding. E.J. explained that Father Matt had been reluctant to perform the service because of Parker's "christening debacle." Stefano joked that the priest didn't want a "sham wedding" on his conscience, but E.J. was quick to point out that his wedding to Nicole was going to be a legal wedding. Stefano noted that E.J. was not marrying Nicole for love, and cautioned his son about the dangers of marrying Nicole.

E.J. claimed that he was marrying Nicole for the sake of his children, but Stefano reminded E.J. that a nanny would work just as well. "It's not just about having a babysitter in my life, Father," E.J. insisted, then added, "I would like a woman in my life, too." Stefano chuckled and theorized that E.J. was marrying Nicole to prove a point to Sami. Stefano explained that the marriage was E.J.'s way of proving that he had really forgiven both women for what they had done to him.

E.J. insisted that Stefano was wrong; E.J. was marrying Nicole because he wanted her in his life. Stefano's jaw dropped and he said, "It's worse than I thought. Elvis...are you falling in love with this woman?" E.J. assured his father that he was not falling in love with Nicole. E.J. claimed that his marriage to Nicole was part of his plan for the future. "When the children are with me, I want them to have a mother figure, not a nanny," E.J. explained.

Stefano smirked and noted that Nicole had never struck him as the "mother-figure" type. E.J. insisted that he liked Nicole because she treated his children with respect. Stefano admitted that E.J. had made a convincing argument. "You know, an outsider might think that you have it all," Stefano noted. "But I'm not an outsider," he added, "and I'm wondering if what you have is enough."

Stefano accused E.J. of "settling" for Nicole. E.J. continued to insist that he was marrying Nicole to make his children happy. E.J. added, "If I learned anything from taking them away from Samantha, it's that it doesn't matter how much I love them, or how much I spoil them. They're not happy if they have a father in their life without a mother." Stefano reminded E.J. that E.J. had despised Nicole until recently, and warned his son that Nicole was not trustworthy.

E.J. told Stefano that he wanted "a happy life, not a boring one." E.J. claimed that he wasn't interested in being in love, because love clouded his judgment. Stefano warned E.J. that Nicole might not share E.J.'s cynicism, but E.J. wasn't worried. Nicole returned to the DiMera mansion and interrupted their conversation. After Stefano left the room, Nicole and E.J. kissed.

E.J. joked that he could get used to being greeted by Nicole in that manner every day. E.J. said that he was worried that sleeping with Nicole earlier might have given her the wrong impression about their relationship. Nicole told E.J. that she understood that their marriage wasn't going to be anything other than "friends with benefits." E.J. corrected Nicole and told her that he was hoping that they could be more than that. E.J. assured Nicole that he had grown to respect her.

"Respect is good," Nicole agreed. "Doesn't keep you warm at night," she added as she locked the doors. Nicole told E.J. that she was going to give him another reason to respect her. After they made love, Nicole admitted that she had missed being with E.J. He agreed, but joked, "Don't tell anyone." After E.J. left, Nicole mused, "Respect. It's a start."

At the hospital, Abe and Lexie were waiting for Theo to finish his occupational therapy. Taylor greeted them and explained that she was at the hospital to apply for a job at the gift shop. Abe and Lexie were delighted to learn that Taylor had decided to stay in Salem. Taylor admitted that Nicole was not going to be happy about having Taylor back in town permanently. "But she's not going to talk me out of staying," Taylor assured them.

Taylor explained that nobody from Nicole's family had been in attendance at Nicole's last wedding to E.J. Taylor was determined to be at the wedding to support her sister this time, even if Nicole didn't want Taylor to be there. Lexie smiled and wondered if Taylor and Nicole were really related. "Are you sure you're a DiMera?" Taylor retorted. Taylor joked that Lexie should feel out of place at family reunions.

After Theo's occupational therapy ended, Taylor spent some time playing with him. Abe and Lexie were amazed by how quickly Theo had bonded with Taylor. "Our son seems to be a good judge of character," Abe proudly noted. Later, Taylor joined the Carvers at the Brady Pub to celebrate Theo's report card. Lexie had invited Stefano to join them; when her father arrived, she introduced him to Taylor.

"Oh, yes, they told me that Nicole's sister was in town," Stefano said, then added, "But nobody told me you were so lovely." After a brief visit, the Carvers excused themselves so that Lexie could take Theo to see a movie. Taylor started to follow them out of the pub, but Stefano stopped her. "Wait. Have I offended you in any way?" Stefano asked. Taylor assured Stefano that he hadn't offended her.

Stefano wasn't convinced, so Taylor added, "My sister is going to marry your son...again." Taylor continued, "I don't know anything about him or you. All I know is what happened to my sister the last time she married into your family, and I didn't like that...one bit." Taylor grabbed her coat and left the pub before Stefano could respond. Later, E.J. and Taylor bumped into each other on the pier -- and the meeting stopped them both in their tracks.

Stefano returned to the DiMera mansion and found Nicole preparing wedding invitations. "If I did not know better, I'd say that you were planning a real wedding," Stefano joked. Nicole insisted that it would be a real wedding, and Stefano retorted, "But not a real marriage." Nicole assured Stefano that E.J. had changed. Stefano sighed and told Nicole, "There's something you need to know about my son."

While Daniel was checking on Jennifer's condition, Carly stopped by to see how her friend was doing. Daniel said that he was pleased with Jennifer's progress. Jennifer asked Carly for an update on Hope's prison status. "Nobody knows," Carly said, then added, "but we will soon. It's going to be decided today." Carly told Daniel that she and Bo had split up.

Carly said that she had been subpoenaed to testify on Hope's behalf. Carly assured Jennifer that she was going to do everything that she could do to ensure that Hope didn't get sent back to prison. "That's pretty decent of you, all things considered," Daniel observed. Carly said, "When you love someone, you want them to be happy, right? And I realize that for Bo, true happiness is being with Hope."

At the courthouse, Hope and Bo waited for Hope's hearing to start. Hope admitted that she was scared, then added, "Not of going back to prison -- that I can handle. I'm scared of having to say goodbye to Ciara again. And...." Hope's voice trailed off, then she recovered and explained that she had felt a connection with Bo while they had been hiding out that she hadn't felt in a long time. Hope changed the subject and asked Bo for an update on her case.

Bo explained that Justin had met with the D.A. earlier to discuss Hope's charges. Hope reminded Bo that the D.A. had been one of her victims. Justin interrupted their conversation and regretfully informed Hope that the D.A.'s office had refused to negotiate a deal. "The hearing's still on," Justin added. Bo sighed and excused himself, explaining, "There's one thing I haven't tried yet." Bo headed to the Kiriakis mansion to pay Victor a visit.

After Bo left, Hope told Justin that she didn't believe that there was anything Bo would be able to do to help her. Justin warned Hope not to underestimate Bo. "Or his love for you," Justin added. Hope said that she wasn't sure if Bo still loved her or not. Justin wondered if Hope still loved Bo. "I've never stopped," Hope admitted.

Carly interrupted Justin and Hope's conversation, so Justin excused himself to give Carly and Hope some privacy. Carly told Hope that she had taped a deposition in Hope's defense. Carly assured Hope that she had revealed everything that she could think of that would have helped Hope's case. Hope thanked Carly for her help, then confided, "I don't know if he'll ever be able to forgive me for what I've done to him." Carly said that she believed that Bo had already forgiven Hope.

Carly returned to the hospital and told Jennifer and Daniel about her meeting with Hope. Carly explained that Bo had promised Hope that he wasn't going to rest until Hope had her freedom back. "And when Bo doesn't give up on somebody that --" Carly paused as she started to cry. Daniel comforted Carly, and Carly assured him that she would be all right. After Daniel left, Jennifer observed that Carly didn't look like she was all right.

"Letting go of Bo was the right thing to do. I didn't say it was easy," Carly admitted. "I just hope Bo listens to his heart," she added. Jennifer said that she was worried about Carly because of Carly's tendency to keep her emotions bottled up inside. "I hate the thought of you being all alone right now," Jennifer added. Carly reminded Jennifer that she wasn't alone -- she had Jennifer and Melanie to lean on.

Carly left so that Jennifer could get some rest. Jennifer watched through the window as Daniel and Carly hugged. "Well," Jennifer noted, "looks like you have the good doctor in your corner. And he is the father of your daughter. Hmm."

Victor was on the phone with his team of lawyers, discussing Brady's takeover of Titan, when Bo arrived. "You look familiar. Do I know you?" Victor joked, but Bo made it clear that he wasn't in the mood for games. "I'd like you to help me get Hope out of the mess she's in, and I don't give a damn how you do that," Bo said. Bo told Victor about Hope's hearing. Bo explained that the judge that would be deciding Hope's fate was Edward "Maximum Ed" Callahan.

"You know, I gave him that nickname," Victor noted, referring to Judge Callahan's penchant for issuing the harshest possible sentence. Bo said that he had exhausted every other option, and he had reached a dead-end. "So I'd like you to call your old pal, Governor Ford, and have him tell Callahan to back the hell off," Bo asked Victor. Victor was shocked by Bo's request. "You're asking me to do something outside the law," Victor observed.

"You know," Victor continued, "I don't know what's happening to this family. Your mother is hacking into computer records, Brady is pulling hostile takeovers, and now you arrive here with your little hat in your hand, asking me to buy a judge." Victor noted that Bo's request went against everything Bo stood for. Bo impatiently told Victor that he wasn't interested in a lecture -- he only wanted to know if Victor was going to agree to help Bo or not. "In a word, no," Victor said.

Victor explained that he didn't want Hope to go back to jail, and admitted that he was heartened by the fact that Bo was willing to "sell his soul" for Hope. Bo wondered why Victor had refused to help if they were both in agreement that Hope shouldn't be sent back to prison. "Because Hope has this nasty habit of wanting to play fair," Victor reminded Bo. "It's the Horton genes," Victor added, "and the reason she loves you so much -- the main reason -- is because you feel the same stupid, misguided way."

Victor told Bo that Hope wouldn't be able to live with herself if she knew that Bo had compromised his integrity to save her. "But what I will do," Victor continued, "I will call Governor Ford on Hope's behalf and respectfully ask for a pardon." Victor assured Bo that he would not ask Governor Ford to do anything that Hope would consider shady. Bo thanked Victor, but reminded him of what was at stake -- if Victor's tactics failed, Hope would be sent back to prison and Ciara would be forced to grow up without a mother.

Bo returned to the courthouse and told Hope about his meeting with Victor. As Victor had predicted, Hope was insistent about not wanting Bo to use Victor's power to circumvent the law. Before Bo could respond, he received a phone call from Victor. After Bo's conversation with Victor had ended, Bo regretfully informed Hope that the governor had claimed that Hope's case was "too loaded to intervene." Bo apologized for letting Hope down, but Hope insisted that she would never forget everything that Bo had done for her.

Justin returned and announced that the hearing was about to start. After the hearing, Bo, Hope, and Justin waited for the judge's ruling. Justin excused himself so that he could find out how long it would take the judge to make his decision. Bo asked Hope if he had seemed nervous when he was testifying. Hope assured Bo that he had seemed fine, and added, "I was looking at you up there on the witness stand, and I thought, 'That's the man that I never stopped --'"

Hope paused, and Justin returned before she or Bo could add anything. "Talk about record time," Justin said, then added, "Callahan has rendered his decision." Justin continued, "What Callahan said was, based on the police reports, and what happened at the prison, and on Bo's testimony...he's reducing your sentence to time served." Justin smiled and said, "Hope, you're free to go." Hope tearfully embraced Bo as they celebrated Hope's freedom.

Justin excused himself so that Bo and Hope could have some privacy. Hope thanked Bo, but Bo claimed that there was no reason to thank him. Hope insisted, "You've done so much for me." Bo shrugged and said, "Well, yeah. 'Cause I love you." Before Hope could respond, Bo added, "Come on. Let's go home."