At the hospital, Hope learned about Jennifer's earlier outburst. Hope pointed out that Daniel and Maxine were each aware that Jennifer had been through a lot recently. Jennifer wondered why the situation had angered her.

Recalling Nicole's earlier comments about playing mind games with Daniel, Jennifer theorized that she was worried about hurting him again. Hope insisted that there was nothing to worry about, but Jennifer wasn't convinced. Jennifer conceded that Nicole might be right.

Elsewhere, Daniel pulled away from Nicole's kiss and asked her to stop. Nicole apologized, assuming that Daniel simply wanted to keep their relationship private. Without a hint of irony, Nicole said that she had forgotten that maintaining professionalism had always been one of Daniel's top priorities.

Daniel disagreed with Nicole's assessment, reminding her that they had once slept together in his office. Daniel firmly stated that he wasn't ready for a relationship, and he guessed that Nicole wasn't ready either. Nicole seemed hurt, but she claimed that she understood. Daniel admitted that he shouldn't have gotten involved with Nicole in a way that hadn't made sense for either of them.

Nicole insisted that being with Daniel had made perfect sense. Nicole apologized for misreading the situation, struggling to contain her emotions. Nicole abruptly changed the subject, noting that something had been bothering Daniel earlier. Nicole urged Daniel to tell her what was wrong.

Daniel explained that Melanie and Chad had recently gotten engaged. Nicole pointed out that Chad was E.J.'s brother, which would make E.J. part of Daniel's family. Daniel sarcastically thanked Nicole for pouring salt on his wound. Meanwhile, Jennifer entered the room and said that she needed to talk to Daniel. Before Daniel could respond, he received a call from one of his patients.

Daniel abruptly excused himself, and Jennifer started to follow him out of the room. Nicole stopped Jennifer, claiming that she wanted to clear the air. Nicole said that Jennifer had interrupted a very important conversation, and she proceeded to explain that Melanie and Chad were engaged. "Daniel seems to think it's because of that wacko Nick Fallon," Nicole pointedly stated.

Nicole quickly apologized, claiming that she had forgotten that Nick and Jennifer were related. Nicole said that Daniel had confided in her, and she admitted that she might have gotten slightly overprotective. Jennifer noted that people usually chose confidantes who were trustworthy, and she recalled that Nicole had helped Chloe lie about Parker's paternity for months. Jennifer wondered why Daniel was willing to trust Nicole.

Nicole smiled and said that things had changed, and she calmly walked away. Jennifer muttered that Nicole hadn't changed. Later, Jennifer apologized to Daniel for snapping at him earlier. Jennifer admitted that she had been struggling to control her temper recently. Daniel assured Jennifer that he understood.

Later, at the Horton house, Daniel greeted Nicole, who was surprised to see him. Daniel said that he wanted to make it clear that he was still Nicole's friend and that he would still do whatever he had to do to protect her from E.J. Nicole noted that Melanie and Chad's engagement could add further complications to the situation, but Daniel reminded her that he was drawn to complicated situations.

After Daniel left, Nicole smiled and rubbed her stomach. "Wow. You know, he -- he didn't have to come here to tell me that. You know, maybe -- I think he wanted to see me. This isn't over -- it's far from over, and you know what, little dude? It could be 'and baby makes three' -- even if I have to run Snow White over with my car," Nicole told her baby.

At the Horton Town Square, E.J. head-butted Rafe, causing a fight to ensue. A group of people, including John and Lucas, gathered to watch the spectacle. Lucas guessed that Rafe and E.J. were probably fighting over Sami. John half-heartedly suggested that he and Lucas might need to stop the fight. "Nah, DiMera's getting manhandled. We should sell tickets right now," Lucas said.

Rafe kicked E.J., who lost his balance and fell backward, knocking over a table and some chairs in the process. John sighed heavily and muttered that he had to do the right thing. John's decision saddened Lucas, but John pointed out that someone could get hurt. "Isn't that the point of a fight?" Lucas asked.

A random spectator helped John restrain Rafe and E.J. John chastised Rafe for fighting with E.J., noting that Rafe could get into a lot of trouble, since he was a cop. The spectator clarified that E.J. was the one who had started the fight. Rafe announced that he wasn't going to press charges, since E.J. would eventually self-destruct anyway. Rafe calmly walked away, and Lucas followed him.

Meanwhile, John noted that starting a fight with Rafe was probably the dumbest thing that he had ever seen E.J. do. John added that E.J. would never be able to defeat Rafe with violence. E.J. resolved to find another way to win.

At Common Grounds, Justin noted that Sonny seemed to be in a good mood. "Everything that was screwed up in my life kind of just all sorted itself out," Sonny happily explained. Justin wondered if Sonny's good mood had something to do with Brian. Sonny groaned as he realized that Justin had been talking to Adrienne about Sonny's love life.

Sonny said that he and Brian had never been more than friends, and he added that he was in a good mood because of someone else -- Will. Justin wondered if Adrienne and Sami knew that Sonny and Will were seeing each other. Sonny said that he had talked to Adrienne about his feelings for Will earlier. Sonny added that he wasn't sure if Will had told Sami yet. Sonny hoped that Sami would be supportive.

Justin wondered what would happen if Sami wasn't supportive. "It's gonna be her problem," Sonny matter-of-factly stated. Sonny admitted that Adrienne hadn't been very happy about his interest in Will. Sonny explained that Adrienne had expressed concerns about Will's baggage. Sonny added that Adrienne had expressed those concerns before he had started seeing Will.

"Sonny, you have to look at this from her point of view. See, both she and I came from such sane and stable families that, of course, we never had any baggage, which is why our relationship was always so...serene. And, of course, you couldn't possibly have any baggage, with parents who were married three times, divorced twice," Justin sarcastically stated. Sonny grinned and asked Justin to say that to Adrienne.

Justin wondered if Sonny had lost his mind. Sonny laughed and said that he was glad that Justin was his father. Justin advised Sonny to be glad that Adrienne was his mother, and he added that she was just looking out for Sonny. Sonny agreed, and he guessed that Sami would be looking out for Will, too. "I just have a feeling this relationship is not gonna be boring," Sonny said with a smile.

Later, Lucas and Kate entered the coffeehouse. Lucas told Kate about Rafe and E.J.'s earlier fight. Lucas admitted that he had failed to convince Rafe to press charges. Kate was appalled to learn that E.J. and Rafe had been fighting over Sami. Lucas started to say something about Sami, but Kate stopped him. Kate guessed that Lucas was going to rush to Sami's defense, despite his claim that he was done with her.

Kate wished that Lucas would grind Sami to a fine powder instead. Kate imagined that doing so would be therapeutic and nourishing. "I don't give a flying euphemism what you do to Sami, you understand me? But leave my kids alone. I don't want Will or Allie hurt. If they're hurt, Mom -- even in the slightest bit -- you will lose me and them forever," Lucas warned. Kate insisted that she only wanted Sami to suffer.

In Sami's apartment, Sami decided to ask Rafe what he and Brady had talked about earlier, reasoning that Rafe was pathologically honest. Sami started to leave, but when she opened her door, she found Bo standing in the hallway. Bo explained that he had some paperwork from Sami's recent arrest that he needed her to sign. Sami impatiently asked if the paperwork could wait.

"Uh, yeah, if you want to risk being taken away from your kids again so you can go...what, have your nails done? That's your call," Bo said. Sami sighed and started to sign the documents, but Bo stopped her. Bo wondered how old Sami was, and he advised her to read the documents first. Sami asked Bo to give her a break, and she explained that she had just had a terrible afternoon. Sami added that her evening was turning out to be even worse.

"What's your point? Sounds like an ordinary day for you," Bo dryly stated. Sami acknowledged that she had been all over the place recently, and she explained that she was simply trying to figure out what to do and who to trust. Sami signed the documents, and Bo wondered if she knew why she was signing them. Sami shrugged and assumed that it was some sort of bureaucratic red tape.

"Because you decided it was a really good idea to leave your kids and go aid and abet Junior. He's a DiMera. You said you didn't know who to trust? Let me help you out with that -- not him," Bo said. Bo started to ask if Sami had ever stopped to think, but he abruptly stopped himself and acknowledged that he was asking a stupid question. "You know what? You're a crappy uncle," Sami said, and she stormed out of the apartment. Bo muttered that the conversation had gone well.

Later, outside the Brady Pub, Rafe bumped into Sami, who noted that he was bleeding. Rafe insisted that he was fine, and he explained that he had been in a fight with E.J. earlier. Sami wondered what Rafe and E.J. had been fighting about. Rafe knowingly summarized that Sami wanted to know if the fight had been about her. Sami feigned disinterest, but she quickly changed her mind and asked Rafe for details.

Rafe claimed that he and E.J. had not been fighting over Sami. Rafe dryly stated that, as difficult as it was to believe, he and E.J. actually despised each other. Sami wondered if Rafe had provoked E.J. Rafe insisted that he hadn't, but Sami suggested that he could have unintentionally provoked E.J. Sami theorized that E.J. might have sensed that her relationship with Rafe had changed due to their recent kiss.

Rafe referred to the kiss as a stupid mistake. Sami insisted that feelings were never stupid, but Rafe disagreed. "Listen, I'm not gonna stand here and regret all the stupid things that I've done, but just in case you were wondering if that kiss actually -- if it actually meant something...it didn't," Rafe said before walking away. Sami smiled and shook her head, seemingly unconvinced.

At the police station, Roman greeted Bo. "I'm sure that you're aware of the latest round of city budget cuts. I'm sorry, man -- I got no choice here. I either lay off a bunch of folks, or some of us have to take cuts," Roman said, handing Bo an envelope. Bo muttered that some people were taking pay cuts again, and he noncommittally stated that he would think about it. Bo left without opening the envelope.

Later, Roman told Hope the same thing. Hope opened her envelope and inspected its contents. Roman started to apologize, but Hope assured him that there was no need to do so. Hope said that she understood the realities of the situation, and she added that she loved her job.

Back at the Horton Town Square, Bo was clearly unhappy with the contents of his envelope. Later, Hope greeted Bo, who was reading a copy of Sailing Digest. Hope offered to purchase a beer for Bo, but he bitterly stated that they might not be able to afford it. Hope assured Bo that they would find a way to survive, and she jokingly added that she could start selling jewelry, or Ciara could get a job.

Hope reminded Bo that they were lucky, and she added that they were definitely able to roll with the punches. Bo conceded that Hope was right, but he explained that the latest pay cut had stirred up a few things. Hope wasn't surprised, since Bo was reading a sailing magazine. Bo observed that it seemed like the pay cut hadn't fazed Hope at all.

"What do you want me to say? I don't like it, but...Brady, I just -- I just know how much I love my job, and I don't need it for the money. I need it -- you know, I need it for other things," Hope said. Hope could tell that Bo didn't feel the same way. Bo wondered if Hope remembered sailing around the world with Shawn. Hope jokingly feigned ignorance.

Bo started to reminisce about that trip, and he noted that it had strengthened the family's bond. Bo believed that Ciara deserved to experience something like that. Bo stressed that he wasn't unhappy with the job, and he added that he wasn't unhappy with Hope, their marriage, or their family, either.

"Look, um...you don't ride off on the back of a motorcycle with a guy and expect him to be nine-to-five, run of the mill. And because I adore and love that guy, I want you to stay that guy. That's what this is really about, isn't it?" Hope asked. Bo shrugged and admitted that he wasn't sure. Bo thanked Hope for not using the dreaded phrase midlife crisis.

Later, Bo noted that dealing with the DiMeras every day was like banging his head against a wall. Bo admitted that he wasn't excited about going to work every day, but he could tell that Hope still had that passion for the job. Hope reminded Bo that feeling the same way about everything had never been part of their deal.

"Brady, I want to be married to someone who's doing what he wants to do -- not something he thinks I want him to do," Hope added. Bo said that Hope was getting high scores -- a few nines and a ten -- for being a great wife. Hope wondered why she had scored a few nines. Bo jokingly explained that the Russian judges were responsible for those low scores.

Back at the hospital, E.J. ushered Justin into an unoccupied break room. E.J. handed Justin some cash so that their conversation would be privileged. E.J. explained that he didn't want to represent himself, and he added that he trusted Justin. E.J. also noted that hiring Justin would force everyone else to take the situation seriously. Justin wondered what E.J. was talking about.

"I want to insist on a paternity test of Nicole's baby the moment it's born, because I need proof. Rafael Hernandez is not that child's father -- I am. I want proof of that, and I want proof of conspiracy," E.J. explained. As Justin started to ask E.J. to elaborate, Jennifer approached the door, which was slightly ajar, and eavesdropped.

E.J. theorized that Daniel had replaced the real paternity test with a fake one that Rafe and Nicole had created. Justin noted that E.J. was making some serious accusations. E.J. agreed, and he insisted that there needed to be serious consequences for those actions.

"Nicole will be left with nothing. Rafe -- he's out on his ear. And Dr. Jonas? Well, let's just say his career is going to be blown sky-high," E.J. predicted, as Jennifer continued to listen.

In her apartment, Sami called E.J.'s cell phone and asked him to meet her in the square. E.J. agreed and told Sami that he would meet her after he talked to his brother Chad at the coffeehouse. As Sami hung up the phone, Will entered her apartment with coffee and pastries. When Sami commented on Will's jacket, Will smiled and informed Sami that he was going on a date.

Sami asked who Will's date was, but nervous, Will asked to defer answering the question until after his date. Smiling, Sami said she was happy for Will. Sami asked Will if he could pick up the kids for her because she needed to meet with E.J. When Will asked if Sami could call E.J. instead, she explained that she needed to clear up something with E.J. in person.

Sami informed Will that Rafe and E.J. had been in a fistfight. When Will asked whether the fight had been about Sami, she shrugged and said that Rafe had told her that the fight had had nothing to do with her. Will smirked and remarked that Rafe's response meant that the fight had been over Sami. Sami said that she needed to tell E.J. that he could not fight with Rafe anymore.

Will went over to the Kiriakis mansion to pick up baseball tickets for Sami. While Will waited in the foyer, Justin and Adrianne argued in the living room about Will. Will overheard Adrianne say that she was unsure about Will because he had worked for E.J. Justin defended Will by saying that Will was going through a rebellious phase. Adrianne reminded Justin that Sami had put her family through a roller-coaster of emotions with her relationships.

Smirking, Justin joked, "I realize it's hard to tolerate when we are such models of stability." Adrianne noted that Sami used Will like he was her personal assistant. When Justin argued that Will was his own person, Adrianne added that she was worried that Will had only recently come to terms with his sexuality.

"I really believe that if Sonny gets involved with him, Will is going to break his heart. Just like Sami broke Lucas' heart and Rafe's heart and God knows who else's," Adrianne said. In the foyer, Will sat on the staircase and listened intently. When Henderson returned to the foyer with the baseball tickets, Will thanked him and left the mansion. Out on the front porch, a crestfallen Will sighed.

At the Brady Pub, Abigail asked Gabi to help her with the wedding because Melanie and Chad were getting married in two weeks. From behind the bar, Nick overheard, and Abigail turned around and saw Nick staring. Nick told Abigail that she did not need to worry about him because the wedding was none of his business. Nick asked Abigail to tell Melanie that she did not need to fear him because he would steer clear of the wedding. Nick added that it would be a relief to him to see Melanie happy.

At the coffeehouse, Sonny served a cup of coffee to Chad. Noticing Sonny's grin, Chad asked Sonny why he looked so happy. Before Sonny could answer, E.J. entered the coffeehouse and said hello. While Sonny went to make E.J.'s espresso, E.J. asked Chad why he looked so upset. Chad informed E.J. that the wedding date had been moved up. When E.J. asked what was bothering Chad, Chad responded that Nick was the problem.

E.J. asked if Nick had done anything, and Chad explained he believed Nick had moved into the mansion and worked at the Brady Pub in order to insert himself into Melanie's life. Chad also confided that there was a woman that he was worried about. When E.J. asked if Chad was having an affair, Chad explained that the woman in question had been obsessed with him. E.J. asked Chad what had happened, but Chad declined to explain and noted that the woman was a friend of Melanie's.

E.J. urged Chad to do something about the woman. Chad countered that although he did not trust the woman, he believed that the problems the woman had caused had set her straight. "As long as I have known her, she has always been a good person, but something bad has happened to her, and she went off the rails for a while," Chad said. E.J. counseled that if the woman went crazy once, she would likely do it again.

After talking to Chad, E.J. walked to the square to meet Sami. Sami told E.J. that she felt terrible about the fight between him and Rafe. When E.J. asked why, Sami said because the fight had been about her. Chuckling, E.J. asked Sami, "Who told you that?" Sami asked why E.J. and Rafe had fought. E.J. explained that there had been no reason for the fight other than an excess of testosterone. Shrugging, Sami suggested that the fight had been about Nicole and the baby.

As Sami and E.J. sat on the bench, a somber-looking E.J. asked Sami why she had wanted to meet with him in person. Sami explained that she had decided not to pursue a relationship with E.J. When E.J. sat in silence, Sami explained that Kate had told her that she drifted from man to man in her life. Sami said that she did not want to jump from man to man anymore.

"Right now, I just want to focus on my kids and my career," Sami said. E.J. agreed and said that he wanted the same in his life. Hurt, E.J. nodded and walked away.

At Chad's apartment, Daniel asked Melanie if she had plans for an engagement party. Melanie informed Daniel that she and Chad had set the wedding date and that it would be in two weeks. Surprised, Daniel said, "No, that's not gonna happen." Daniel told Melanie that he did not think that she should be getting married. When Melanie asked why, Daniel explained that the timing was wrong.

Frustrated, Melanie asked why she should have a long engagement when she was sure that she loved Chad and wanted to be with him. Daniel asked why Melanie wanted to rush into marriage. Melanie admitted that it was Chad's idea to move up the wedding because Chad was upset about Nick.

"Everything has been so hard for me, and I just want to be happy, and I just want the people that I love to be happy for me for marrying the man that I love. Okay?" Melanie said. Abigail and Gabi arrived at the apartment, and Daniel excused himself. After Daniel left, Melanie greet Abigail and Gabi and noted that she was tired because she had woken up early to work on wedding plans.

When Abigail asked Melanie if she wanted to push the wedding back, Melanie burst into tears and wondered aloud whether anyone was happy that she and Chad were getting married. Melanie apologized for lashing out, and she explained that her father was not happy that she and Chad were getting married. Melanie told Abigail and Gabi that she needed them at her wedding and asked them if they would be there. Nodding her head vigorously, Abigail said that she and Gabi would do whatever they could to help Melanie.

While looking over wedding materials, Melanie asked Gabi to talk to her if Nick made her feel uncomfortable at the pub. Shaking her head, Melanie told Gabi that she knew she would tell her about issues with Nick, just like Gabi would have told Melanie about Andrew if Gabi had known. Overwhelmed with guilt, Gabi dropped her head in her hands and groaned.

"We need to talk about what happened with Andrew," Gabi said. Shaking her head, Melanie asked Gabi to shelve the conversation until after the wedding. Uncomfortable, Gabi headed back to work at the pub.

Will returned to Sami's apartment and left a voicemail for Sonny, stating that he needed to cancel in order to go to a baseball game with Sami. As Sami walked out of her bedroom, she overheard Will leaving the message for Sonny. When Will hung up, Sami asked, "Sonny is who you had the date with?" When Will admitted that his date was with Sonny, Sami asked him why he had lied about the baseball tickets.

Will noted that he lied because he did not want to tell Sonny that he did not want to go out with him. Not fooled, Sami remarked that Will's demeanor had changed drastically since the morning. Avoiding the subject, Will reminded Sami that they had agreed to stay out of one another's love lives.

"I'm sorry. You're my son. I have to help you," Sami said. Will explained that he was not good enough for Sonny.

E.J. met with Justin at the square to talk about their prior discussion. Justin noted that E.J. had a right to ask the court for a paternity test. With a sigh, Justin added that he was concerned that E.J. had questioned the integrity of Rafe and Daniel. E.J. countered that he did not question Rafe's and Daniel's integrity but that if the paternity test results questioned their integrity, that was a separate issue.

At the Horton house, Jennifer thought about the private conversation she'd heard between E.J. and Justin about Daniel's involvement with Nicole's paternity test switch. While Jennifer stood in the living room, lost in thought, Nicole walked downstairs and asked Jennifer about the back pain she was having. When Jennifer turned around, Nicole asked Jennifer what was wrong.

"What on earth are you doing to Daniel?" Jennifer asked. Jennifer asked Nicole why she had forced Daniel to tell lies about the paternity of Nicole's baby. Stunned, Nicole turned away and went silent. Jennifer noted that she believed that Nicole was carrying E.J.'s baby. Nicole declined the accusation, but Jennifer was not swayed.

Jennifer worried aloud that Nicole could destroy Daniel's career. With a shrug, Nicole accused Jennifer of making up a story. Jennifer laughed. Nicole warned Jennifer to back off or else Daniel would get upset. Jennifer asked Nicole what she had used to blackmail Daniel into helping her.

"You tried to kill Victor. That's Daniel's godfather. You coached Chloe on how to lie to Daniel when she was carrying Philip's baby. Daniel wouldn't do anything for you unless you were holding something over his head. He certainly wouldn't risk his career to lie for you," Jennifer said. Nicole said she had not blackmailed Daniel and that he cared for her.

"If he didn't, he would have never made love to me," Nicole said. Jennifer was taken aback. Nicole continued and noted that Rafe was the father of her baby. Jennifer asked Nicole why she did not move in with Daniel. Knitting her brow, Nicole stressed that she and Daniel wanted to keep their relationship a secret. Jennifer said that Nicole was lying. Jennifer added that Nicole had worked to keep Jennifer away from Daniel since Jack died.

"If you were so sure of him, you wouldn't do that," Jennifer said. Fighting her emotions, Jennifer argued that no matter how hurt Rafe had been by Sami, he would never have slept with Nicole. Jennifer informed Nicole that her secret was out. Fighting back tears, Nicole stated that she had been there for Daniel after Lexie's funeral and that she had been there for Daniel when he had no longer been able to perform surgery. Nicole accused Jennifer of enjoying leading Daniel on and breaking his heart.

"You are a cheap, hateful tramp," Jennifer yelled at Nicole as Abigail walked into the house. Jennifer apologized to Abigail, and Abigail went upstairs. Jennifer informed Nicole that she was not sorry for anything she had said to Nicole. Annoyed, Jennifer left for work. As Nicole stood alone in the living room, Abigail returned to the room and asked if Jennifer was okay.

"No. But I think it is something we should talk about," Nicole said somberly. Nicole fixed a pot of peppermint tea and sat on the couch with Abigail. Nicole told Abigail that since Jennifer had lost Jack, Nicole understood why Jennifer was on edge. Nicole confided to Abigail that in addition to yelling at Nicole, Jennifer had also yelled Daniel. Nodding, Abigail admitted that she and Jennifer had fought as well. Nicole promised to keep a low profile and to avoid Jennifer. When Nicole asked Abigail not to listen to what Jennifer said about her, a curious Abigail asked Nicole what Jennifer would say.

At the hospital, Daniel called Chad and left him a voicemail asking Chad to talk to him about the wedding. At the coffeehouse, Chad's phone beeped, informing him that he had a voicemail message. Before Chad could check his messages, Sonny stopped by the table and informed Chad that he had a big date that evening. With a grin, Sonny told Chad that his date was with Will. Chad said that he was happy for Sonny.

After Chad left, a cheerful Sonny greeted Melanie as she walked in. Melanie asked if Sonny had seen Chad, but Sonny noted that Chad had left.

Gabi apologized to Nick for taking so long to return to work at the pub. As a goodwill gesture, Gabi offered to help Nick clear a table, and she accidentally knocked the tray of dishes to the floor. Nick softly urged Gabi to calm down. With a grin, Nick joked that he had not dropped any plates until Gabi helped him. As Gabi laughed, a stressed-out Chad lurked outside the pub and watched through the window as Nick laughed with Gabi inside.

Outside, Chad thought about his conversation with E.J. about whether Gabi could be trusted. Inside the pub, Nick joked with Gabi and stood close to her. Gabi asked Nick if he enjoyed working at the pub. Nodding, Nick admitted that he liked his job. Outside, Chad imagined what he believed Nick and Gabi were saying to one another. In Chad's mind, Nick admitted that he had never stopped yearning for Melanie, and he asked Gabi if she felt the same way about Chad.

At the hospital, Maxine informed Daniel about a welcome back party for Jennifer. When Maxine offered to change the date of the party so that Daniel could attend, Daniel noted that he did not want to go to the party on any night. Confused, Maxine asked if Daniel and Jennifer had talked since their fight about the office. Daniel explained that he needed to maintain his distance from Jennifer. "Cut me out on anything personal," Daniel told Maxine.

As Daniel stood in the lounge alone, Jennifer walked into the room. Daniel attempted to leave, but Jennifer asked him to stay and talk to her. Jennifer explained that she knew about Daniel and Nicole. "I can't believe that you would let that woman and her lies jeopardize your career. If you keep this up, that is exactly what she is going to do," Jennifer said.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Kate showed Brady a business proposal. Brady recognized Madison's handwriting and realized that it was one of her ideas. Brady approved the idea, and Kate admitted that she had expected him to deny the request.

Brady said that putting Titan back on top would be the perfect way to honor Madison's memory. "We just have to figure out now how we're going to destroy the competition...and your stepsister," Kate said. Brady hoped that Kate was only talking about destroying Sami's company.

Kate assured Brady that she knew how to keep her business and personal matters separate from each other. "Well, the good news is...I feel the same way. I want to take her down, too. I love my sister...but she's made some bad choices, and she's gonna pay for them," Brady promised.

At the hospital, Jennifer revealed that she knew that Daniel had been lying about Nicole's baby. Jennifer demanded to know why Daniel was willing to risk his career and his reputation for Nicole. Daniel said that Jennifer didn't have all of the facts, but she ignored his comment. Jennifer pointed out that there was still time for Daniel to change his mind, but he refused to do that to Nicole.

"She's using you. You are her latest victim. That's what she does with men -- she ruins their lives and she uses them. And she must be really good at it, because your B.S. monitor is usually a lot more finely tuned than this, so tell me...how did she do it, Daniel? How did Nicole get you to sleep with her?" Jennifer asked. Jennifer guessed that Nicole was blackmailing Daniel or Melanie, but he denied Jennifer's suspicion.

Daniel tried to leave, but Jennifer stopped him. Jennifer revealed that E.J. planned to take legal action as soon as the baby was born. Jennifer continued to wonder why Daniel had risked everything to help Nicole. Daniel refused to answer Jennifer's questions, and he abruptly exited the room. Later, Brady found Jennifer crying in one of the break rooms. Brady wondered what was wrong.

Jennifer said that she felt like she had been overreacting to everything recently. "I don't feel like I have the capacity to forgive and be tolerant of other people right now. Really, I don't. I feel like I want everyone to be perfect and wonderful...and to not disappoint me. And I feel like I'm judging them, and it's so wrong. I mean, who -- who can live up to that, Brady?" Jennifer asked.

Brady summarized that Jennifer had a friend who had done something that she didn't approve of. Jennifer nodded and said that she wasn't sure if she could deal with that person anymore. Brady wondered if Jennifer really needed someone like that in her life.

At the Horton house, Nicole told Abigail that someone had been lying to Jennifer about Nicole, Rafe, and their baby. Nicole claimed that she wanted to protect Jennifer, but she added that she was going to need Abigail's help. Nicole asked Abigail to try to prevent Jennifer from spreading the lies to other people. Abigail couldn't recall a single time that Jennifer had talked about Nicole. Nicole said that she wanted to keep it that way.

Nicole recommended refraining from making her life a topic of conversation. Nicole wondered if she and Abigail were on the same page. Abigail admitted that she wasn't sure if she and Nicole were even reading the same book. Changing the subject, Nicole wondered how Abigail and Cameron were doing. Abigail snapped at Nicole for mentioning Cameron's name.

Nicole guessed that Cameron had broken Abigail's heart. Nicole offered to help, but Abigail wasn't willing to talk about the situation yet. Abigail thanked Nicole for the offer and exited the room. After Abigail left, Nicole muttered that it was easy to trick a kid, adding that it was going to be more difficult to trick Jennifer. Later, Daniel arrived and told Nicole about E.J.'s plan to take legal action against her after the baby was born.

Daniel pointed out that E.J. had no proof, and he added that E.J. also wasn't aware that anyone knew about his plans. Daniel said that he had already called Rafe to warn him about the new development. Nicole suggested that Jennifer might be the biggest threat, since she worked at the hospital and had access to the medical records.

Nicole noted that Jennifer had been a vindictive mess recently, and she added that Jennifer hated Nicole and Daniel's relationship. Daniel insisted that Jennifer would never tell anyone, but Nicole wasn't convinced. Daniel seemed tormented, and he admitted that he had not been able to forget about the look of disapproval that he had seen on Jennifer's face earlier. Nicole wondered if Daniel was having second thoughts.

Daniel promised that he would never betray Nicole, and he vowed to do whatever he had to do to protect her baby. Daniel abruptly excused himself. After Daniel left, Nicole grabbed a photograph of Jennifer, dropped it on the floor, and started sobbing as she stomped on it.

At Common Grounds, Melanie observed that Sonny seemed excited. Sonny said that he was looking forward to his date with Will later that night. Sonny hoped that the date would go well. Melanie started to say that she was happy for Sonny and Will, but she got distracted when she realized that Chad had not yet arrived at the coffeehouse. Melanie noted that Chad was extremely late, and she hoped that he was all right.

Later, Adrienne hugged Melanie and congratulated her. Adrienne offered to help Melanie find the perfect wedding dress, since Carly wasn't going to be back in Salem in time to take on that responsibility. Melanie was pleased to see that someone was genuinely happy for her.

Adrienne approached the bar and handed Sonny his cell phone, which he had left at the mansion earlier. Sonny was relieved to learn that he hadn't lost his phone. Sonny noted that he had received a voicemail message from Will. Adrienne said that Justin had told her that Sonny and Will had worked everything out, and she claimed that she was happy for Sonny.

As Sonny started to listen to his voicemail messages, he knowingly stated that Adrienne wasn't really happy, but he added that he appreciated the fact that she had pretended to be. Adrienne started to protest, but she stopped when she realized that Sonny looked extremely disappointed. "Will just cancelled the date. Happy now?" Sonny asked.

Later, Melanie and Abigail browsed through a catalogue of wedding dresses. Cameron entered the coffeehouse and briefly made eye contact with Abigail, but he quickly left after purchasing a cup of coffee. Melanie wondered if Abigail was all right. Abigail reluctantly admitted that she might have been too insecure to be in a real relationship with Cameron. Melanie said that she knew from experience that relationships never worked unless both people were in the same place emotionally.

In Sami's apartment, Sami wondered why Will believed that he wasn't good enough for Sonny. Will avoided the question and started to leave, but Sami stopped him. Sami noted that Will had been excited about his date earlier, and she guessed that something had happened at the Kiriakis mansion. Sami knew that Maggie wouldn't have said anything rude about Will, so she guessed that Victor had said something.

Sami grabbed her purse and started to storm out of the apartment, but Will stopped her. Will assured Sami that Victor hadn't said anything. Sami urged Will to reveal the person's name, but he refused to do so. "It doesn't matter, anyway, because everything she said was right," Will said. Sami caught the reference to a female and quickly realized that Will was talking about Adrienne.

Sami insisted that Adrienne was crazy, and she added that Will would make a great boyfriend for Sonny -- or anyone else, for that matter. "Really? I don't think so. I mean, did you forget that your perfect son, for example, blackmailed E.J.? Or that he lies to people? Lies to himself about being gay? Lies to his girlfriend? She's been a great friend to me, and I just made her miserable," Will said, and he winced as he silently recalled having sex with Gabi.

Sami said that Will had made a mistake because he had been confused, but he believed that it was a pattern of behavior. "You know what's funny? Even when I was little, I couldn't -- I couldn't color between the lines, right? Doesn't that kind of seem like a sure sign of future failure?" Will asked. Sami insisted that Will was a great young man, but he disagreed.

"Look at my life. I mean, I messed it up. Messed up other people's lives, you know? And it's funny, because I was so disrespectful to you for doing the same things over and over again...and making the same mistakes. I do the same thing. I am just like you, you know? I hate that," Will said with a sigh, and he abruptly exited the apartment.

Later, at the Horton Town Square, Kate passed Will, who seemed completely deflated. Will claimed that he was on his way to the coffeehouse, but Kate noted that the coffeehouse was in the opposite direction. Will sighed as he looked at Kate, and she guessed that Sami was responsible for his mood. "No, I'm in this mood because your grandson is a loser. I did this all to myself," Will said.

Kate assured Will that almost everything could be fixed. Kate added that if Will couldn't resolve the issue on his own, she could use her unlimited resources to help him. Will assumed that Kate was trying to be funny, but she insisted that she truly believed that he could fix any mistake.

"No, I can't. That's not possible. My life is a train wreck -- and why is anybody surprised, really? I mean, look at my mom, look at my dad -- no offense, look at you. None of us know how to be happy. Why am I fighting this? You know, why don't I embrace the dysfunction that's been in my family for generations? It's been in my DNA. It's up to me to carry on the proud family legacy of misery, right?" Will asked, and he slowly walked away. Kate sighed as she watched Will leave.

Elsewhere, Sami spotted Adrienne and marched over to confront her. Sami glared at Adrienne and demanded to know why she believed that Will wasn't good enough for Sonny. Adrienne admitted that she had initially been concerned that Will might hurt Sonny, and she added that Will had hurt Sonny when he had cancelled their date for no reason.

"He has a good reason. His reason is that he heard you saying horrible things about him. He heard you talking to Justin -- saying that he doesn't deserve to date Sonny, that he's not good enough for Sonny," Sami revealed. Adrienne said that she had been unaware that Will had been at the mansion earlier. Sami sarcastically stated that Adrienne's ignorance made the whole situation much better.

Adrienne claimed that she had never said that Will wasn't good enough to date Sonny. "Oh, really? Then where did he come up with that crazy idea? Because he started this morning feeling great about himself, and now he is totally devastated. Adrienne, you owe my son an apology, and you should tell him that you were wrong about him," Sami said, as Kate listened nearby.

Adrienne said that she was sorry that Will had overheard her conversation with Justin, and she added that she was also sorry that he had taken her comments as a personal attack. Sami wondered if there was any other way to take those comments. Kate approached Adrienne and demanded to know why she had attacked Will. Kate said that she had just seen Will, who had been too proud to tell her what was wrong.

Kate advised Adrienne to fix the situation. Sami warned that Adrienne didn't want to mess with her and Kate, and Kate agreed that no one in their right mind would ever want to do that. "You just don't get it, do you? I can't take back what I said to Will. I can't apologize for it...because every single word of it was true," Adrienne said.

Sami insisted that Adrienne was wrong, and she said that Will was the one thing that she had gotten right in her life. Sami said that Will was a good, kind, decent young man, and she added that anyone would be lucky to be in a relationship with him. Kate firmly agreed, and Adrienne wondered why Kate was defending Sami after everything that Sami had done to Lucas.

Kate insisted that Lucas and Sami's history was irrelevant. "Sami was a good mother to Will, and you should count your lucky stars that your son had the good fortune to fall for someone who has the incredible qualities that Will has," Kate added. Sami agreed, and she warned that Sonny would lose out on a great guy if Adrienne tried to ruin his relationship with Will.

Adrienne said that Sonny had a mind of his own, and she insisted that she would never try to interfere with or control her son's love life. Sami scoffed and told Kate that Adrienne had actually managed to say that with a straight face. Kate nodded and reminded Sami that Adrienne had already tried to ruin Sonny and Will's relationship.

Adrienne stressed that Will had overheard a private conversation, but she added that she wasn't surprised that he had eavesdropped, since Sami and Kate were two of the major influences in his life. Kate insisted that Adrienne had no right to weigh Will down with Kate and Sami's baggage. Adrienne hoped that Sami and Kate were right, but she predicted that Will would eventually break Sonny's heart.

Sami insisted that Will wasn't like that. Adrienne shook her head skeptically and walked away. After Adrienne left, Sami thanked Kate, who said that she had simply spoken the truth. Sami smirked as she recalled that Kate had said that Sami was a good mother. Kate nodded and said that Will was one subject that she and Sami agreed on. Sami said that was refreshing.

Kate added that her feelings for Sami had not changed. Kate warned that she planned to bury Sami. Sami wondered when Kate had started stealing Vivian's ideas. Kate clarified that she was referring to her business rivalry with Sami. Sami breathed a sigh of relief and said that she was glad that Kate wasn't planning to offer her an apple. Kate insisted that she wasn't kidding, and she vowed to take Sami down.

Later, in Sami's apartment, Will found some loose coloring book pages laying on a table. As Will inspected the pages, Sami entered the room. Will was amazed that Sami had kept his old art projects. Sami held up one of the pages to prove that Will had been able to color inside the lines. Will countered with a different page that proved that he had not always done so. "Hey, you learned. You'll keep on learning," Sami said.

Outside the Brady Pub, Chad watched as Nick and Gabi continued to talk to each other. Chad imagined that Gabi and Nick were plotting against Chad and Melanie. Meanwhile, inside the pub, Nick excused himself and went to the kitchen. After Nick left, Chad entered the pub and demanded to know what Gabi and Nick had been talking about.

Gabi said that she and Nick had been joking about some broken dishes, but Chad refused to believe her. Chad theorized that Gabi and Nick were still obsessed with Chad and Melanie. Gabi told Chad to get over himself and started to walk away. Chad grabbed Gabi's arm and said that he wasn't done talking to her.

Nick emerged from the kitchen and told Chad to let Gabi go. Chad tried to provoke Nick, suggesting that Nick had started stalking Melanie again. Chad knocked over a chair and challenged Nick to join him outside so that they could settle their differences. Caroline entered the room and told Nick to return to the kitchen.

Chad demanded to know why Caroline had hired Nick. "Let's get something straight here, Chad -- I hire whomever I want to hire to work for me, and it's none of your business. You believe that you're helping Melanie, but harassing Nick is not the way, so you need to stay away from Nick and Gabi when they're here -- and if you're smart, you'll stay away from them when they're not," Caroline advised Chad.

Chad sighed and quietly exited the pub, warning Gabi to watch her step as he walked past her. Later, Gabi listened as Caroline talked to someone on the phone. "Josephine, I have been ordering dinnerware from you for over thirty years, and you have never once been late for delivery, so -- what? I don't have them, I'm telling you," Caroline said.

Gabi interrupted and reminded Caroline that the shipment had arrived earlier that day. Gabi added that Caroline had signed for the shipment herself. Caroline apologized profusely to Josephine and ended the call. Caroline shrugged and said that she had been extremely busy lately. Caroline approached Nick and wondered what he would have done if she hadn't intervened earlier.

Nick explained that Chad had been hurting Gabi. Nick said that he had simply tried to do the right thing. Caroline understood, but she reminded Nick that he was on parole. Caroline said that Nick couldn't afford to get involved in situations like that, and she advised him to ask her for help the next time. Nick agreed and thanked Caroline for everything that she had done for him.

Caroline hoped that Nick would feel the same way after she took the cost of the broken dishes out of his paycheck. After Caroline left, Gabi thanked Nick for standing up to Chad for her. Gabi handed Nick some cash to cover the broken dishes that Caroline had charged him for, explaining that she couldn't let a friend pay for her mistakes.

Back in Chad's apartment, Chad angrily tossed his jacket across the room, knocking over a framed photograph of him and Melanie in the process. Chad muttered that he was certain that Nick and Gabi were lying. Chad opened his tablet computer and stared at a picture of Nick, vowing that Nick would never get another opportunity to hurt Melanie. Later, Melanie entered the apartment.

"Look, I've been thinking a lot about this, and we need to leave Salem for good," Chad announced.

At Common Grounds, Rafe tried to call Nicole, but the call went to voicemail. Rafe left a brief message to assure Nicole that he would help her deal with E.J.'s latest threats.

After ending the call, Rafe greeted Gabi, who noticed the bruise on his forehead. Rafe explained that he had gotten into a fight with E.J. earlier. Rafe stressed that the fight had not been about Sami. Rafe insisted that he wasn't interested in Sami, but Gabi shrugged and suggested that liking Sami wasn't necessarily a bad thing. "The happiest I've ever seen you...was when you were with Sami," Gabi observed.

At the Brady Pub, Hope greeted Bo, who was making a list of jobs that he could consider doing if he decided to leave the Salem Police Department. Hope glanced at Bo's list. "'Open detective agency' -- check! You've already done that. 'Security consultant?' Geez, Brady, when did you become so boring?" Hope asked. Bo defensively stated that it made sense to focus on careers that involved his area of expertise.

Hope disagreed, and she said that she had read an article that explained how men could live longer, happier lives. Hope said that the article suggested that the men who had decided to pursue their dreams were living longer, happier lives as a result of that decision. Hope advised Bo to choose something that he had always wanted to do.

Before Bo could respond, Abe and Theo entered the pub and greeted them. Abe and Bo briefly discussed the police department's pay cuts, and Bo told Abe that he hadn't made a final decision about the job yet. Meanwhile, Theo approached Nick, who was cleaning a nearby table. Extending a hand, Nick introduced himself to Theo. Before Theo could say anything, Abe interrupted and led his son back to Bo and Hope's table.

Later, Nick bumped into Gabi as he exited the pub. Nick explained that he was taking a break, and Gabi offered to join him. Nick declined the offer, stating that he wanted some privacy. Gabi wondered if Nick was all right. Nick claimed that he was fine, and Gabi watched as he exited the pub.

Meanwhile, Abe excused himself so that he could meet Cameron, who was going to be watching Theo that day. "I'm gonna head up a committee that's helping to rebuild areas of the city that were hardest hit by the explosion," Abe explained. Abe added that the police department would suffer a huge loss if Bo decided to retire. Bo hugged Abe and thanked him for the kind words.

After Abe and Theo left, Bo told Hope that he still didn't know what he was going to do. Bo recalled that he had once dreamed of playing for the Chicago Cubs, being an astronaut, or being a cowboy, but none of those dreams had worked out, so he had joined the police force instead. Bo said that was who he was, but Hope insisted that being a police officer was just his job. Hope reiterated that Bo needed to follow his dreams.

Later, Bo showed Hope his new list, and he admitted that creating the list had been liberating. Hope wondered if leaving the police department would also feel liberating. Bo nodded and said that he would no longer be forced to beat his head against a wall every day. Hope believed that Bo was exaggerating, but he reminded her that the DiMeras always managed to get away with their crimes.

Bo believed that the cycle would never end, and he noted that none of the items on his list would be nearly as frustrating as his pursuit of the DiMeras had been. Hope conceded Bo's point and agreed that, thanks to the system, their hands were often tied. Bo started to say something, but he abruptly stopped himself.

Hope's curiosity was piqued, but Bo evasively pointed out that she was going to be late for work. After Hope left, Bo grabbed his pen and looked at his list again. "If I weren't a cop, my hands wouldn't be tied. Better not put that on the list," Bo muttered.

In Sami's apartment, Sami and Lucas discussed a sleepover that Allie was planning to attend later that night. Lucas mentioned Rafe and E.J.'s recent fight, and he asked Sami to try to keep the drama away from Allie. Lucas wondered if E.J. and Rafe would eventually realize that Sami wasn't worth fighting over. Sami told Lucas that he was being mean. Lucas said that sparing Sami's feelings wasn't high on his list of priorities.

Lucas observed that Sami couldn't handle being alone. Sami wondered if Lucas and Rafe had been comparing notes recently. Sami theorized that Lucas was simply afraid that she would start to pursue him again, since she wasn't with Rafe or E.J.

Lucas ignored Sami's comment and suggested that they could try to be civil for the sake of their children. Sami wondered if Lucas had talked to Will recently. Lucas said that he and Will had worked things out, but he added that Sami was missing the point.

"The point is, I don't want to be with you anymore. I am not interested in you anymore -- not in the slightest bit. Not even a little bit. Not -- zero, zilch, nada, zip. You know what? Believe me, this is not where some guy tells a girl that he's really not interested as some kind of ploy. I am not interested in you. I am sick of the shenanigans you pull on me every single time I turn around," Lucas insisted.

Sami seemed intrigued, and she wondered if guys really did things like that. "You are so unbelievable. You're the queen of game-playing, right? Guys can't play games too? Only girls can play games? Only you can play games over and over again, every second of every day, ever since we've been together?" Lucas asked, and he added that it would be best for him to leave. Sami urged Lucas to do so, and he stormed out of the apartment.

Later, at the Horton Town Square, Kate was talking to someone on her cell phone. Kate noted that a rumor could easily be treated as a fact if it was repeated enough times. Kate abruptly ended the call as Sami entered the town square. Kate greeted Sami, who warned that she wasn't in the mood to talk to Kate. Kate wasn't surprised, and she noted that Sami was probably busy dealing with the public relations nightmare.

Sami wondered what Kate was talking about. "Oh, I'm sorry -- I mean, I just assumed. It's all over the Internet. You haven't heard about the conditions of your overseas factories? People are saying that there's probably going to be an investigation into multiple labor law violations," Kate explained, as Rafe hid nearby and eavesdropped. Sami insisted that the rumors were false.

Kate innocently stated that she was simply repeating what she had heard from multiple sources. Sami insisted that she knew exactly what was going on at Countess Wilhelmina. Kate assured Sami that it was easy for things to slip through the cracks when a company was expanding rapidly. Kate observed that Sami was trying to raise her profile, and she guessed that Sami wouldn't want a lot of negative attention.

Rafe approached Kate and Sami. "Let's just hope it doesn't come back to bite you in the butt, too. Come on, you know how rumors are -- they circle around till everyone's affected, especially on the Internet. Always someone new to attack there," Rafe told Kate. Kate reminded Rafe that she and Sami had not been talking about Mad World. Rafe shrugged and suggested that Mad World would be the next logical target.

Rafe reminded Kate that he had once worked for the FBI. Rafe added that he had spent some time working on a special FCC task force, and he assured Kate that Internet-based rumors could quickly spiral out of control. Rafe hoped that Kate and Sami would be able to fix the problem before it reached that point. Kate shrugged and claimed that there was nothing that she could do about the rumor, since it was already on the Internet.

"Well, these things are a lot more traceable than most people think," Rafe pointedly stated. Kate forced a smile and said that she would do her part to prepare Mad World for the possible fallout. After moving a safe distance away from Rafe and Sami, Kate placed a phone call to someone. "Okay, there's been a change in tactics. Delete the postings -- immediately," Kate said.

Meanwhile, Sami and Rafe laughed about Kate's reaction. Sami thanked Rafe for rescuing her again. Sami noted that Rafe had been going out of his way to help her recently, and she urged him to tell her how he really felt about her. Rafe admitted that he wasn't sure.

"Well, let me tell you how I feel. Every time I look at you, I am so mad at myself for what I did. I don't understand how I could let go of something -- how could I not -- I'm talking too much already. I just would like time...if it's okay with you. I think we could just talk, you know? I mean, maybe we could just sit down somewhere and talk about everything...and just -- just see where it goes," Sami suggested.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Brady told Maggie that Adrienne had mentioned something about a wedding that was only two weeks away. Brady wondered what Adrienne had been talking about. Maggie explained that Chad and Melanie had gotten engaged the previous day. Maggie admitted that she had been unaware that the wedding date had been moved up.

Victor entered the room. "Melanie wants to marry a DiMera? Has the girl lost her mind?" Victor asked, and he and Brady started to discuss the various ways that they could stop the wedding. Maggie interrupted and insisted that Victor and Brady were not allowed to ruin Melanie's plans. Brady started to protest, but Victor stopped him. Victor knowingly stated that Maggie was just as concerned as he and Brady were.

"All right, there's no point in arguing. Melanie is making a mistake. I know it, Brady knows it, and so do you. One call and we can put this whole engagement fiasco behind us," Victor said, reaching for a nearby phone. Maggie told Victor to put the phone down, but he insisted that he wasn't going to let Melanie marry into the DiMera family of criminals.

Maggie said that Chad was nothing like Stefano, but Victor wasn't convinced. Brady said that Melanie was in love with Chad, and he added that there was nothing that Victor could do to change that. "I can stop her from marrying the twit," Victor said, placing the phone to his ear. Victor started to tell someone that he had a job for them, but Maggie grabbed the phone and gently reiterated that he needed to stop.

Maggie insisted that Victor couldn't just hire someone to take care of the situation. Victor started to wonder why he couldn't do that, but he abruptly stopped himself and asked if Melanie was pregnant. Maggie assured Victor that Melanie wasn't pregnant. Victor wondered why Melanie was in a hurry to get married. Brady guessed that the wedding had something to do with Nick.

Brady decided to try to persuade Chad to slow things down. Victor wanted to join Brady, but Maggie insisted that Victor needed to stay at the mansion and do nothing. Victor said that wasn't his forte, but Maggie urged him to try it. Maggie and Brady left, and Victor sighed as he looked at the phone. Maggie poked her head back into the room and reiterated that Victor was not to call anyone while she was gone.

In Chad's apartment, Melanie assumed that Chad was kidding about moving away from Salem. Chad insisted that he was being serious, and he wondered how Melanie felt about the idea. Melanie guessed that Chad wanted to leave Salem because of Nick. Chad said that he simply wanted to protect Melanie, but she said that wasn't his job.

Chad disagreed, and he started to talk about Andrew. Melanie interrupted and insisted that Chad wasn't responsible for what Andrew had done. Chad silently recalled his earlier argument with Gabi in the town square, and he told Melanie that he couldn't stand to lose her. Melanie assured Chad that he wasn't going to lose her, and she urged him to change the subject.

Chad nodded and presented Melanie with a wrapped gift. Inside the box, Melanie found a scarf. Melanie loved the scarf, which Chad said had reminded him of her. Meanwhile, Chad received a text message from Sonny, who needed help at the coffeehouse. Melanie kissed Chad and made him promise to stop talking about leaving Salem.

Later, Maggie greeted Melanie, who could tell that Maggie wasn't happy about the new wedding date. Maggie said that she just wanted to make sure that Melanie was getting married for the right reasons. Melanie insisted that she loved Chad. Maggie started to ask about Nick, but Melanie interrupted her.

"You know what would be great, Grandma? If you and everybody else would just let me be happy with Chad...and not talk about Nick Fallon for two seconds. I'm tired of defending myself to you and everybody else who claims to love me!" Melanie snapped. Melanie wondered why Adrienne was the only person who was happy about the wedding.

Maggie said that she was just concerned because it seemed like Melanie was in a rush to get married for some reason. Melanie insisted that it didn't matter if she and Chad got married two weeks or two years after they got engaged. Melanie reiterated that she loved Chad, and she wondered why that wasn't enough for Maggie.

Maggie started to say something, but Melanie stopped her and tearfully stated that she didn't want to continue the argument. Melanie said that she had a dress-fitting scheduled for later that day. Melanie insisted that she didn't want to think about the fact that most of her loved ones believed that she was making a big mistake. Maggie conceded that Melanie was right and promised to fully support her granddaughter.

Maggie added that she would consider it a privilege to watch Melanie get married. Melanie skeptically asked what the catch was. Maggie assured Melanie that there was no catch, and she advised Melanie to listen to her heart. Maggie admitted that she should have said that earlier, and she abruptly excused herself. After Maggie left, Melanie grabbed her new scarf and exited the apartment.

Back at Common Grounds, Brady revealed that Sonny had sent Chad a text message on Brady's behalf. Brady wondered why Chad and Melanie were in a rush to get married. Chad insisted that it was none of Brady's business. Brady said that he was simply trying to help out.

"Help? Like how you helped when she was missing in the first place? Yeah, yeah -- you were the big hero that day, right? I'm sorry, but it was the wrong person," Chad snapped. Chad started to walk away, but Brady stopped him and demanded to know what he meant. "You mean to tell me that it's never crossed your mind that if you hadn't been down in those tunnels, maybe you would have been with Madison instead, and maybe she wouldn't be dead?" Chad asked.

Chad started to walk away again, but Brady grabbed him. Brady warned that he would put Chad through a wall the next time that Chad said something like that about Madison. Chad apologized and admitted that he had crossed a line. Chad explained that he had simply been under a lot of pressure because of Nick. Brady wondered if Chad really believed that it was a good idea to get married right away.

Chad said that he loved Melanie and wanted to be with her. Brady suggested postponing the wedding, but Chad felt that it would be pointless to wait. Brady said that the point was that Chad's wedding was supposed to be the happiest day of his life, and Brady could tell that Chad wasn't happy. Brady warned that the whole thing could fall apart unless Chad agreed to take a step back and reevaluate the situation.

Back at the Kiriakis mansion, Victor found Kate standing in the living room. Kate explained that Henderson, who had always had a soft spot for her, had let her in. Kate offered Victor a martini and said that they needed to discuss business. Kate started to explain that she wanted to destroy Sami and Countess Wilhelmina, but she stopped herself when she realized that Victor was in a bad mood.

"How astute of you. No wonder Sami's never been able to get the drop on you," Victor dryly stated. Kate guessed that there was trouble in paradise, but Victor insisted that she was wrong. Victor explained that Chad was in a rush to marry Melanie so that he could protect her from Nick. Victor added that he could handle the Nick situation with a single phone call.

Kate guessed that Maggie had forbidden Victor from taking action. Maggie entered the mansion in time to hear Kate refer to her as Goody Two-Shoes. "And one of my shoes is about to kick your behind out of here, Kate. You have exactly ten seconds," Maggie said, and she started to count down from ten.

Kate thanked Victor for the drink and optimistically suggested that she might actually get to finish a drink next time. Maggie advised Kate not to count on it. After Kate left, Victor started to offer an explanation, but Maggie interrupted him. Maggie said that she loved Victor, and she suggested that it would be best for him to quit while he was ahead.

Back at the Horton Town Square, Melanie ran into Nick. "We need to talk...about everything," Melanie said.

In Horton Square, Sami urged Rafe to tell her the truth about how he really felt. Rafe admitted that while his feelings toward her had once been clear, he wasn't so sure anymore. Sami suggested that the two of them sit down and talk about things, perhaps over dinner. Shaking his head, Rafe said that Sami was asking more of him than he was able to give.

Sami reassured him that she didn't want any more from him than a conversation -- not a commitment or a "do-over" -- but she'd noticed that things had been different between them, and she wanted a chance to clear the air. Rafe again declined her invitation, and he walked away.

Sami was lost in thought a little while later when Rafe approached her. "Dinner. Once. And that's all. I'll make the reservations, and I'll be in touch," he said tersely before turning and leaving.

Across the square, Billie ran into E.J., and mentioned the fight she'd heard about between him and Rafe. Billie warned E.J. not to let Will and Allie get caught in the crossfire. "I can assure you that my days of fighting Rafe Hernandez are over," E.J. promised. "So you've given up on Sami?" Billie asked. E.J. wondered why that concerned Billie.

Billie posited that Sami would always be a little girl in search of the daddy she'd never had -- since E.J.'s father had taken her father away from her. "Sami Brady wants a white knight, and you don't exactly fit that bill. I would bet money...that she's just going to keep all of her options open," Billie declared with a lighthearted shrug before strolling away.

When E.J. and Rafe bumped into each other, Rafe reiterated his warning to E.J. to stay away from Sami. E.J. pointed out that it would be difficult, since the two of them shared children and lived across the hall from one another. "The question is why do you care? Because I thought that you had washed your hands of her," E.J. wondered. Before Rafe could respond, E.J. taunted him about how busy Nicole and Rafe would be raising their baby once it was born -- and then Sami would want nothing to do with Rafe.

E.J. continued to needle Rafe, who refused to take the bait. Rafe's ringing cell phone interrupted them, and E.J. eavesdropped while Rafe made dinner reservations for two in a private area of the restaurant. "Romantic evening planned, eh? Who's the lucky lady?" E.J. asked, but Rafe merely took a sip of his coffee.

As Nicole napped on the couch at the Horton house, she had a nightmare about E.J. menacing her and her newborn son. She awakened with a start to the little guy kicking up a storm inside her belly. Near tears as to what could happen if E.J. learned that he was, indeed, her son's father, Nicole fretted about how to keep the truth from getting out. She calmed down a bit as she folded some new baby clothes, and then inspiration struck as she looked around at the family photographs that filled the room.

"You know what they say: a picture is worth a thousand words." Nicole dug through some pictures until she found the one of Rafe that she was looking for. She then took some suggestive photos of herself, and sat at the computer until she had edited the images into what appeared to be a photograph of her and Rafe in bed together. "Now I just have to make sure the right person sees it," Nicole said.

A little while later, Nicole stepped off the elevator on Sami's floor, armed with a legal envelope and the image of her and Rafe in bed, which she'd uploaded to her cell phone. Nicole knocked on Sami's door and claimed that the envelope contained divorce paperwork that Nicole needed to give to E.J., who wasn't home. Sami refused and asked Nicole to leave.

On her way out, Nicole "accidentally" spilled the contents of her purse all over the floor. Sami helped Nicole pick it all back up and was a bit startled to find a picture of Sydney had fallen out of Nicole's wallet. Nicole merely shrugged that off -- and at last, Sami reached the cell phone picture of Nicole and Rafe in bed. "What the hell is this?" Sami demanded.

At Common Grounds, Adrienne greeted Maggie warmly, but Maggie's response was on the chilly side. Maggie took Adrienne to task for encouraging Melanie to go ahead with a wedding that Maggie felt was "a flying leap into disaster." A befuddled Adrienne asked why Maggie was so upset about a seemingly happy event.

Maggie apologized for taking her frustrations out on Adrienne, and explained that she believed Melanie was rushing into the marriage for all the wrong reasons. Adrienne confided that she'd had plenty of reservations about marrying a Kiriakis when she and Justin had first gotten together, but in the years since, she'd wished they hadn't waited so long to get married.

Maggie admitted that she feared Chad was rushing into things after what had happened with Andrew, and then Nick's parole, in order to protect Melanie. Adrienne sympathized. With a sigh, she acknowledged, "You really do have to let kids run their own lives. And I really should not be giving out that advice unless I'm ready to take it myself." Maggie then left to meet Melanie for a dress fitting.

Nearby, Sonny stepped into a back room to leave a message asking why Will had cancelled their date. He returned in time to overhear what his mom said to Maggie about letting kids run their own lives.

After Maggie had gone, Sonny joined Adrienne at a booth. Adrienne stated sincerely that she really needed to apologize to both Sonny and Will. She explained about the conversation that Will had overheard, and apologized profusely for having hurt Will's feelings by insinuating that he wasn't good enough for Sonny. Realizing that was why Will had cancelled their date, Sonny jumped up and left in search of Will.

Marlena and Will were having coffee at the Brady Pub when Will got a phone call from Sonny, but let it roll to voicemail. Marlena noted that her grandson seemed tense, and he admitted that he was. Guessing that it had to do with the young man in whom Will had expressed interest, Marlena assured Will that if the boy couldn't see what a catch Will was, then he wasn't worth Will's time. Will admitted that he'd overheard someone else saying that Will wasn't good enough for the guy -- and Will agreed with them.

"I don't ever want to hear you talk like that," Marlena admonished Will. Will wryly noted that he just kept making mistakes, but Marlena pointed out that everyone messed up sometimes. Although Marlena sang Will's praises, he declared matter-of-factly, "The problem is that I know what goes on in my head, and it's not okay up there. I don't think it'll ever be." Marlena counseled Will that he couldn't expect anyone else to love him unless he loved himself -- but that he also couldn't expect to get along with everyone he met in the world.

Marlena gently urged Will to return the phone call that he'd ignored before. Will hedged that it was too late -- just as a beaming Sonny walked through the door. Sonny apologized for interrupting but asked if he could talk to Will to clear up a misunderstanding.

Sonny and Will stepped outside for some privacy. Sonny explained that he knew all about why Will had cancelled their date. Will admitted that what he'd overheard Adrienne say was hardly news. "She's right; I'm not good enough for you," Will said. "Why don't you let me be the judge of that?" Sonny asked, and the two finally shared a tender kiss.

Chad was a little worried when he returned home to the apartment he and Melanie shared and didn't find a note from Melanie -- but he did find her forgotten cell phone. Thinking that Melanie might have sent him an email, he flipped open her tablet computer, which was open to a headline about Nick's parole. Chad grabbed his keys and charged out the door.

Chad soon arrived at the Brady Pub, where he grilled a waitress about where Nick was. All the waitress could tell him was that Nick had said he was going for a walk to get some air. The waitress also hadn't seen Melanie, so Chad hurried back out.

When Melanie approached Nick in the park to talk, he asked if she were sure it was a good idea, because he didn't want to make things any more uncomfortable for her than they already were. Melanie explained that worrying about him had started to take over her life, so she wanted to put an end to it then and there. She acknowledged that it was inevitable that they would continue to run into each other around town and asked if he really had changed, as everyone in his family seemed to think.

Nick assured Melanie that the time had prison had changed him. Melanie apologized for leading Nick on years earlier when they'd first met, but Nick took full responsibility for everything that had happened. "I'm determined to make a new life for myself here -- and you should do the same. For your own peace of mind, try to leave everything that happened in the past," Nick advised. Melanie agreed to try to trust what Nick was telling her.

Nick said that if he'd known that his parole would require him to stay in Salem, he never would have gone through with it. Melanie acknowledged that the Nick who had kidnapped her would never have given up eighteen months of his life just because she was "in a fragile state." She added that she had just needed to make sure that what she'd been hearing from everyone else about Nick was the truth. Nick could tell that Melanie wasn't fully convinced.

Melanie pointed out that many people whose opinions she trusted believed that Nick had changed -- but Maggie hadn't been sure that Nick had been ready to be paroled, so that had made Melanie question everything. "But I know, deep down, that she believed you deserve another chance, and there is no one's judgment I trust more," Melanie added earnestly. She acknowledged that she'd needed to confront Nick face-to-face, without fear, so that he would no longer have power over her. She extended her hand and declared, "I wish you only the best." Nick echoed her words.

Melanie then had to rush off for her wedding-dress fitting. With a huge sigh of relief, Nick sank onto the bench. He then noticed that Melanie had left behind her scarf, the one that Chad had just given her, and tried to catch up to her, but he couldn't. Nick told himself that he would just return it to Maggie for Melanie, and began to stuff it into his jacket pocket -- just as Chad showed up.

Melanie arrived at Daniel's, where Maggie and the dress designer were waiting. Since the designer had only a few minutes, Melanie hurried into the bedroom to try on the dress. When Melanie emerged a bit later, Maggie burst into tears and embraced her granddaughter. Melanie then reassured Maggie, "You don't have to worry. Everything's going to be fine -- with Chad and with Nick."

As soon as Chad saw Nick with Melanie's scarf, he went ballistic. Chad surprised Nick by grabbing him from behind and punching him in the face. After throwing Nick to the ground, Chad kicked him savagely. "Where is she, you son of a bitch? Where is Melanie?" Chad shouted.