Maggie ran into Jennifer at the hospital and wondered how Abigail was doing in light of E.J.'s recent death. Jennifer reported that Abigail was understandably concerned about Johnny and Sydney but was otherwise fine. Maggie also wanted an update on J.J., and Jennifer guessed that Maggie specifically wanted to know if Eve had managed to break up him and his girlfriend yet. Jennifer confirmed that J.J. and Paige were still together, although she added that he had curiously mentioned wanting to slow things down a bit. "I haven't really seen that happen, but [...] something's bothering J.J. -- a lot -- and I don't know what it is," Jennifer concluded.

Jennifer stressed that J.J. had grown up a lot in the past year and that, as a result, she was confident that he could handle himself and would eventually find a way to work through whatever was going on. "It's a strange feeling when your youngest starts to need you less than they used to," Maggie knowingly mused. Jennifer agreed and added that the phenomenon had left her with lots of extra time on her hands. Jennifer cryptically announced that she had decided to use some of that time to resolve unfinished business. As Jennifer walked away, Maggie quietly hoped that Daniel was the unfinished business in question.

Upon request, Daniel reluctantly met with Kristen in her hotel room. Daniel thought it was a bit too soon for Kristen to be socializing, since one of her brothers had just died the previous day, but she explained that keeping busy helped her cope with the loss. "[When] you keep busy, other people get nervous," Daniel dryly replied before impatiently demanding to know why Kristen had asked to see him.

Kristen explained that she wanted some information from Daniel, and she assured him that it was the kind of information he would happily share with any friend who had Brady's best interests at heart. Daniel stressed that he and Kristen had polar-opposite ideas about what was in Brady's best interest. Daniel added that he and Kristen weren't friends, either, but she seemed undeterred, replying that she was hoping to change that.

Kristen offered Daniel a glass of champagne, but he declined, so she shrugged and sipped her own drink as she explained that, at her request, one of her associates had been following Theresa lately. Kristen handed Daniel some photographs as she added that, surprisingly, Theresa actually had some friends in Salem -- Anne Milbauer and Eve Donovan. Kristen suggested that Theresa might have confided in one -- or both -- of the women about what had really happened to John.

Daniel encouraged Kristen to pursue the lead, confirming that Theresa lacked impulse control. "But...if you think that's the path to getting Brady back, you know, you're gonna have to come through me. [...] You know, Brady's a good guy -- great friend, do almost anything for you -- [but] his only problem is that he has lousy taste in women, so I look after him," Daniel added as he changed his mind and drained the extra glass of champagne Kristen had set aside earlier. Daniel also took a sip of champagne out of Kristen's glass before handing it back to her and starting to leave.

Kristen asked Daniel to stay, admitting that he was just starting to get kind of interesting to her. Kristen flirtatiously played with Daniel's shirt as she added that she was starting to like him in a weird way, since they had finally found something they agreed on. Kristen invited Daniel to stay for a while longer so they could drink some more champagne and have a meeting of the minds. Meanwhile, Jennifer peeked into the hotel room, since Daniel had left the door partially ajar when Kristen had stopped him from leaving earlier.

Jennifer assumed she was interrupting something, but Daniel clarified that he had been about to leave, anyway, and he abruptly exited the room. Kristen admitted that she was surprised to see Jennifer, who explained that she had simply wanted to offer her condolences to Kristen. "How sweet. Well, I mean, especially since you're not talking to me," Kristen somewhat bitterly replied.

Kristen quickly apologized for the comment and admitted that E.J.'s sudden death had been rough on her. Jennifer observed that Kristen seemed to be handling it well, and she wondered if Kristen had set her sights on Daniel as the next man to go after. Kristen took the inquiry as a joke, and she innocently explained that she and Daniel had simply been talking about their mutual concern for Brady -- and that the champagne had simply been her way of being hospitable. Jennifer expressed skepticism, so Kristen encouraged her to ask Daniel for his take on their meeting. "Oh, that's right -- he's not talking to you. Something about you being too judgmental," Kristen added.

Hurt, Jennifer wondered if Daniel had really said that about her. Kristen claimed that it had simply been a lucky guess, and she stressed that she didn't want to fight with Jennifer. Kristen added that she wasn't the real enemy, anyway. Jennifer wasn't convinced and stormed off after vowing that she wasn't going to stand around and watch Kristen destroy Daniel's life. "Don't you worry, Jennifer -- Daniel has served his purpose. Now the rest is up to me," Kristen muttered as she closed the door behind Jennifer.

After her headshot photo shoot, Eve took Eric to the town square so they could order drinks and get to know each other better. Eve told Eric that she understood his passion for photography because she had a similar passion for singing. Eve explained why she had been forced to stop singing in the first place, and Eric empathetically mused that it was hard for a person to be kept from doing something they loved to do.

Changing the subject, Eric guessed that Eve's determination to revive her singing career had probably made her daughter really proud of her. Eve admitted that, while she had made her fair share of mistakes, she had always tried to be a good role model for Paige. Eve hoped that at least some of her good qualities had rubbed off on her daughter, such as her refusal to let anything stop her from getting what she wanted.

As Eve continued to converse with Eric, she said something that made him smile, and she placed her hand over his as she observed that he had a lovely smile that needed to be displayed more often. Meanwhile, Maggie approached and curiously took note of the flirtatious interaction. Eve received a phone call and excused herself so she could answer it, and after she left, Eric questioned the tension he had sensed between her and Maggie. Maggie explained that she hadn't been sure about how to interpret what she had walked in on.

Eric assured Maggie that he wasn't dating Eve, and he explained that Eve had simply hired him to take some headshots of her. Maggie was relieved, and Eric quickly deduced that she obviously didn't like Eve very well. Maggie vaguely confirmed that she had some issues with Eve -- and that Jennifer did, too. Maggie reasoned, however, that if Eve needed headshots, there was no reason for her not to hire the best photographer in Salem.

After Maggie left, Eve returned and guessed that Eric had just been given an earful about her from Maggie. Eric clarified that Maggie had simply said that she and Jennifer each had some issues with Eve. Eve started to tell Eric about the lawsuit she had filed against Jennifer, but he stressed that the details were none of his business. Eric excused himself, and Eve smiled appreciatively as she watched him walk away.

At the Horton house, Paige started to kiss J.J., but he pulled away in confusion and wondered what she was doing in his bedroom. "Like you don't know. I took the hint, see? [...] You kept saying how 'tired' you were back at Dr. Jonas', and then when I showed up here, well...the door was open, so I'm guessing you did that for me," Paige flirtatiously replied before kissing J.J. again.

J.J. started to respond to Paige's advances before pulling away and jumping out of bed. "You shouldn't have come here," J.J. insisted as he paced the floor uncomfortably. Hurt and confused, Paige observed that, while she had never before experienced the kind of love she felt for J.J., and that was why she wanted him to be her first, it was starting to seem like he didn't really want her.

J.J. assured Paige that he did want her, but he added that he didn't feel like he deserved to be any girl's first. Before J.J. could elaborate, Paige received a phone call from her mother, and he urged her to answer it. Paige told her mother that she was at the library but would be home soon, since her original plan to stay out late had suddenly changed.

After ending the call, Paige collected her clothes and snapped that J.J. had been all over her a few weeks earlier, when she hadn't been ready to take the next step in their relationship, and he had also been all over Jill in the incriminating photographs she had received after the college party. Paige assumed that there was another girl in the picture or that she simply didn't turn J.J. on anymore, but he insisted that she was wrong and that his hesitation had nothing to do with Jill or any other girl. J.J. stressed he loved only Paige. "Yeah? You've got a real funny way of showing it," Paige countered before storming off.

J.J. grabbed a pair of pants and pulled them on as he chased after Paige, begging her not to go. J.J. vaguely explained that things had simply gotten messed up recently, but when Paige demanded to know why, J.J. was unable to tell her, although he stressed that he wished he could. Paige left after telling J.J. to contact her when he was ready to be honest with her.

When Eve returned home later, she could tell that Paige was upset about something, but Paige claimed that everything was fine. After Paige retreated to her bedroom, Eve happily guessed that J.J. had potentially blown things with Paige.

Nicole ran into Chad in the town square and seized the opportunity to offer her condolences. "Thanks. Leave it to E.J., right, to time it this way? [...] I came back to nail him to the wall, and the bastard went and died on me," Chad wryly mused. Nicole was momentarily confused, since Chad and E.J. had once had a pretty close relationship with each other, but she quickly realized that things had probably changed after Chad had read the TruVista article about E.J.'s affair with Abigail. Chad admitted that his comment had been inappropriate, given the timing, but Nicole assured him that she understood.

Changing the subject, Chad wondered how Nicole was doing, guessing that she had probably been thinking about Sydney a lot since hearing about E.J.'s death. Nicole nodded and asked if Chad had seen Sydney yet. Chad replied that he was actually on his way over to the DiMera mansion to give the kids some gifts. Chad invited Nicole to join him, but she declined, knowing Sami probably wouldn't want to see her.

Chad tried to get Nicole to reconsider, knowing that it had probably been quite a while since she had last seen Sydney. Nicole clarified that she could actually see the girl whenever the mood struck, thanks to the video E.J. had sent her the previous Christmas -- a video Chad had been instrumental in getting E.J. to make. Chad was surprised to learn that Nicole still watched the video regularly. "Only...eight or nine times a week," Nicole admitted.

Nicole reflected on her history with E.J. and admitted that she had loved him in spite of everything, and a part of her always would. Nicole added that her last conversation with E.J. had actually been nice and had made her feel like the war between them had finally ended. Chad revealed that his last conversation with E.J. hadn't been nice, and he summarized that their relationship had been complicated. "That is a cop-out. If I can honestly say that I loved him despite all, you can, too. I think you just need to say it. You need to admit it to yourself," Nicole argued.

Later, Daniel caught Nicole sitting alone on a bench outside the Brady Pub, crying. Nicole claimed that a breeze had simply blown something in her eye, but when Daniel took a seat next to her and replied that he hated when that sort of thing happened to him, she admitted that she had actually been thinking about E.J. "It's funny -- he and I split up so many times, you'd think I'd know how to say goodbye to the guy," Nicole mused with a rueful laugh.

Nicole told Daniel about her earlier conversation with Chad, who had regrets because his last conversation with E.J. had turned ugly. Nicole added that the last conversation she'd had with E.J. hadn't been a goodbye but had probably been the best she could have hoped for. Daniel stressed that if Nicole needed someone to talk to, he would be willing to be that person. Nicole was surprised but agreed to get a cup of coffee with Daniel.

At the DiMera mansion, Sami irritably stated that she didn't have time to deal with Kate's irrelevant drama, since she already had to deal with the fact that two of her children had just lost their father. "It's not irrelevant, all right? And I wouldn't be coming to you at a time like this if it wasn't serious. [...] You need to make time, okay? You need to make time, or you're gonna have all the time you want behind bars," Kate insisted.

Sami doubted that she had done anything to jeopardize her freedom, since all CEOs broke rules occasionally, and she numbly mused that the SEC would probably just give her a slap on the wrist -- which she would barely feel, since it would be nothing compared to the pain she was already in. "Oh, no, you're gonna feel it, because they don't care about the pain that you're in. All they care about is the fact that you have committed major fraud. That's it," Kate countered.

Kate produced a document to support her prediction, but Sami protested that she wasn't in the mood to read quarterly reports. "You are going to. You made statements in this report. You said that Ebell Division was important to the company, was indispensible to our bottom line. [...] You lied, okay? I mean, I thought there was a problem a week ago, and then I looked into it. You committed fraud! It's called pumping the stock, all right? You misled the entire investing public. It's completely illegal!" Kate explained.

Sami dismissively stated that it didn't matter, since Kate was the only person who knew about the deception. Kate insisted that the truth would eventually get out, but before she could continue, Chad interrupted and wondered what she and Sami were talking about. Kate claimed that she had just been trying to stress that the shareholders would certainly understand if Sami decided to take a break from the company for a while in light of E.J.'s death -- something Kate thought Sami needed to do. Chad seemed skeptical, since the conversation had seemed more like an argument, but Kate clarified that she and Sami always talked to each other that way.

Outside, Lucas and Will dismantled the croquet setup they had used as a way of distracting the kids for a while. Will told his father about the fight he'd had with Sami the previous day -- and about how E.J. had visited him afterward to try to get him to patch things up with her. "That was the last time I saw him alive. Right before that, I was writing an article about what a rotten guy he was," Will recalled with a sigh of regret.

Lucas insisted that Will had nothing to feel guilty about, especially since Zoe would probably pull the article in light of E.J.'s death, anyway. Will clarified that, on the contrary, Zoe actually wanted to take a different approach with the article and turn it into a cover piece. Will confirmed his father's suspicion that he had the right to refuse the request, but he added that he wanted to get Chad's take on the matter first.

Lucas was confident that Will would do the right thing, whatever that was. Will thanked Lucas for the support and said hanging out with Johnny and Sydney that night had made him realize that he had been taking for granted just how lucky he was to have a father, especially one he could count on. Lucas hugged Will and replied that he was the lucky one.

Lucas headed back inside and announced that Will was in the garden and needed to talk to Chad. After Chad left, Kate explained that she had lied to Chad about what she and Sami had really been arguing about because they needed to keep a lid on things until the problem was fixed, and they couldn't be sure that Chad wouldn't just report the issue to Stefano, anyway. Kate urged Lucas to convince Sami that she was in serious trouble, but Sami numbly replied that she already knew she was in trouble, since her husband was dead.

After Sami went to check on the kids, Kate filled Lucas in on what had happened. Unlike Sami, Lucas immediately recognized the severity of the situation, and he rushed off to tell Sami that they needed to have a serious discussion after she finished checking on the kids. Sami went to Johnny's room, and after playing with him for a while, she wondered if he felt like he was ready to return to school the following day and see his friends. "Not everybody is my friend. Some of the kids make fun of me. [...] They say Nonno is a crook, and Dad is, too -- well, was," Johnny sadly admitted.

Outraged, Sami promised to go to Johnny's school the following day and talk to his teacher about the matter, and she stressed that he needed to let her know if anyone ever bugged him about his family. Sami conceded that E.J. hadn't been perfect, but she insisted that he had been a great man who had loved Johnny very much.

"I get afraid you're gonna leave us, too," Johnny admitted, but Sami assured him that he and his sisters were stuck with her for life. When Sami rejoined Lucas and Kate in the living room, she admitted that she was ready to take her impending legal woes seriously, since she wasn't going to let anything keep her from being there for her children.

Outside, Will informed Chad that the Sonix article had temporarily been shelved because Zoe wanted it rewritten with a new approach -- Chad DiMera, heir apparent. Chad dismissed the idea and pointed out that Will's contract allowed him to veto changes he didn't want to make. Will confirmed that he had that power, but he warned that if he didn't write the article, someone else would, and they might not be as kind about it. Chad insisted that if the article was definitely going to be published, he wanted Will to be the one who wrote it.

When Will left the garden and headed back to the mansion, the terrace doors were ajar, and he overheard Sami talking to Lucas and Kate about her dilemma -- and about how she might have just handed Stefano the perfect way to take the kids away from her.

At the hospital, Theresa told Anne that she had slept with Brady. Anne warned Theresa that Brady was visiting with John. As Theresa's mouth gaped open in panic, Anne advised Theresa to remain calm. After Anne walked away, Theresa muttered to herself that it was hard to remain calm when John knew the truth about the night he'd been hit over the head.

Brady exited John's room, and Theresa rushed over to ask Brady if there was any new information from John. Brady said that John had no new information about the fight but that John had talked about Theresa. Worried, Theresa asked for more information. Brady suggested that they talk privately.

As Eve read the morning paper in her apartment, Kristen knocked on Eve's front door. When a suspicious Eve demanded that Kristen explain why she was at Eve's apartment, Kristen countered that she knew what Theresa had done. Kristen accused Theresa of plying Brady with alcohol and drugs and coercing Brady into a wedding and then a fight with John. With a smirk, Kristen hinted that Eve was aware of Theresa's machinations.

While Eve took a call from a telemarketer on the phone, Kristen slipped a bug onto a nearby lamp. After hanging up the phone, Eve asked Kristen to leave. With a wide smile, Kristen walked out of the apartment. In the hallway, Kristen looked at her tablet to check the levels of the microphone she had planted in the apartment.

In her hotel room, Kristen ordered room service. As Kristen growled about her hunger, there was a knock at the door. Kristen grabbed a bottle of eye drops and placed a squirt under each eye before she hustled to the door to answer it. When Kristen opened the door, Anne smiled meekly at the teary-eyed Kristen. Anne offered her condolences on the loss of Kristen's brother. Anne made a crack about E.J.'s good looks, and she quickly apologized. Anne asked why Kristen had asked to meet.

"I have big plans, and they involve you," Kristen said. Kristen explained that she wanted to talk to Anne about the scholarship program. Kristen said that she wanted Anne's department to handle the scholarship internship program. When Kristen asked about protocol, Anne offered to call the head of the hospital. Anne turned her back on Kristen and dialed the hospital. Kristen grabbed Anne's purse and slipped a bug inside of it, while Anne made arrangements on the phone.

Brady and Theresa went to the pub. Theresa asked Brady about his conversation with John. Brady explained that John had asked about Theresa. When Theresa asked Brady if he regretted their night together, Brady said he did not.

"I really like being with you. I love being with you. I just want to make sure I'm doing the right thing," Brady said. Concerned, Theresa asked if what was going on between them was about Kristen. Brady admitted that Kristen was still in his head. Brady said he did not want to use Theresa to get over Kristen. Shaking her head, Theresa said she would do anything to help Brady get Kristen out of his system. Brady said no then left for the hospital.

As Theresa watched Brady walk away, Eve called her on her cell phone. Eve warned Theresa that Kristen had stopped by the apartment to ask questions about Theresa. Theresa rushed over to Eve's apartment to talk to her about Kristen's visit. Eve told Theresa that Kristen had accused Theresa of enabling Brady's addiction, coercing Brady into marriage, and causing the fight between Brady and John.

When Eve noted that Kristen was onto Theresa, Theresa gasped. Kristen listened to the conversation in her hotel room and muttered that she needed Theresa to explicitly admit what she had done. There was a knock at the hotel door, and distracted, Kristen ordered the room service person to enter and set the tray down. Brady entered the room, surprising Kristen. With a raised eyebrow, Brady shrugged at Kristen for an explanation.

Ben asked Clyde to meet him at the club. When Clyde arrived, Ben asked Clyde about his line of work. Clyde informed Ben that he had a stake in a trucking company. Ben asked Clyde if all his money was in trucking, and Clyde explained that he also owned property in Branson. When Ben asked why Clyde stayed in Salem when his businesses were rooted elsewhere, Clyde explained that he had employees he trusted to handle the day-to-day business. Clyde reiterated his offer to Ben for work. Clyde added that he owed Ben.

"You know I would never ask this unless I didn't have a choice," Ben said. Ben explained that he needed money for an apartment and to better his life. Clyde reminded Ben that he had failed to shelter and aid Ben for years and that he wanted to rectify his loss. With a nod, Ben said he would consider the offer. Clyde thanked Ben for considering, and he stressed that the offer would remain on the table for his son.

At Sonny and Will's apartment, Sonny greeted Abigail at the door when she stopped by to babysit Arianna. Sonny asked Abigail if she was okay, and Abigail turned the question around on Sonny. Sonny admitted that Will had been spending all his time with Sami at the DiMera mansion. Concerned, Sonny pushed Abigail to talk about her feelings. Abigail admitted that she had been angry with E.J. because she had been worried about her relationship with Ben. With a sigh, Abigail said that she wished she had been nicer to E.J. the last time they had spoken.

When Sonny asked what Abigail meant, Abigail explained that the last time she had spoken to E.J., he had reached out to her, and she had pushed him away. Sonny advised Abigail not to feel guilty. Fighting tears, Abigail said that she had said horrible things to E.J. and that she had not meant what she had said to him. Abigail asked Sonny to pass on her condolences to Will and his family.

When Abigail asked about Sonny and Will's relationship, Sonny answered that they were stressed. Sonny added that he did not think Will would continue working on his article about Chad. Abigail smiled. With a grin, Abigail urged Sonny to find Will and spend the day together. Smiling, Sonny agreed.

Will met with Victor at the Kiriakis mansion to ask him for help. When Victor asked if Will was in trouble, Will explained that Sami needed help. Victor chuckled. Will admitted that Sami, Lucas, and Kate did not know that Will was talking to Victor. When Victor asked what had happened, Will explained that he had overheard that Sami was headed for prison. Victor assumed that Will was talking about E.J.'s death, but Will corrected Victor and explained that he was referring to Sami's work at Dimera Enterprises.

With raised eyebrows, Victor asked for details. Will stressed that he did not want to start a war between Victor and Stefano. Victor reassured Will that he would help Sami if he could, and if he could not, he would be honest with Will. Victor asked Will to tell him exactly what he had overheard between Sami, Lucas, and Kate. After Will informed Victor of the details, Victor nodded and said that Will had done the right thing telling Victor what he had overheard. Victor told Will to forget that they had spoken and to never breathe a word of the situation to anyone.

Victor promised to do what he could to help Sami. When Will asked how he could repay Victor, Victor chuckled and asked Will to promise never to write an article about him. Will agreed and added that he did not want to write an article about a family member ever again.

At the DiMera mansion, Sami opened the door and found two agents with a warrant for her arrest. As Sami was handcuffed, Allie cried out for her mother. Sami woke with a start from her dream. Kate asked Sami how she was feeling. Sami said she was worried about prison. With a shrug, Kate said it would be difficult for Sami to avoid jail time. When Kate lamented that she had not stopped Sami from committing fraud, Sami argued that Kate had been aware that Sami had intended to sell the company she was pushing on investors.

"Those kids have already lost their father. They are not going to lose their mother too," Kate said firmly. Kate and Sami frantically searched through papers for information they needed. As Kate chided Sami for her sloppiness, Sami argued that her focus had been on revenge. Fighting tears, Sami admitted that her drive to make E.J. pay had caused her the most damage.

"I've lost my husband, and I've lost everything. And now I'm gonna lose my kids, and I'm going to lose every single thing that matters to me in the world!" Sami cried out. As Sami broke down into tears, Kate grabbed her and hugged her fiercely. Feeling awkward, Sami pulled away. Sami and Kate wiped the tears from their eyes and eyed one another guardedly. Sami asked Kate why she was helping her.

"Even though you got back with E.J., and you wanted to probably get rid of me, we're partners," Kate said. "I was never trying to get rid of you," Sami stressed. "That's because you couldn't. After all these years, everything we've been through, it looks like we're family, aren't we?" Kate asked. Sami nodded and joked that it sounded like Kate liked her. Kate laughed. Kate nodded at the painting of the two of them on the wall and said that it was "too fierce to change."

In the square, T talked to Chad about E.J. With a smile, T told Chad about how E.J. and Sami had helped at the club on New Year's Eve. Chad was surprised by the story. T explained that working with E.J. that night had shown him that E.J. could be nice. When Chad shrugged, T added that he understood that E.J. had been a complicated guy. T mentioned Abigail, and Chad asked about her. T noted that Abigail had been headed to Will and Sonny's apartment.

T headed back to Club TBD, and he noticed that Ben was looking at an apartment on his tablet behind the bar. With a shrug, Ben said he was just dreaming about a better life. T reminded Ben that he was available as a roommate if Ben needed one.

At Will and Sonny's apartment, Abigail held Arianna and talked to her about Gabi. While Abigail and Arianna sat on the couch, Chad knocked on the front door. Abigail told Chad that Will and Sonny were out for lunch. Abigail invited Chad in to talk. When Abigail gently pushed Chad to talk about E.J., Chad declined to talk about his brother. Abigail told Chad that he did not need to pretend with her.

While Abigail went to grab some juice from the fridge, Chad held Arianna. Abigail smiled and handed the cup to Chad. While Chad held the cup to Arianna's mouth, Abigail sat on the couch next to him and chuckled. The front door was slightly open, and Ben stopped outside the apartment when he heard Chad's voice. After a deep breath, Ben walked into the apartment. Chad handed Arianna back to Abigail. Abigail went into the bedroom to change Arianna's diaper.

As Chad started to leave, Ben stopped him to offer his condolences on the loss of his brother. Chad thanked Ben and shook his hand. After Chad left, Abigail returned to the living room and snuggled on the couch with Ben.

In the park, Sonny met with Will to talk. Sonny told Will that Abigail was watching Arianna. As Sonny pulled Will close, Sonny noted that he wanted to spend some time with his husband. Will pulled away. With a sigh, Will apologized and said that his family was a mess. Sonny reminded Will that he could lean on Sonny for support. Sonny told Will about his conversation with Abigail. Sonny asked Will to join him for lunch, but Will declined, noting that he had to finish his article on Chad.

Sonny was surprised. Will explained that he had talked to Chad, and Chad had urged Will to write the article so that someone else did not do a hatchet job. When Sonny suggested that Will was more interested in the byline, Will groaned. Sonny argued that since E.J. had been murdered, Will should shut down the story.

"But now the article is going to be so much better!" Will blurted out. Will immediately apologized for what he had said. Will explained that Chad's previous comments about E.J. had been anger-driven and that, with E.J.'s death, Chad was more honest and open about his brother. Upset, Sonny accused Will of taking advantage of E.J.'s murder to advance his career. Will was hurt that Sonny had questioned his judgment and integrity. With a sigh, Sonny said that he was sorry if he had overreacted. Sonny noted that if Chad wanted Will to write the article, then he should.

In the DiMera living room, Victor marched in and walked up to Sami. Victor offered his condolences about E.J. Victor added that they had no time to waste to help Sami out of her predicament with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Kate leaped to her feet, and Sami wondered aloud about whether Lucas had talked. Victor told Sami that it did not matter how he knew about the trouble but that he was there to help.

"This is not about you, Sami, hard as that may be for you to understand. This is about a wedding that took place at my house between your son and my nephew. Now, like it or not, you're part of my family. Now, if there is anything I can do to keep you out of prison, then that is what I'm going to do," Victor said. Kate asked Victor what he had in mind. Victor asked Sami to tell him everything.

After Victor was up to speed, he ordered Sami to stay on the sidelines and let him and Kate work on a solution. Victor encouraged Sami to clean up. Sami's mouth dropped open in offense, and Victor walked out with Kate. After showering and changing, Sami returned downstairs and was startled to find three suited people waiting for her, just like they had in her nightmare.

At Eve's apartment, while Kristen listened in her hotel room via the bug she'd planted, Eve told Theresa about Kristen's accusations that Theresa had enabled Brady's addictions and tricked him into eloping, which had caused the fight between him and John. "Oh, you better face it, little sister. She is onto you," Eve warned. Theresa demanded to know whether Eve thought Kristen really knew what Theresa had done that night.

In her hotel room, Kristen urged Theresa to reveal what she'd done. When there was a knock at the door, Kristen assumed it was room service and didn't even turn around when she told the waiter to put the tray on a table. Kristen was taken aback when she finally looked up and saw a curious Brady in her room. Brady offered to return later if it were a bad time. He asked what Kristen was listening to. After assuring Brady that it wasn't a bad time, Kristen claimed that she was just helping her father with some unfinished business.

Brady explained that he was there because he needed to see Kristen. She reminded him, "Last time we tried to say goodbye, I told you that I needed to see you once more. And here you are." Brady clarified that he wanted to pay Kristen back for the development of the drug that had saved his father. "How dare you insult me like that," Kristen retorted lightly, pointing out that she didn't need Brady's money. She guessed that he was trying to use it as a way to distance himself from her -- but he had made a point to show up and make the offer in person.

Kristen continued that Brady knew she wasn't the enemy. She added that she was doing everything she could to atone for her mistakes, such as proving how much she loved Brady by saving his father's life. Kristen hoped that if they had a level playing field, maybe they could have a new beginning. Brady reminded Kristen that he had given her two chances to make things right, but after all of her lies and deceit, he had nothing left for her. Kristen refused to believe it, but Brady maintained that he was building a new life for himself -- and Kristen should also move on, for everyone's sake, especially her own.

Fed up, Brady left. "You think you're building a new life with Theresa?" Kristen muttered at the door as it closed behind him, then she shouted, "That's not gonna happen!"

Eve chewed Theresa out about Kristen showing up at the apartment. Theresa got a text message from Anne that read, "We need to meet." Theresa turned back to her sister and demanded, "Did you tell her anything?" Eve said that she hadn't, but she had thought Theresa needed to know about it so she could figure out how to handle it, and she warned Theresa to keep Kristen away from Eve and Paige. Theresa muttered that Kristen didn't scare her. Eve reminded Theresa how their father had ranted about the DiMera family, but Theresa insisted that she wasn't taking the situation lightly.

Theresa wanted to know what else Kristen had said. Eve explained that Kristen believed there was more to the story about the night John and Brady had fought. "She's got nothing. It was a fishing expedition," the relieved Theresa deduced, pointing out that John had backed her story so Kristen had nothing on her. An edgy Eve asserted that Theresa should still be worried. Theresa accused Eve of giving Kristen the idea that something else had happened that night.

Eve pointed out that she would have nothing to gain from that -- and besides, she didn't know anything, so even if she wanted to, she couldn't sell Theresa down the river. Theresa seemed satisfied, but she was puzzled about why Kristen had been there in the first place. Suspicious, Theresa asked Eve if anything else had happened. Eve insisted that Kristen had just shown up, ranted and raved, then she'd left after Eve had threatened to call the cops. As Theresa headed out, she asked Eve to call her if Kristen showed up again.

Nurse Amy helped John back to his hospital room, where Marlena was waiting for him. John joked about his stellar achievements during his physical therapy session. After Amy had gone, Marlena asked how a jovial John was really doing. "Well, Doc, that is gonna depend on you," John said. Marlena pointed out that it would depend on both of them, because John would be released soon, and a lot had happened. John admitted that they needed to talk about their future.

Noting that things between them hadn't been very good before the accident, John asked Marlena what was really going on. Marlena admitted somewhat tearfully, "When I thought I might lose you, when I thought I might never hear you call me 'Doc' again, my heart started pounding, and I understood that, whatever happened, I needed to have you in my life." His eyes glistening with tears, John reached over and stroked Marlena's hand.

Marlena noted gently that what John had said about attacking Brady and Brady hitting John with a poker seemed out of character for both men. Before John could respond, Brady walked in. Pleased to see Marlena with his dad, Brady remarked that if anyone could get John back on his feet, it would be Marlena. Brady asked if it would be all right if he "brought Theresa around," since the two of them were seeing one another again -- casually -- and John had said that he wanted to get to know her better. John suggested that they discuss it later.

Marlena asked about Kristen, and Brady admitted he had just seen Kristen -- but only to offer to repay her for what she'd done, because he knew that the drug hadn't been cheap to develop. Amy stuck her head in and told Marlena that a patient was trying to reach her. As Marlena left, John said playfully, "See you around -- Doc."

John started to express concern about Brady trying to "square things" with Kristen. Cutting his dad off, Brady reassured John, "I have no intention of seeing Kristen again, honestly, and now that E.J. is dead, she'll probably take a cue and head out of town." Brady had to step outside to deal with a text message. Alone in the room, John told himself that he would deal with Kristen first because she was a bigger threat, then he would worry about Theresa.

When Theresa found Anne at the nurses' station, Anne excitedly announced that Kristen had called her about setting up a scholarship in E.J. DiMera's name. A nervous Theresa declared that they needed to talk in private. She grabbed Anne by the arm and dragged her out of the hospital.

In her hotel room, Kristen complained bitterly about "stupid, moronic" Eve cutting Theresa off before Theresa had been able to incriminate herself. Hopeful that Eve would talk to herself, Kristen put her earpiece back on and sat in front of her computer. Back at the apartment, Eve answered a phone call from Dr. Chung, who wanted Eve to sign some paperwork and drop it off that afternoon. As Eve reached to pick up a pen, she knocked over the lamp where Kristen had hidden the bug and then stepped on the device -- nearly deafening Kristen in the process.

Unable to hear Eve any longer, Kristen switched over to listen to the bug she'd planted in Anne's purse.

Meanwhile, Anne and Theresa had just arrived in the park. Anne described how Kristen had summoned her to the Salem Inn that morning. Theresa contended, "She found out we talk, and that's why she wanted to see you." Anne insisted that Kristen had wanted Anne's department to be the beneficiary and administrator of a scholarship program for nonmedical interns in E.J.'s name. Anne believed Kristen was aware that it was administrators like Anne who kept hospitals going, and Anne was determined to find a young woman just like herself to mentor.

"Look, Anne, this isn't about you. It's about me. Tell me: what did you tell her?" Theresa demanded. She explained, "[Kristen] is determined to prove that I had something to do with John's accident." Anne pointed out that John had backed Theresa's story, and Theresa seemed surprised that Anne had figured out what had really happened. Anne maintained that it didn't matter as long as John Black didn't remember anything. Theresa confessed, "That's the thing. John does remember. He knows that it was me, not Brady, who whacked him with that poker -- but for some reason, he's just not telling anyone."

In her hotel room, Kristen let out an excited gasp. "Guess what, Theresa! John won't have to tell anything, 'cause you just did!" Kristen said, cackling madly.

Clyde tracked Ben down in Horton Square. Clyde affably declared that he would not give Ben any money. He explained that he would cover the expenses for Ben's college education then Ben could use the money he'd been saving for school to get a new place. Clyde assured Ben that accepting help wouldn't mean that Ben forgave Clyde. While Ben silently pondered the idea, Clyde noted that Ben would be the first Weston to attend college. "Let me make up for the past by giving you a future," Clyde added.

Jordan stopped by Will and Sonny's apartment, where Abigail was babysitting Arianna. When Jordan said that she wanted to talk about Chad, Abigail assumed that Chad had "pulled another one of his stunts." Jordan clarified that Chad had asked her out, although it had been before E.J. had died, and she hadn't wanted to give him an answer before she'd talked to Abigail. Abigail was surprised that Jordan had apparently given up on Rafe.

Jordan admitted she hadn't been sure that she would be able to get over Rafe, but it had felt natural after she'd talked to Chad. Pointing out that Chad was Ben's boss, Abigail suggested that Jordan should tell her brother before he found out another way. Jordan reluctantly agreed. She asked how Abigail felt about it. Abigail cautioned Jordan that Chad was a very complicated guy who was a lot more like E.J. than people realized -- in other words, a DiMera.

Later, when Jordan arrived at Club TBD, Ben said that he needed to talk to her about something. Jordan said she needed to talk to Ben, as well, but she encouraged him to go first. Ben informed his sister that Clyde wanted to pay for Ben to go to college. "What that bastard wants is to buy you!" Jordan warned Ben. Ben maintained that Clyde had sounded sincere about there being no strings attached. Jordan reminded Ben where Clyde would get the money, but Ben insisted that Clyde also had legitimate businesses, as well. Jordan urged Ben, "Just think about who we're talking about here, and tell me: do you really believe him?"

Ben said he didn't think that Clyde had been lying, and Ben couldn't keep living with so much hate. Jordan couldn't believe that Ben was going to forgive his father after everything Clyde had put them through. Ben maintained that he wasn't talking about forgiving Clyde; he was merely trying to catch a break. Ben added that he could use the money he'd been saving for school to get his own place. Jordan resignedly admitted that it was Ben's decision, and he would have to live with it. As Jordan left, Ben asked what she'd wanted to talk to him about. She replied that it didn't matter anymore.

After Jordan had gone, Abigail arrived to see Ben, who Abigail could tell was distracted. She asked if Ben had seen Jordan, and Ben admitted that he and his sister had gotten into another argument. "I had a feeling you wouldn't be happy about that," Abigail confessed.

A little later, Clyde met Jordan in the park outside Horton Square at her behest. "I want to know what your game is -- panting after Kate Roberts, trying to buy Ben back?" Jordan demanded. Clyde pointed out that Ben was his son. "How do you think your son would feel if he knew exactly the kind of man his father is?" Jordan countered angrily. Clyde growled, "And how do you think he'd feel if he knew you killed his mother?"

Sami was startled when she entered the DiMera living room and found three people in suits, waiting for her. One man, Bruce Greenblatt, introduced himself. "We are so sorry about your loss," Bruce said, and one of his cohorts, Jennifer Evans, added, "But this matter simply couldn't wait." As Bruce held up a copy of TruVista magazine, the trio explained that Will's article had set everything in motion.

"Your son really digs deep. We certainly could use someone like him working for us," Bob chimed in. They group continued that it had only taken reading about half of the article before they'd been onto Sami. An anxious Sami interrupted and said that she had to make a call before they went any further. She stepped into the foyer, pulled the doors closed together, and breathlessly fumbled to dial the phone.

Chad spotted Kate on the phone inside the Brady Pub, so he went inside to talk to her -- and overheard her talking about the "serious trouble" that Sami was in. Chad waited until Kate hung up to reveal his presence and ask what kind of trouble Sami was in. Kate snidely but lightly suggested that they set up a conference call with Stefano to save Chad the trouble of reporting back to his father later. Before Chad could pry any details out of Kate, Sami called her.

Agitated but trying not to raise her voice in panic, Sami told Kate, "They're here! [...] The Feds -- oh, God, Kate -- they've come to take me away! Help me!" Kate stepped away from the table and quietly said that she would call her attorney. She urged Sami to stay strong for the kids and keep her mouth shut until Kate got there.

When Kate went back to the table, she brushed off Chad's concerns. "I thought we had an agreement. I thought we trusted each other," Chad said. After reassuring Chad that was still the case, Kate strolled out.

A little later, Abigail met Chad in Horton Square and demanded, "What are you up to with Jordan? [...] If you're trying to use her against Ben or me, I just have to tell you: it's not going to work." Chad maintained that he hadn't known until he'd spent some time with Jordan that she was Ben's sister and Abigail's friend. "Did you think that I was trying to make you jealous?" Chad asked, chuckling. Abigail pointed out that someone who had faked a brain tumor shouldn't get offended if someone questioned his motives.

Clearly amused, Chad countered that it was "sick" of Abigail to think he would try to get back at her for sleeping with his brother by dating her boyfriend's sister. Chad asked if Ben were upset about it, as well. Abigail said that Jordan was going to tell Ben. "She hasn't even agreed to go out with me. Who knows? Maybe she'll make your day and turn me down," Chad said, laughing as he walked away.

Sami hung up, took a deep breath, and returned to the living room. Bruce said that they would like to start filling Sami in on her options, but she replied that she wanted to wait until her attorney arrived. The trio did not object -- but while they were waiting, Bruce emphasized that they didn't have a lot of time. Sami testily insisted that she had a right to have her attorney present. Jennifer pointed out that often lawyers only complicated things further. Sami accused the group of trying to take advantage of a recent widow.

When Kate got home, Harold met her in the foyer and informed her that a small kitchen fire had prevented him from announcing the visitors' arrival to Mrs. DiMera. He handed Kate the group's business card, and she looked at it with surprise. Rolling her eyes, Kate hurried into the living room and interrupted Sami's tirade about how Americans were innocent until proven guilty. A relieved Sami rushed over to her partner. "Ms. Roberts, we wanted to talk to you, too," Bruce said, causing Sami to freak out even more.

Urging Sami to stop, Kate showed Sami the group's business card. Sami looked at it with disbelief and whirled around to face the trio. "Are you kidding me with this?" Sami demanded. Bruce and Jennifer explained to a surprised Sami that they worked for Universal Pictures in Hollywood. Trying to regain her composure, Sami asked why the folks in suits were there. Jennifer explained that they had discussed visiting Sami even before E.J.'s death, and they had considered delaying the trip, but they were a bit pressed for time.

Bruce declared, "We want to be in the Sami Brady DiMera business!" Bruce clarified that they were thinking about a movie, to start with. Jennifer proposed actresses to play Sami, such as Kate Winslet, Kate Hudson, or Naomi Watts. "How about Carol Burnett?" Kate suggested. The executives proposed other projects for Sami: a miniseries, a reality show, or she could even host her own fitness program. Bruce added that Sami would have to think it over carefully before making a decision, because it would require her to move to Los Angeles.

Pointing out that Sami's husband had just died, Kate accused the executives of behaving like vultures. Bruce and Jennifer asserted that Sami's story had captured the attention of the public, and they needed to strike while the iron was hot. Sami admitted that she was flattered but overwhelmed. Bruce understood that Sami needed to think it over, so he gave her a copy of their proposal and initial offer to review. He pointed out that it was only a six-month commitment. Jennifer added that they were staying overnight at the Salem Inn, and Bob produced a folder with their contact information. After Bruce apologized for their timing, the executives saw themselves out.

While a starry-eyed Sami scanned the contract, Kate urged her to snap out of it. Reluctantly agreeing to snap out of it, Sami pointed out, "Come on, it's an offer -- from Hollywood!" Kate asserted that it was only a dream, adding, "You are going to have plenty of time for dreaming -- maybe ten to twenty -- if we don't fix what you've done." Chad walked in just in time to overhear what Kate was saying. He announced that it was time for the three of them to have a talk.

J.J. woke up covered in sweat after dreaming that, while making love to Paige, he had declared his love for her, only to have her counter that if he really loved her, he would have told her the truth about his father raping Kayla -- but he hadn't, possibly because he was just like his father. J.J. got dressed and left the house, pausing on his way out to take a long look at a framed photograph of his father's smiling face.

J.J. ran into Rory in the park but received an icy greeting from him. J.J. wondered if he and Rory could find a way to repair their friendship, but Rory didn't seem interested, insisting that he wasn't buying J.J.'s lame excuse about what had happened with Jill at the college party -- and that it seemed like Paige wasn't buying it anymore, either.

Confused, J.J. asked Rory to elaborate, so Rory revealed that he had talked to Paige the previous night. "[I told her] that I wouldn't put it past you to play around on her, make a run at your best friend's girl just for the hell of it. [...] She stuck up for you, but I could tell that something was bothering her -- something about the two of you. So what's up? I thought you two were like Brangelina or something," Rory asked.

J.J. claimed that he and Paige were fine, but Rory doubted that she felt that way, and he could tell that something was bothering J.J., too. Rory groaned when J.J. replied that the only thing Rory needed to know about the situation was that J.J. loved Paige. "Well, then, you better go talk to her before some other dude does to you what you did to me," Rory somewhat bitterly advised before walking away.

At Club TBD, Marybeth overheard Paige calling herself an idiot for spilling coffee on a table. Marybeth approached and wondered what was wrong, and Paige replied that everything was wrong -- and had been since the college party, thanks to Jill. Paige told Marybeth about running into Rory while looking for J.J. the previous night -- and about how Rory had suggested that J.J. had probably gone somewhere to hook up with Jill again.

Marybeth pointed out that Rory couldn't be trusted because they had something in common -- neither of them wanted Paige and J.J. to be together. Marybeth wondered why Paige had suddenly started fixating on Jill again after previously believing J.J.'s defense that he had only kissed Jill because someone had spiked his drink. Paige was reluctant to talk about the matter because it was private, but Marybeth argued that they had always discussed private stuff with each other in the past -- and that she had proven her trustworthiness when she had kept quiet about Paige's birth control medication.

Conceding the point, Paige admitted that getting the birth control medication had been pointless, since J.J. wasn't interested in having sex with her, anyway. "Did you check him for a pulse?" Marybeth asked incredulously. Paige explained that she had gone on birth control because she had incorrectly attributed J.J.'s reluctance to a fear of getting her pregnant. Marybeth started throwing out other theories, most of which painted J.J. as a liar and a cheater, and when she suggested that he might have contracted an STD he didn't want to pass on to Paige or even admit to having, Paige decided that she had heard enough.

Later, Paige received a phone call from J.J., who asked her to meet him at the Horton house. Paige somewhat irritably reminded J.J. that he hadn't wanted her there the previous night, but he assured her that he was ready to give her a proper explanation. Paige treated J.J. coldly when she arrived a short time later, and he admitted that he understood why she was upset -- and that she had a right to know the truth about what had happened the previous night.

After an unsuccessful attempt to get along with her cousin in Lexington, Jill returned to Salem and went straight to Eve's apartment to demand more money in exchange for continuing to keep quiet about how Eve had hired her to break up Paige and J.J. Eve wasn't intimidated, pointing out that she had never asked Jill to drug J.J., and she threatened to reveal Jill's crime to the police if Jill told anyone about their scheme. Jill thought Eve was bluffing, so Eve grabbed her cell phone and started to place a call to Abe to ask him to confirm her suspicion that drugging an unsuspecting person was a felony.

Jill desperately explained that she was down to her last twenty dollars, and she promised that it would only cost Eve five hundred dollars to get rid of her for good. Satisfied, Eve ended the call and went to get the money, smugly advising Jill that it was never a good idea to try to play a player. Rory was shocked to see Jill passing through the park later that day, so he chased after her.

Eve went to the hospital to drop off some documents for her throat surgeon, and she ran into Kayla, who was happy to sing Paige's praises. Eve proudly reported that Paige had been accepted to Stanford, leading Kayla to wonder what Paige was doing at Salem University. Eve hinted that Paige had been distracted lately, and Kayla read between the lines and guessed that J.J. was the distraction Eve was referring to.

Kayla observed that Paige and J.J. seemed to be crazy about each other, prompting Eve to incredulously wonder if Kayla was encouraging the relationship. Kayla said she believed that J.J. and Paige were lucky they had found each other. Kayla added that J.J. was a good person who had simply gone through a rough patch, but Eve disagreed with that assessment of his character. "See, I see a lot of Jack in J.J., and it's not a pretty picture. You understand that, don't you, Kayla? I mean, you know better than anybody what Jack was like, don't you?" Eve pointedly mused before walking away.

In a secluded section of Horton Town Square, Jordan denied Clyde's accusation, but he maintained that she had indeed killed her mother. "Ben was too little to know what I saw at the bottom of Tupelo Hill that day, but he's old enough now. [...] How the passenger side of that truck was smashed into that tree, like somebody plowed into it on purpose. Blood everywhere. Your poor mama never stood a chance, Tammy Sue," Clyde recalled.

Jordan insisted that it had been an accident and that she would never have hurt, let alone killed, her mother, whom she had loved. "Well, you can keep telling yourself that you had nothing to do with your mama's accident if that makes you feel better. [...] But I'd like to know what you've been telling Ben all these years. Anything? Does he know his mama was in the passenger seat, dead, while you were behind the wheel with a seatbelt on, not even a scratch on ya? Did you tell him that?" Clyde wondered.

Jordan fought back tears as she continued to insist that she would never have killed her mother. "Then how come you were so hysterical when I found ya, hollerin' that you did just that? [...] Oh, sweetheart, I'm sure you didn't mean for it to happen, but all the same, aren't you lucky that I'm the one who found ya, that I'm the one who came up with a story and fixed things? 'Cause I'm not so sure that Sheriff Tatum would have looked the other way, especially since you were too young to drive at the time," Clyde pointed out.

Jordan recalled that her mother had begged her to drive on the day in question. "Yeah, I know...I mean, that's what you told me. And I've kept your secret all these years. It's startin' to come back to you now, isn't it, Tammy Sue? So you know I'm not the bad guy here. I've been protecting you," Clyde reminded Jordan. Jordan argued that Clyde had used the information to blackmail her into doing things she would never have done otherwise, but he insisted that he had never made her do anything she hadn't wanted to do. Jordan angrily slapped Clyde's chest as she shouted that he was lying, but he grabbed her wrist before she could slap him a second time.

Jordan freed herself from Clyde's grip as he reminded her that he wasn't the only person who had overheard her fighting with her mother right before they had gotten in the truck on the day in question. Clyde recalled that Jordan had accused her mother of being weak and stupid, and she explained that she had simply been trying to get through to her mother and convince her to leave him. "Yeah, you got through to her, all right -- you and that box elder tree you rammed her into. [...] You took her away from all of us, and then you took away my son," Clyde countered.

Jordan insisted that Clyde was responsible for driving her and her brother away, and she wondered if he had any idea what it had been like to sit around and wait in fear, never knowing when he would return home drunk and start hitting her, her mother, or even her brother, who had just been a little boy at that time. Clyde vaguely conceded that he had made some mistakes while drunk.

"That's what you call cracked ribs and black eyes and concussions?" Jordan asked incredulously. Jordan argued that Clyde had only stopped drinking excessively because her and Ben's departure had left him with no one else to smack around, but Clyde countered that he had made changes to his drinking habits before she and Ben had left home. "You ran because you're guilty! I know it, and so do you!" Clyde added.

Jordan maintained her innocence, but Clyde wasn't convinced, and he once again warned that he would tell the whole world the truth if she ever tried to ruin his relationship with Ben. "You got a lot more than your mama's blood on your hands," Clyde cryptically added before walking away. Once she was alone, Jordan lost her composure and started sobbing.

Rafe met with Nicole at the Brady Pub so he could find out how she was doing in light of E.J.'s death, but she didn't really know how to answer the question. "For the most part, [E.J.] made my life a living hell...so why do I feel so bad?" Nicole wondered. Nicole asked if Rafe's hatred toward E.J. had made it harder to investigate E.J.'s murder. Rafe admitted that it might have -- if the case hadn't been as cut-and-dried as it had ended up being.

Rafe expressed concern for Johnny, Sydney, and Allie, and Nicole reported that, according to Chad, they were doing about as well as could be expected. Rafe sensed that Nicole was skeptical, so she explained that Chad didn't really know the kids that well. Rafe urged Nicole to go over to the DiMera mansion and check on the kids herself, and she admitted that Chad had encouraged her to do the same thing. Nicole doubted that Sami would want her anywhere near the kids -- especially Sydney -- but Rafe suspected that Sami would accept help from anyone who could make the kids feel better, so Nicole promised to at least consider visiting them.

Changing the subject, Rafe wondered how Nicole was doing, and she admitted that she had lost Eric forever -- and that she only had herself to blame. Rafe was able to empathize, since he was in the same situation with Jordan. Rafe suggested that he and Nicole could meet at Club TBD sometime so they could order some drinks and try to figure out what was wrong with them. "A bona fide pity party?" Nicole asked with an excited gasp. Nicole quickly agreed to the idea, admitting that she had missed Rafe a lot.

At the DiMera mansion, Chad urged Sami and Kate to tell him what was going on, pointing out that he might even be able to help them if he knew what they were worried about. Kate remained evasive and downplayed the situation, and Sami followed suit. Chad wasn't fooled, but before he could question Kate and Sami further, he received a phone call from Stefano, who was still grieving but wanted an update on the women.

Chad asked Stefano to hold on for a moment. After muting the call, Chad pointedly asked the women if they wanted Stefano's help. Sami refused to let Chad blackmail her into revealing what was going on, but he innocently clarified that he was simply trying to do what was best for everyone. Sami and Kate remained silent, so Chad shrugged and returned to his conversation with Stefano, who wondered how Johnny and Sydney were doing.

"Johnny and Sydney are handling themselves like true DiMeras," Chad reported, garnering glares from Sami and Kate. Stefano suggested that Chad might be able to arrange a videoconference so the kids could see their grandfather, and Chad noncommittally replied that he would see what he could do about that. "In the meantime, something is going on with Sami, and I think that you should know about it," Chad added as he smirked at Sami, who quietly caved in and agreed to tell him everything.

Stefano impatiently urged Chad to continue, so Chad warned that it would be unwise to underestimate Sami, since she hadn't crumbled the way Chad had expected her to after E.J.'s death. Stefano dismissively stated that he could handle Sami, and he changed the subject, asking his son to let Kate know that he planned to purchase three hundred thousand shares of Kane Industries. "That tip that you gave Katerina about the merger of the drug companies in Frankfurt should cost her a bundle -- and it didn't do the company any good, either -- but it's not enough to cause serious damage, all right? This deal should put another nail in her coffin," Stefano added.

Chad ended the call after promising to handle Stefano's request. "God, you are such a DiMera, you son of a bitch," Sami angrily snapped at Chad, who unapologetically reasoned that blackmailing her had been the only way to convince her to let him help out. Chad assured Sami that he could be trusted to keep her secret from Stefano, but that didn't exactly fill her with confidence, so Kate added that she trusted Chad already.

Sami proceeded to tell Chad everything, and when he realized that Lucas and Victor were already trying to get her out of the mess she was in, he announced that he might be able to help, as well, since he was a major shareholder in DiMera Enterprises, and Victor could probably use that to his advantage. "And you would do that for me? [...] See? You can be a good guy," Sami observed, and Chad jokingly asked her not to let that get around town.

Chad and Kate immediately arranged a meeting with Victor, and afterward, Kate ran into Clyde while she and Chad were passing through the town square. Kate observed that Clyde seemed to be in a good mood, and he confirmed the suspicion, explaining that he was having one of those days that made him believe things were going to go his way. Chad could tell that Kate wanted to be left alone with the man, so he took the hint and left. As Chad continued on his way back to the mansion, he caught Jordan crying in the same spot Clyde had left her in earlier. Concerned, Chad wondered if Jordan was all right, and she shook her head as she embraced him.

At the DiMera mansion, Sami was looking at a picture Sydney had drawn of all the people she loved. "Do you know the address so I can send my picture to Daddy in heaven?" Sydney asked. Taken aback, Sami replied that she didn't know the address but would look it up online later. Meanwhile, someone rang the doorbell, so Sydney accompanied Sami into the foyer so they could greet the visitor.

"Mommy Nicole!" Sydney happily shouted, and Sami watched as Nicole knelt to give the girl a hug. Nicole was touched to learn that she had been included in Sydney's drawing. Sydney explained that she had drawn the picture so she wouldn't forget what her father looked like. Nicole assured Sydney that Sami would be there to help if it ever felt like that was starting to happen, although Nicole doubted it ever would.

Sami wiped away tears as she sent Sydney off to ask Harold for an envelope so they could send the drawing to E.J. in heaven. After Sydney left, Nicole started to apologize for neglecting to call before visiting, but Sami assured her that it was okay. "It's not okay, and I am so, so sorry," Nicole sincerely replied, and Sami sobbed as they hugged each other.

At the Horton house, J.J. was about to tell Paige the truth about his dad when suddenly, someone pounded on the front door. Paige followed J.J. as he went to answer it. A breathless Rory burst through the door and informed J.J. that he'd just seen "that hot chick," Jill, and he'd tried to follow her but hadn't been able to keep up. Rory guessed that Jill was back in town, visiting her sister. Paige wanted to try to find Jill, who could help clear J.J.'s name with Eve. Although he wasn't optimistic, J.J. agreed, so the gang hurried out to where Rory had last seen Jill.

When the trio met up in front of the Brady Pub later, they all reported that no one at the pub or the square had seen anyone matching Jill's description. Paige suggested that they call the police, but J.J. said that he'd never filed a police report. Rory thought they would have better luck if they had a photo of Jill, but J.J. and Paige had deleted the ones off their phones -- but Paige was hopeful that hers might be on the backup on her computer. She left for home and promised to catch up with the guys later.

Eve had just gotten off the elevator in her apartment building when an anxious Jill appeared. Eve was surprised and dismayed that Jill hadn't left town yet. "You have to help me -- otherwise, the whole scam's going to be exposed," Jill said. After Eve hustled Jill inside, Jill explained that she had bought a bus ticket, but then "that loser Rory kid" had started following her. Eve started panicking -- then they heard Paige's key in the door. Eve thrust Jill down the hall and out of sight just as Paige walked in.

Paige excitedly announced that Rory had seen the girl who'd set up J.J. While Paige was plugging her phone into her computer, she heard an unfamiliar ringtone. "Whose phone is that? Is someone else here?" Paige asked. Eve claimed that she was trying out some new rings. She asked what Paige was doing. Paige explained that the pictures from her phone were backed up on her hard drive, so when she found the ones of J.J. and Jill, they could show them around.

"Once we find her, I will personally lean on her until she spills the whole dirty story," Paige continued, adding that she would then be able to prove that J.J. hadn't been cheating on her. "If that girl confirms what you're saying, then I guess I'm just going to have to rethink J.J.," Eve admitted nervously. Once Paige was finished, she headed back out.

Eve handed Jill some money and instructed her to leave town via the nature preserve, after which Jill should call a taxi to take her to Lakeview to catch the bus. Eve grabbed a hat and a pair of sunglasses out of a box of charity donations and stuck them both on Jill as a disguise. Eve shoved Jill out the door and told her not to return.

Rory and J.J. met back up in Horton Square, but neither had found anyone who'd seen Jill. J.J. insisted that the search was pointless and a waste of time, especially since he really needed to talk to Paige about something. J.J. explained that he'd been just about to tell Paige that Jack had sexually assaulted someone. Rory didn't understand why J.J. would even mention something that had happened before he'd been born -- or why it was more important than finding Jill.

Paige arrived and spotted the guys across the square, so she ducked behind the flower cart to listen to their conversation. She heard Rory accusing J.J. of making excuses to abandon their search. "Maybe, just maybe, you don't want to find this girl because you're afraid. What would Jill really say, J.J.?" Rory asked. "Nothing, man. I'm done here," an exasperated J.J. declared as he walked away.

Eve was about to leave the apartment a little later, but she remembered the box of things she was going to donate and returned to retrieve it, leaving the door open. J.J. arrived and asked from the hallway if Paige was there. Surprised to see J.J., Eve tripped over a chair, dropping the box and falling on her face. J.J. rushed to her and asked if she were all right.

As Jill walked through the park, she tossed the hat and sunglasses in a trash can, remarking to herself that they were "too suspicious." Just then, Paige appeared. "Oh, my God, it's you!" Paige exclaimed.

In Horton Square, Clyde told Kate that he'd finally convinced Jordan that he would do whatever it took to mend fences with Ben. Kate didn't think that Jordan should try to get between Clyde and his son. Clyde admitted that he hadn't been a great daddy to Jordan after her mother had died -- but he believed Jordan had "seen the light."

As Kate and Clyde arrived at the Brady Pub, Victor called Kate. Once she heard what Victor had to say, Kate thanked him. She hung up and asked Clyde if she could have a rain check on their plans so she could share the good news she'd just gotten. "Only if I can trade it for dinner," Clyde replied, and Kate agreed.

At Club TBD, Abigail said that she'd had a feeling that Ben wouldn't be happy to learn about his sister going out with Chad. That news was a surprise to Ben, who believed that Chad was trying to get back at him for going out with Abigail. Ben charged off to confront Chad, and Abigail chased after him.

In the park outside the square, Jordan, distraught after her argument with Clyde, cried in Chad's arms. Chad encouraged Jordan to talk about whatever had upset her, but she tearfully admitted that she couldn't. Chad suggested that they could just sit for a while. To distract Jordan, he joked about a recurrence of "sofa football knee" caused by watching too much football.

As Chad was reassuring Jordan that things would get better, Ben showed up, with Abigail right behind him. Ben demanded, "What'd you do to upset her? [...] Is this your idea of a date?" Jordan was a bit incredulous that Abigail had told Ben. "I thought he knew," Abigail maintained. Ben informed Chad that Jordan wasn't interested in a date with Chad. Jordan and Chad both countered that she could speak for herself. "Then why don't you just tell this loser there's not a chance in hell that you'd ever go out with him?" Ben said.

Fed up, Jordan warned her brother, "I am not doing this right now." Chad pointed out that it was none of Ben's business, anyway. Things got heated between the guys, so Jordan and Abigail stepped in to keep the men from getting into a fistfight. Chad apologized if he'd caused trouble for Jordan, and Abigail suggested that she and Chad leave so Ben and Jordan could talk. As soon as Jordan and Ben were alone, she said she appreciated that he'd been trying to protect her, but she didn't deserve it.

Confused, Ben asked why he shouldn't protect Jordan, who had done a great deal for him. He asked why she had been so upset when he and Abigail had arrived. "That was Clyde," Jordan began, but then she buried her face in her hands, unable to continue. Clyde showed up just then and hung back behind the wall to eavesdrop. "What did Clyde do to you?" Ben asked, gently stroking his sister's shoulder.

In the square, Chad accused Abigail, "You didn't slip up and tell Ben about me and Jordan. You wound him up and pointed him right at us." He asserted that Abigail couldn't stand that he was interested in someone other than her. Abigail reminded Chad that she'd told him she couldn't care less about him or his love life. "If you want to be with Jordan, then fine. Go for it -- but don't hurt her," Abigail warned. She pointed out that as a DiMera, hurting people was natural for Chad. "You're right; I am a DiMera -- and you should know better than anybody that we always get what we want," Chad noted as he walked away.

When Sonny arrived home, Will asked his husband to give a copy of the Sonix article to Chad to preview when he got there, since Will had to go help his mom with something. Sonny didn't want Will to leave yet. "We have to figure out what's going on with us," Sonny explained insistently. Will admitted a bit testily that he'd been feeling as if Sonny didn't respect or support him anymore because of the way he'd reacted to the article about Chad.

Sonny insisted that wasn't true, but Will contended that Sonny believed Will would do anything to get a big story. Will acknowledged that he felt too young to be married with a kid, and he didn't want to end up with a "boring life." Sonny clarified, "You mean our life. You don't want our life? [...] You think our life is boring? The life that I'm happy with?" Will pointed out that Sonny had already gotten to live his dreams, but Will had not gotten that chance.

Sonny maintained that he could support Will's dreams as long as they didn't cloud Will's judgment. "Right, because I'm normally such a screw-up," Will retorted. Sonny accused Will of twisting things. "I love what I do, and I am willing to push the boundaries to make my dreams happen," Will declared determinedly. He handed the article to Sonny and headed out, even though Sonny didn't want to leave with things between them unsettled.

On the doorstep of the DiMera mansion, Nicole fought back tears as she earnestly told Sami, "I am so -- I'm so sorry." Sami burst into tears and embraced Nicole, who began to cry as well. Sami broke away after a moment, and the women admitted that it had been unexpected. They laughed about how much E.J. would have loved it -- but how he had also enjoyed watching them fight. Sami invited Nicole in and offered her a glass of wine. Nicole froze when she turned and saw the portrait of Kate and Sami that had replaced Stefano's as the centerpiece of the room.

"That is so genius! I don't even have words. It's like Vanity Fair!" Nicole exclaimed appreciatively. She admitted that she hadn't dared change anything when she'd lived there, so she had a lot of respect for Sami for "put[ting] that old goat out on his tail." Nicole raised her glass and toasted, "To renovation...and to whatever parallel universe this is where we're having a drink together." Laughing, Sami acknowledged that it was "bizarro world."

Nicole said that she hoped it was all right that she'd dropped by. Sami declared that she was thrilled to have Nicole there, because although her family, who'd been very helpful, had been there, no one but Nicole could understand just what Sami had lost. The women drank to E.J. Nicole admitted she wished she could take back what she'd said about Will's article the last time she'd seen Sami. Nicole added that despite what she'd said, she completely understood why Sami had needed to get revenge on E.J. -- as well as why Sami had taken him back.

"When he was with you and in love with you, it felt like nobody else in the world mattered," Nicole recalled. Sami reassured Nicole, "He did love you, Nicole... The second time you two were married, he really wanted that to work, and I am so sorry about what happened." Nicole understood that Sami had always been first with E.J., and Nicole should have realized that sooner. Nicole described the last time she'd seen E.J., when he had told her that he and Sami were back together -- and Nicole could tell how it had strengthened him.

Nicole continued that E.J. had wished her well, and she was thankful that was her last memory of him. Sami admitted that she was very glad they'd been back together when E.J. had died because otherwise it would have been unbearable, but she couldn't remember the last thing they had talked about. Setting her glass down to take Sami's hands, Nicole firmly reassured Sami that it didn't matter, because E.J. had known that Sami had loved him. "E.J. was completely happy because of you and the kids," Nicole declared.

Nicole pointed out that nobody would believe that the two of them were drinking together instead of throwing the drinks on one another. Sami and Nicole reminisced about all the times they'd fought -- both verbally and physically -- over the years. Sami said that Bruce Greenblatt would love the story about the time she'd crawled into a sewer to retrieve some incriminating tapes while a very drunk Nicole had watched from above. "Who?" Nicole asked.

Sami confided that some people from Hollywood had been there, and they'd said that, after reading the article that Will had written, they wanted to be in the "Sami Brady DiMera business." Sami poured more wine as Nicole scanned through the contract and proposal from the Hollywood people. Nicole pronounced it a great opportunity. Sami pointed out that she could end up humiliated -- and it would mean taking the kids and moving to California. "I think you should do it. I mean this house... Kudos to you for redoing it and all, but this house -- it's still this house," Nicole asserted, grimacing.

Looking around and nodding, Sami acknowledged, "Yeah, I know. I mean, it's, you know, drenched in memories for me, but it also stinks of Stefano." She continued that Stefano would likely try to go after the kids, and Nicole affirmed that Sami had to get the kids as far away from Stefano as possible. Sami admitted that Johnny had already been dealing with kids being mean to him because his last name was DiMera. Nicole was concerned that Johnny had beaten someone up, and she pointed out that the kid got that tendency from both parents.

Sami said that Johnny hadn't hit anyone, but she was worried that he might feel the need to do so if something like that ever happened again. She added that she wanted her kids to be able to grow up "as themselves" and not feel like they had to punch back because of the shadow hanging over them -- and E.J. had wanted the same thing for the children. Nicole urged Sami to accept the offer. Sami confessed that she had to stay "in the jurisdiction," although she insisted that what she'd done had been accidental, and she was hopeful that it would get worked out.

Just then, Kate called Sami, who answered rather breathlessly. "Victor worked his magic. You are in the clear with the SEC.," Kate declared. An ecstatic Sami jumped up and down and promised to give Victor a "big, wet, sloppy kiss" the next time she saw him. Kate asked if Sami had been drinking. Sami admitted that she had, but she blamed Nicole, who was a "lush." When Kate heard that Nicole was at the house, she offered to call security. Sami declined, maintaining that Nicole had offered some excellent advice.

Sami called Bruce, who wanted to return to the mansion right away. Nicole hurried over to the bar and poured a cup of coffee for Sami. While Sami tried to catch her breath, Nicole declared, "I want Charlize Theron to play me." Sami joked that earlier, she been thinking more along the lines of Lindsay Lohan. Nicole feigned indignation. Sami revealed that the executives wanted her to go to California the next day, to attend some big event. Nicole implored Sami to let her see Sydney one last time before Sami left, and Sami willingly consented.

A grateful Nicole hugged Sami, and the two held the embrace for a long moment -- long enough that when Will arrived in the middle of it, he asked if he should leave the women alone. Sami and Nicole burst out laughing. Nicole said that she wouldn't interrupt when she left if Sami's meeting was still going on. "Thank you for everything," Sami said sincerely then quickly clarified, "tonight." "Knock 'em dead!" Nicole declared encouragingly as she headed upstairs.

Nicole tiptoed into Sydney's darkened room and knelt by the sleeping child's bed. "Goodbye, angel," Nicole whispered, pulling the covers up over Sydney. Nicole rose to leave, but Sydney called after her, "Mama Nicole?" Nicole apologized if she'd woken Sydney, but Sydney said that she hadn't been asleep. "I miss Daddy," Sydney explained. "I know you loved your daddy, and he loved you very much, and I am sure he is still looking out for you. And you know what? Your mommy and Johnny and Allie, they're going to take very good care of you, because they love you very much," Nicole assured Sydney.

"Do you love me, too?" the little girl asked. "Oh, Sydney. You are a part of my heart, and you always will be," Nicole said, stroking Sydney's hair and kissing her on the forehead. Sydney asked Nicole to stay, so Nicole agreed to read Sydney a story and read to her until Sydney fell asleep. Nicole turned on a lamp while Sydney got a book from the nightstand. Nicole took off her shoes and crawled into the little bed with Sydney.

"I had so many questions before I walked in, and now I don't even know where to start," a bemused Will remarked to his mom. Sami handed him the proposal and contract to explain. After Will read it, he expressed surprise that Sami was considering it. He asked about the SEC. It was Sami's turn to be surprised, but she quickly surmised that Will was the one who'd asked for Victor's help. "You rescued me," Sami marveled, adding that she'd just heard from Kate that the whole thing was going away.

When the doorbell rang, Sami asked Will to stay and meet "the Hollywood guy" so he could give her his impression. Sami ran to let Bruce in then she escorted him into the living room and introduced him to Will. "Synchronicity. Kismet. Perfection," Bruce proclaimed, explaining that Will had shown great insight in the TruVista article. "We were just working on an offer. Come to Hollywood with your family," Bruce proposed. A thrilled Sami threw her arms excitedly around her son.