At the hospital, Daniel found Nicole waiting for him in his office. Nicole told Daniel that they had a conversation to finish. Nicole added that she didn't like loose ends, and that she liked to finish what she started. Daniel agreed, and as he and Nicole continued their flirtatious banter, they started to make love on Daniel's desk.

At the Brady Pub, Hope and Bo watched Ciara, who was working on an art project at a nearby table. Bo and Hope started to reminisce about Lexie, and they promised that they would never take each other for granted. A short time later, Hope noted that it had been a while since she and Bo had placed their breakfast order. Hope excused herself so that she could go to the kitchen to see if Kayla needed some help.

Ciara rushed over to Hope's side, and she begged Hope not to leave. Hope comforted Ciara, and she said that she had been headed to the kitchen to help Kayla and Caroline. "I was worried you wouldn't come back, like Theo's mommy," Ciara quietly stated. Hope explained that Lexie had been really sick, and that her body had stopped working. Bo assured Ciara that he and Hope were fine, and that they weren't going anywhere.

Ciara started to cheer up, and Hope said that Lexie was still watching over Theo, even if they couldn't see her. Ciara smiled and said that Lexie was with Alice and Zack in heaven. Ciara announced that she was making a card for Theo, and she excused herself so that she could finish it. Later, Hope wondered if Bo was finished with his project yet. Bo didn't seem confident about his progress, but he agreed to read the first draft to Hope.

"'When I was a kid, and dreaming about the Merchant Marine, I'd tell Mom that I was never gonna get married. I didn't want to tie myself down. She'd look at me, shake her head, and say, 'Bo, we're not meant to go through this life alone. Some day, you'll meet someone who makes you understand that, and until you do, stop bothering me with all your nonsense.' Well, she was right -- I did meet that someone, and so did my good friend Abe Carver. Now, Lexie walked a very difficult line in this world. She fell in love with the best man she'd ever met, and then discovered she had a father who was...one of the worst,'" Bo read aloud.

Hope winced, but Bo assured her that he wasn't finished yet. "'But somehow, she found a way to make it all work. She became a loving, devoted wife, and an affectionate, if disapproving, daughter. And when her son was born, Theo was the light of her life, and I know Abe will see to it that he always knows that. It seems so unfair that Lexie was taken from them so soon, but I saw Lexie and Abe on a daily basis, and they had the kind of love my mom was talking about. That kind of love never, ever dies. They found each other, and they had what they had for as long as they did,'" Bo concluded, as he started to get choked up.

Hope nodded to show her approval, and she added that the amount of time that Abe and Lexie had been given had not been nearly enough. Later, Ciara finished Theo's card, and she showed it to Bo and Hope. The card depicted Lexie with a group of angels in heaven, and Ciara explained that the angels were going to help Lexie find Alice and Zack.

Ciara excused herself so that she could place her crayons back in their container. After Ciara left, Bo noted that if Zack had not died, he would have been twelve years old. Hope quietly stated that she missed Zack every single day. Bo dreaded going back to the Carver house, which was going to feel empty without Lexie there to greet him and Hope, but he reiterated that Lexie, Alice, and Zack were watching over them.

At the DiMera mansion, Will picked up Alice's letter. As Will started to read the letter, E.J. stormed into the living room, and he snatched it out of Will's hand. E.J. claimed that the document contained sensitive information about Salem, and he told Will to leave. As Will started to walk away, E.J. slammed his hands against the desk in frustration. Will's suspicions were aroused, and he turned to watch E.J. for a moment before exiting the mansion.

Later, Stefano's attorney, Arthur, entered the mansion, and he offered his condolences. E.J. held up a copy of Stefano's will, and Arthur informed him that his copy was outdated. Arthur explained that Stefano had asked him to revise the will several weeks earlier, after he had discovered that E.J. was not his biological son.

E.J. feigned shock, and Arthur noted that Stefano had said that E.J. had been informed of the situation. E.J. admitted that Stefano had talked to him about it, but he added that he and Stefano had reached an agreement. E.J. claimed that Stefano had lied, and that he was Stefano's biological son. Despite E.J.'s claims, Arthur was convinced that Stefano had been telling the truth.

Arthur said that he had seen the paperwork, and that he had also seen the look on Stefano's face when he had told Arthur the news. Arthur insisted that he had to follow Stefano's most recent set of instructions. E.J. decided to try a different approach, and he asked if Stefano's revision had been signed, witnessed, and notarized. Arthur admitted that Stefano had died before he had been able to take care of those formalities.

E.J. said that the provisions of Stefano's previous will had been quite clear, and he instructed Arthur to ignore the revised will. Arthur agreed, and he promised to destroy the documents. Arthur said that he wouldn't be the one to reveal the truth about E.J.'s paternity. E.J. wondered why Arthur had phrased his statement like that, and Arthur claimed that he had misspoken.

E.J. reminded Arthur that he was the mayor, and that he also controlled DiMera Enterprises. E.J. said that he wielded a lot of power -- enough power to make or break someone. Arthur laughed, and he noted that it was ironic that E.J. wasn't Stefano's son, because he was exactly like Stefano. Arthur said that he had been Stefano's attorney for a number of years, and that he had never betrayed Stefano's trust.

E.J. said that was what he was afraid of -- that Arthur would remain loyal to a dead man instead of E.J. Arthur reasoned that E.J. was his new client, and he reiterated that he would never reveal any of E.J.'s secrets. "Good, wonderful. I certainly hope a man of your integrity would require no special measures to make sure that he took a secret to the grave, like my father did," E.J. pointedly stated.

At Sami's apartment, Lucas cooked brunch for Sami. Lucas said that Sami deserved it, but Sami didn't seem convinced. Sami wondered why Lucas was being nice to her. "'Cause I love you, that's why," Lucas said. Sami seemed surprised, but before she could respond, Lucas pointed out that her food was getting cold.

Later, Sami noted that it was hard to believe that she and Lucas had managed to find their way back to each other. Sami reiterated that she didn't deserve Lucas after everything that she had done to him. Lucas shrugged and assured Sami that he had only cracked a few eggs, and that it was not a big deal. Sami said that she wasn't talking about the meal.

Sami recalled that she had made a mess out of her life again, and that Lucas had returned to Salem to rescue her, which had caused him to lose his fiancée. Lucas said that his relationship with Autumn wouldn't have worked out. Lucas reminded Sami that their marriage never would have ended if Kate hadn't interfered. Sami sighed and admitted that she deserved some of the blame.

"I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry that two of my kids are E.J.'s, and that he is a part of my life, and he always will be, and yes, usually he's trying to mess with me in some way, but the other half of the time, it's totally my fault -- just ask Rafe," Sami said. Lucas tried to say something, but Sami stopped him. "I'm telling you to run! I'm telling you to get out of my life, to stay away from me. It's not a good idea for you," Sami insisted.

Lucas said that he had tried to do that in the past, but something had pulled him back to Sami every single time. Lucas leaned in to kiss Sami, but she stopped him, and she insisted that he wasn't listening to her. Lucas agreed, and he joked that he would never cook for her again unless she agreed to change her attitude. Lucas said that he had never stopped loving Sami. Lucas leaned in to kiss Sami again, and she ripped his shirt off as they stumbled into the bedroom.

Later, Sami started to read the Salem Spectator, and she sighed when she saw Will's face on the lower half of the front page. "'Will Horton stars in gay drama,'" Sami read aloud, as she showed Lucas the article. Lucas tried to call Will, but the call went straight to voicemail. Sami was outraged.

"He just went to a stupid club, and they make it seem like some huge scandal. It's not right. He finally gets off of murder charges, but then they put his private life on the front page of the newspaper, and they make him seem like he's some -- like he's some sort of -- it's just not right. I can't believe that's on the front page of the paper. All they had to do was say that he has an alibi," Sami incredulously stated.

Lucas wondered if Sami was uncomfortable with the fact that everyone knew that Will was gay. "I just -- I hate that it had to happen like this, you know? That everybody knows because of this paper, that it didn't happen on his terms. He didn't get to decide, and I hate the thought of people being mean to him. I mean, he's -- he's my baby, and I don't want people to be hateful to him because he's gay," Sami explained.

Lucas pointed out that Will wasn't a kid anymore, and he assured Sami that Will knew how to handle himself and that he knew how to fight back. Lucas added that Will had a supportive family. "I feel bad for any homophobe who has to deal with you or my mom," Lucas said. Sami laughed, but she admitted that she was concerned about Roman. Lucas was certain that Roman would eventually decide to support Will.

Lucas sighed, and he wondered why Will had never been completely honest about everything that he had been going through. Sami agreed that it would have been a lot easier to help Will if he had told them everything. Lucas couldn't believe that Will had agreed to work for E.J. again, and he wondered what kind of sick game E.J. was playing with Will.

Sami decided that she was going to go over to the DiMera mansion and force E.J. to tell her what was going on. "No, no, no. We are gonna get to the bottom of this -- we're gonna do that together -- but you're not going anywhere near E.J.," Lucas said.

At the Horton Town Square, Will walked past two people who were reading the Salem Spectator. The two men stared at Will for a moment, and they started to whisper to each other as they walked away. Will looked at a nearby newspaper rack, and he saw his photograph on the front page. Will continued to stare at the headline as he started to walk away, and he accidentally bumped into Sonny.

Will apologized, and he and Sonny jokingly blamed each other for the accident. Will noticed that a few people were watching him interact with Sonny, and he admitted that he felt like the whole town was staring at him. Sonny said that the good news was that everyone knew that Will wasn't a murderer. Will nodded, and he conceded that Neil had been trying to help him.

Sonny knowingly stated that Neil had still forced Will out of the closet before he had been ready to take that step. Sonny optimistically pointed out that Will's life could get back to normal, since he was no longer a murder suspect. "Yeah, as soon as I figure out how to get back in the closet," Will said, as he started to walk away. Concerned, Sonny rushed after Will.

Will said that he didn't have time to talk about his statement, but Sonny ignored his protests. Will assured Sonny that he had been joking, and that he didn't really want to go back into the closet. Will explained that he just felt like his life would be less complicated if he did. Sonny wondered what was less complicated about pretending to be straight.

"You don't understand, Sonny -- I grew up in this town. I'm a Horton, I'm a Brady, and I'm the only gay guy on either side," Will said. Will felt like people were more freaked out about the fact that he was gay than they had been about the possibility that he had murdered someone. Will wondered why his sexuality was such a big deal.

"Well, the only way to stop it from being a big deal...is to get rid of that closet. The more people who have to face the fact that they know someone who's gay, and love someone who's gay, the more they're gonna stop thinking it's a bad thing," Sonny said. Will wasn't satisfied with that answer, and he asked Sonny to tell him that it would get easier, and that it would eventually stop being a big deal.

Sonny wished that he could say what Will wanted to hear. Will wondered if anyone had ever told Sonny that he was a bit of a downer. Sonny laughed, and he assured Will that things would get easier, but he added that there would always be some weird reactions to deal with.

"Sometimes you'll tell someone that you're gay, and they're gonna be like, 'Oh, yeah, I already -- I totally knew that,' so it makes you wonder, 'Well, were you talking behind my back the whole time?'" Sonny explained. Will believed that reaction would have been better than Roman's reaction. Sonny pointed out that Roman had always assumed that Will was straight, and that it was going to take some time for him to get to know Will in a new way.

Sonny reminded Will that Sami had eventually offered him her full support, and he wondered if Lucas had helped her get to that point. Will confirmed that Lucas had helped, but he added that E.J. had helped, too. Will also revealed that E.J. had paid his bail, and that E.J. had offered to rehire him. Sonny was surprised, and he wondered if Will had turned down E.J.'s offer. Will remained silent.

"You're working with E.J. again, aren't you? What part of 'that's stupid' do you not understand?" Sonny wondered. Will insisted that E.J. wasn't that bad, but Sonny countered that E.J. was a creep. Sonny wondered why Will had agreed to help E.J. Will explained that E.J. believed that Will owed him for helping Stefano destroy E.J.'s marriage.

Sonny wondered what E.J. would do if Will refused to help him. Will laughed nervously, and he insisted that Sonny didn't want to know. Will started to walk away, but Sonny was undeterred. Sonny conceded that helping Stefano ruin E.J.'s marriage had been a dumb move, but he pointed out that it wasn't a crime. Will vaguely stated that Sonny didn't know the whole story.

Sonny guessed that E.J. was threatening Will, and he offered to accompany Will to the police station to report the threats. Will insisted that he couldn't do that, and Sonny wondered what E.J. had on Will. "You know, it's not that -- it's what I'm gonna get on him. He's hiding something -- I think it's big. There's this piece of paper that...I don't know, slipped out of his jacket or whatever, and I picked it up, and I thought he was gonna have a stroke," Will said.

Will vowed to find out what was on the piece of paper, so that he could put E.J. away. Sonny jokingly referred to Will as a secret agent. Will shrugged, and he said that someone had to do it. Sonny wondered if Will really believed that he could turn the tables on a guy like E.J. Will said that it would be justice. "Justice? Are you kidding me? Dude, you'll be lucky to get out of there alive," Sonny said.

Sonny warned Will not to give E.J. anything that he could hold over Will's head. Will said that it was too late to worry about that, and Sonny asked him to elaborate. Will explained that E.J. already had something on him, and that he was using it for all that it was worth. Sonny wondered if Will was being serious. Will nodded, and he said that was the only reason that he had gone back to work for E.J.

"I knew it. It's E.J., isn't it? What's he done now?" Sami asked, as she and Lucas approached Will and Sonny.

In Horton Town Square, Sami and Lucas were walking when they overheard Will talking to Sonny about E.J. Sami demanded to know what E.J. had done to Will. "Nothing that I can't handle," Will responded. Sami asked Will if he had been working for E.J. again. Lucas noted that working for E.J. would introduce more trouble into Will's life.

Will suggested that his parents be thankful that E.J. had bailed him out of jail. Frustrated, Sami and Lucas grabbed Will as he attempted to walk away and reminded him that E.J. had not bailed Will from jail out of the goodness of his heart. Sami asked Will what E.J. had demanded in exchange for bailing him out of jail. Will countered that E.J. had asked him to work for the mayor's office.

When Sami asked Will if E.J. was holding the shooting over Will's head, Will responded that he would handle his own life. Sami and Lucas ushered Will over to a table and sat him down. Lucas said that E.J. would use Will, and then E.J. would tell the police that Will had shot E.J. Lucas urged Will not to grow too fast, and Will joked that he had not had a choice.

Sami took the dig in stride and reminded Will that she and Lucas wanted to help Will. With a smile, Will assured his parents that he could manage E.J. and that they should not worry. Once Will was gone, Sami noted that she and Lucas needed to do something to help Will. Lucas urged Sami not to confront E.J. Nodding, Sami promised not to talk to E.J. "Whatever we do, we do it together," Lucas said. After Lucas left, Sami grabbed her cell phone and cancelled her business meetings for the remainder of the day.

Across the square, Sonny was walking by the staircase when he spotted Will crouched down in the corner. Sonny asked Will what had happened with his parents. When Will recounted his conversation, Sonny suggested the Will's parents could be right about E.J. Will stressed that his parents were overly concerned, and that Sonny did not need to worry about E.J.

"Right now, E.J. has an advantage over me, but once I level that playing field, I'll be free," Will said. Worried, Sonny urged Will to be careful and placed his hand on Will's knee as a gesture of support. Will looked at Sonny's hand and then rose to his feet as he noted that he needed to run some errands for E.J. Shifting nervously, Will asked Sonny if he wanted to go to the movies with him. With a grin, Sonny agreed.

As Will turned to leave, Lucas called out to his son and asked him to talk. Citing work, Will told Lucas that they would talk later, and then he ran off. With a sigh, Lucas turned to Sonny and asked him if they had talked. Sonny remarked that he'd had an easier time coming out than Will had because he had done it on his own timeline.

Lucas asked Sonny if he had any advice for how to help Will. Sonny told Lucas to keep supporting Will and assure Will that nothing had changed between Lucas and his son. Sonny assured Lucas that Will was tough. Nodding, Lucas admitted that he was grateful that Will had Sonny in his life.

"I would do anything for Will," Sonny said. Noting the tone of Sonny's voice, Lucas asked Sonny if he was interested in Will as more than a friend. With a sheepish grin, Sonny admitted that he had feelings for Will. Lucas thanked Sonny for his honesty.

"I don't think Will is ready for those feelings yet. He is still figuring himself out, and that's what he is doing right now. He needs to feel comfortable with who he is before he can fall in love with someone," Sonny said. Sonny added that for that reason, being friends with Will was the best option.

"That's really mature. It makes me think that you think he's worth waiting for. Guess that means I approve," Lucas said. Sonny thanked Lucas for his support, and he noted that he would have to wait and see how Will felt. Lucas promised not to tell Will that Sonny was interested in him.

At the Brady Pub, Rafe confronted Nicole about the results of the paternity test. Nicole refused to tell Rafe how the DNA results had been switched, citing the need to protect Rafe. Concerned, Rafe reminded Nicole that if E.J. learned about the switch, then E.J. would go after Rafe and Daniel. Nicole apologized for dragging Rafe into her world. Rafe swore to protect Nicole and the baby.

As Nicole noted that E.J. had no claim on her baby, E.J. approached the table and chimed in, "At least not right now." Annoyed, Nicole walked to the bar to order food. E.J. sat down at the table and asked Rafe if there was any new evidence in Stefano's murder.

Spencer entered the pub, and he asked E.J. if he was ready to talk to the police. E.J. countered that he was disappointed that Spencer was intent on focusing on E.J. as the prime suspect in Stefano's murder. "Flimsy, circumstantial evidence is not going to see me convicted of a crime I did not commit. I loved my father very much," E.J. said. "Even though he disinherited you?" Rafe countered.

E.J. warned that if the police libeled or slandered him, he would make sure they paid. With a nod, E.J. walked out of the pub. While E.J. checked his messages on his cell phone outside, Nicole ran after him to talk. Nicole offered her condolences to E.J. on the death of his sister. E.J. thanked Nicole and noted that after he had lost two members of his family, he had no intention of giving up on Nicole's baby.

"I don't care what the DNA test said. That's my child," E.J. said. E.J.'s phone rang, and he noted aloud that the hospital was calling. Concerned, Nicole asked E.J. why the hospital was calling him. Suspicious, E.J. asked Nicole why she was interested in his conversation with the hospital. When Nicole remained silent, E.J. softened and explained that he was talking to the administrator about creating a memorial at the hospital in Lexie's honor.

Nicole quietly remarked that E.J. cared about his family. With a nod, E.J. leaned in menacingly toward Nicole and said, "There's nothing you can do to keep me from this child, Nicole. Nothing."

Inside the pub, Spencer remarked to Rafe that if they needed information from E.J., then they would have to find leverage against him. When Rafe remarked that none of the remaining suspects had had gunpowder residue on their hands, Spencer countered that the murderer could have worn gloves. Spencer noted that E.J. was his primary suspect. Rafe said that he wanted to remain unbiased, but then he added that E.J. was the only remaining suspect that was capable of killing their father in cold blood.

Rafe and Spencer reviewed the evidence, and Spencer reminded Rafe that there was no evidence at the mansion to incriminate E.J. With a nod, Rafe recalled that E.J. had an apartment. "That's the place we need to search," Rafe said. Spencer countered that it would be difficult to obtain a warrant for the apartment without more evidence. Hoping there was enough evidence to convince a judge that a warrant was necessary, Spencer stepped aside to make some calls.

Rafe returned to Nicole's table and asked her if she had spoken to E.J. about the paternity test. Nicole informed Rafe that E.J. was more determined than ever to prove that Nicole's child was his. With a sigh, Nicole explained that Lexie's death had caused E.J. to focus on his children because E.J. felt that was all he had left in his life. Rafe smirked and noted that by the time that the baby was born, E.J. might be in jail for murdering Stefano.

Shaking her head, Nicole admitted that she did not believe E.J. was capable of killing his father but that E.J. and Stefano were not getting along before Stefano's death. Spencer returned, and Rafe excused himself to talk. Nicole overheard Spencer mention the warrant to search E.J.'s apartment, and she interrupted to offer her help to Spencer with the investigation. Nicole offered to search E.J.'s apartment in lieu of the warrant.

Spencer declined the offer, and he noted that a warrant was necessary. After Spencer left, Nicole begged Rafe to let her help him with the investigation. Rafe noted that they needed to play by the rules. Outside the pub, Spencer learned that his request for a warrant had been denied.

At his apartment, E.J. was flipping through his mail when there was a knock at the door. When E.J. opened the door, Sami demanded that E.J. stop blackmailing her son. E.J. denied the charge and countered that he had helped Will get out of jail. Sami noted that she had believed that E.J. had bailed out Will because he was doing something kind.

"I saw that look in your eye, and when I thanked you, I meant it. 'Cause I thought it was like, how you look at Johnny and Sydney. When I delude myself into thinking that you have actual, real human emotions," Sami said. Defensive, E.J. noted that his affection for Will was genuine. When Sami asked E.J. why he had forced Will to work for him, E.J. yelled that Will enjoyed working for him.

E.J. reminded Sami that he had lost his father and sister. "Why don't you think about that before you start digging your claws into me?" E.J. said bitterly. The tension fled Sami, and she softened. Sami offered her condolences to E.J. Nodding, E.J. noted that Lexie had asked E.J. to keep Theo in touch with Johnny and Sydney. Sami agreed.

With a sigh, E.J. turned the conversation back to Will. Sami renewed her plea for E.J. to back off of Will, but E.J. denied that he was blackmailing Will. E.J. offered to remove Will from his "personal tutelage" and transfer him to another job. When E.J. suggested that Will could work at Countess Wilhelmina, Sami was surprised that E.J. would let Will work for her.

"Not exactly. I thought that maybe you could work for him. How does that sound?" E.J. asked with a smile. Angry, Sami reminded E.J. that he had promised her the CEO position at Countess Wilhelmina. E.J. countered that Sami had no experience when Madison had hired her, and that she did not have the experience to run the company yet. E.J. noted that Will was smart and ambitious, and that Will needed the right person to mentor him.

Sami argued that E.J. was a terrible influence on Will. "Be careful though, darling, because if you do want to keep your son's freedom or keep your job, I suggest you don't antagonize me," E.J. said with a grin. Frustrated, Sami yelled that she hated E.J., and she marched toward the door. "Go ahead. Underestimate me. I dare you," Sami said as she walked out.

Will picked up some budget documents for E.J. and dropped them off at E.J.'s apartment. E.J. informed Will that Sami had stopped by to yell at him about Will's job at the mayor's office. With a condescending smirk, E.J. told Will that he needed to stop running to his mother whenever he had a problem. Will swore that he had not talked to Sami. E.J. reminded Will that he was the reason that Will was not in jail and that he required Will's loyalty.

Will explained that Sami and Lucas had overheard him talking to Sonny about the job, and that they had figured out the reason on their own. E.J. reminded Will to watch what he said and remain loyal. Will urged E.J. to ignore his family. As Will inched his way down the couch toward E.J., Will told E.J. that he had learned more about business while working for E.J. than he had learned in college.

While chatting, Will asked E.J. why he had been romantically interested in Sami. Lost for words, E.J. stammered before finally stating that everybody made mistakes. Changing the subject, E.J. asked Will to make copies of the budget papers and distribute them to the council members. As Will headed toward the door, E.J. leaned over his desk and refused to look Will in the eye. After hesitating, Will left. E.J. looked at the photo on his desk of Sami and the children.

E.J. stared at the photo and smiled wistfully to himself. When there was a knock at the door, E.J. was surprised to find Nicole in the hallway. "May I come in?" Nicole asked.

As Sami walked through Horton Town Square, Lucas called out to her. When Lucas asked Sami why she was not at her meeting at the office, Sami explained that the meeting was cancelled. Reading Sami's body language, Lucas deduced that Sami had confronted E.J. against his wishes. Sami countered that Lucas had unilaterally decided that she should not talk to E.J., and that she disagreed.

"When are you going to stop banging your head against the wall over this guy, huh?" Lucas asked. Lucas asked Sami to avoid E.J. because no good could come from Sami and E.J. arguing.

Carrie entered the office where Rafe was working at the police station, because he had summoned her there to talk about the case. Carrie assumed that her dad and Agent Spencer would be joining them, but Rafe informed her that he was the only one working at that moment. Rafe then asked for Carrie's advice as to how to obtain a search warrant for E.J.'s apartment, since the judge had turned them down for lack of probable cause.

A skeptical Carrie pointed out that Rafe was a former FBI agent who worked for both the ISA and the Salem Police Department -- and he didn't need her to tell him how to get a search warrant. Rafe confessed that he'd just wanted to see Carrie, then changed tactics and insisted that he really did need her advice about the warrant. Carrie suggested that the cops find more evidence, or motive, and perhaps hint that the judge was giving E.J. special treatment, which would reflect badly on the judge if E.J. were eventually found guilty of Stefano's murder.

As Carrie started to leave, Rafe admitted that he'd missed her. He quickly apologized for putting Carrie in an awkward position, but she confessed that she missed Rafe, too. She said that although she was trying to move forward, she couldn't stop thinking about Rafe and what might have been. "If I hadn't gotten pregnant, we would be together right now," Carrie said tearfully. The two almost kissed, but both stopped simultaneously. "I should go," Carrie said, and Rafe agreed, but neither moved.

At Titan, Ian asked Kate if she and Lexie had been close. Kate admitted, "Well, we weren't what you would [call] close, but she was very kind to me, even though her relationship with her father was, most of the time, up in the air. She was a lovely woman." Ian offered to accompany Kate to Lexie's memorial service, but Kate declined, citing a desire not to make a scene. Ian remarked, "You'd better hope Brady Black doesn't show up high as a kite, like a blithering idiot."

Kate found that odd, and wondered why Ian cared so much about Brady. Ian merely claimed that Brady's "shenanigans" were costing Ian money. Kate conceded that Brady's behavior had been bizarre, and Ian contended that the only explanation for it was that Brady was back on drugs. Realization slowly dawned in Kate's eyes, and she asked Ian if he'd been responsible for Brady's relapse by slipping Brady drugs. Ian indignantly denied it.

Kate suggested that Ian didn't want Madison to be with anyone else because he was not over her, but Ian declared that he didn't care if Madison did marry "that junkie." A skeptical Kate pointed out that Brady had been clean for years and had no reason to use again. Ian swore that he was not responsible for Brady's actions. Kate then headed out for the memorial service. Ian reiterated his offer to go with her, but Kate asserted confidently, "I'm going to be just fine on my own."

After going for a run, a sweating and hyperactive Brady returned to Madison's hotel room, and grabbed a protein shake out of the refrigerator. Brady quipped that the shakes were so good that he was becoming addicted to them, and offered Madison a sip. She declined. "I've never felt better," Brady declared, and then dropped to the floor and began doing pushups.

When Madison remarked that Brady seemed very energetic, he jumped back up and invited her to go out and do something fun. Madison reminded him that she had to work -- plus Lexie's memorial service was later that day. Clearly wired, Brady took another swig of his protein drink and suggested that they do something fun after the service. "What the hell is the matter with you? A woman's memorial service is today, and you're worried about having fun?" Madison asked suspiciously.

Pacing around the room, Brady said that they would just have to plan something crazy for the weekend. Madison asked if the results of Brady's drug test were in yet. Brady retrieved an envelope from a jacket pocket, and said that he'd wanted to wait and open them with Madison. Madison became enraged when she opened the envelope and saw that the results were positive. "How could you do this to me?" she demanded, adding incredulously, "You lied to me; you're back on drugs!"

Brady swore that he hadn't touched drugs in years, but Madison accused him of being high at that very moment. A look of horror crossed Brady's face as he suddenly realized, "I think I am." Madison was disgusted, but Brady suspected that someone had slipped him drugs, because he had not taken anything. "Oh yeah? Who slipped you drugs, Brady? Really?" Madison asked dubiously. "That son of a bitch!" Brady snarled, grabbing his jacket and heading out the door. Madison tried to stop him, but Brady seemed to be on a mission.

Ian was alone in the office when Brady barged in. "You son of a bitch! I'm going to kill you! I know what you did," Brady declared furiously.

As E.J. let Nicole into his apartment, she thanked him for seeing her. When she stated that she was there to apologize, E.J. assumed that she was going to admit that the baby was his. Nicole assured him that wasn't the case; she only wanted to apologize for the way she'd treated him earlier, and to reiterate her condolences about Lexie. Not buying it for a second, E.J. demanded to know why Nicole was really there.

Nicole insisted that she didn't have a hidden agenda, and that she wanted to call a truce. She explained that when she'd heard E.J. making a donation to the hospital in Lexie's name, she'd realized how difficult the day had to be for him since he was going through it alone, and she wanted to be there for him. E.J. declared that a truce would be lovely, but he couldn't believe a word out of Nicole's mouth.

Suddenly, Nicole appeared unsteady on her feet, wobbled for a minute, then collapsed. E.J. rushed over to catch her before she hit the floor. When Nicole "awoke" a bit later, she was on the couch under E.J.'s suit jacket. When he muttered that he was going to call 9-1-1, Nicole moaned and put her hand to her head, and murmured E.J.'s name. E.J. insisted on taking her to the emergency room, but she declined.

Nicole maintained that her blood sugar was just low because she hadn't been able to eat her food at the pub earlier thanks to morning sickness. E.J. didn't have anything in the apartment to eat, and offered to get something from the pub for Nicole. As he headed out, she lay back down on the couch, but the minute the door closed behind him, she popped back up and began rifling through drawers.

When Gabi joined Chad at the Brady Pub, he was looking in frustration at his phone. Chad couldn't believe that Melanie had taken off for Europe without so much as a word to any of her friends besides him, but Gabi suggested that perhaps Melanie had just needed a break from everyone. "That's it; I'm going to call Carly," Chad decided. Gabi took the phone from his hand and told him not to do so.

Gabi warned Chad that it would only make him appear crazy in Melanie's eyes if he asked her mother to talk to Melanie. Gabi asserted, "I know that you think you should be apologizing to Melanie, but, to be honest, I think she should be apologizing to you." She explained that Melanie's running off to Europe after having a fight with Chad had been more than a little extreme, and urged Chad to stop beating himself up about it.

His eyes brimming with tears, Chad argued, "I can't, okay? Don't you get it? Everyone I've ever loved is gone -- my mother, my father, Lexie. Melanie is the one person I have left, and she won't even speak to me." Gabi reassured him that she wasn't going anywhere. "Gabi, I really appreciate it, but it's just not the same," Chad said quietly.

Chad apologized if he'd hurt Gabi's feelings, but he missed Melanie, and it was unbearable for him to think of trying to get through Lexie's memorial without Melanie. Gabi assured him that she understood and would be there for him. She suddenly remembered that she was supposed to meet a friend, and left after cautioning Chad not to think about Melanie too much.

A ski-masked Andrew unlocked the room in his basement where he was holding Melanie captive. He ordered Melanie to sit down and eat her lunch, but instead she demanded to know what the masked man wanted. Andrew didn't answer, so Melanie offered to get him as much money as he could possibly want. When he just held the bag of food out silently, she screamed, "What do you want?"

Andrew insisted that he didn't want anything, including money. He set the bag down on the bed, used his key to unlock the door, and left, locking the door behind him. Melanie made a face at the food, but eventually sat down and grudgingly began to eat. Andrew spied on her through the speakeasy in the door and was pleased to see that she was eating.

A while later, Andrew returned to remove the empty food bag from the room. Melanie asked him to stay, because she didn't want to be alone. Andrew was completely dubious, but Melanie quietly pleaded with him to let her out of there. She explained that her boyfriend's sister was really sick and his dad had just died, and she didn't think Chad would believe it if she never called or wrote. After thinking about it for a moment, Andrew refused. He then bound Melanie's hands to the bed frame and gagged her, explaining that it was because she'd tried to escape before.

Just as Andrew exited Melanie's cell, Gabi arrived, and was surprised to find Andrew in the basement instead of outside, where they'd planned to meet. After hiding the mask, Andrew covered that he had been working in the darkroom. He then guessed that Gabi needed his help, because she hadn't been able to make Chad fall in love with her. She admitted that she needed Andrew to be her stalker again -- but not to start right away, as the memorial service for Chad's sister was later that day. Gabi asked Andrew not to tell her what his plan was so that she would be surprised. He agreed to get started on it.

Meanwhile, Melanie began working to untie the ropes that bound her wrists to the bedframe.

When E.J. arrived at the pub, he ran into Chad. E.J. apologized that he hadn't been the one who had called Chad when Lexie had died. An emotional Chad lamented, "I can't believe our father and our sister are gone, and I barely even knew them." E.J. asserted that it wasn't Chad's fault. Chad admitted that he'd thought he was better than the DiMera name, so he'd cut off contact with the only family he'd had left, when he should have known not to take them for granted.

E.J. urged Chad to remember the times he'd spent with Lexie and Stefano, and not to waste time feeling guilty. Chad pointed out, "But I hardly have any time to remember -- and I never will. My family's gone." E.J. reminded Chad that the two of them were family. Chad tearfully promised to be a brother from then on, and the siblings embraced. Chad admitted that he still didn't want to be part of the family business, although E.J. hoped Chad would change his mind some day. E.J. then grabbed Nicole's to-go order and left.

Gabi returned to the pub, and said that she and Chad should get going, since they still had to change clothes for Lexie's memorial. Chad thanked Gabi for everything she'd done for him. "I'm here, no matter what you need," Gabi assured him.

Andrew put the mask back on, and entered Melanie's cell. He was dismayed to find Melanie trying to untie the rope. Andrew yanked off her gag, and she explained that the ropes had been too tight. "They were hurting," she complained softly. As soon as Andrew untied Melanie's wrists, she used a kickboxing move to kick him in the head, then grabbed his key and unlocked the door.

Nicole searched the desk, behind sofa cushions, and even in the television stand, but turned up nothing. Finally, she started on the kitchen cabinets and drawers. In the back of one drawer, Nicole found a box of bullets. She had just gotten the box out of the drawer and figured out what it was when she heard E.J.'s key in the door. Nicole quickly hid the box behind her back as E.J. entered the apartment. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" E.J. demanded.

At Titan, Brady demanded to hear Ian admit that he had drugged Brady. Ian calmly feigned ignorance, and he claimed that Brady wasn't making any sense. Ian wondered if Brady was high.

Brady admitted that he was, and he wondered how Ian had managed to drug him. Ian calmly stated that Brady's paranoia was a side effect of his condition. Brady ignored Ian's comment, and he wondered if Ian had drugged him because he had stolen Madison.

Ian recalled that he had willingly given Madison to Brady. Brady guessed that Ian had started to regret his decision. "Wrong again, Mr. Black. You see, I have my business, I have the love of my life, and I get to watch you, on a daily basis, screwing it up with Madison. Honestly...I couldn't be happier," Ian said with a smile. Brady vowed to prove that Ian had drugged him.

"All right, all right -- I admit it. I have been sneaking into your room for weeks, and I've been sticking you with needles like a little pincushion, just trying to get you to relapse. Just as well for me that you and Madison are such sound sleepers, otherwise I'd never get away with my diabolical plan," Ian sarcastically stated. Brady was undeterred, and he vowed that he would have the last laugh.

Ian urged Brady to stay away from drugs. Ian pointedly stated that drugs could kill a person. Ian offered to find a private rehab facility for Brady. Brady assumed that Ian wanted him out of the way so that he could have Madison all to himself. Ian dismissively stated that he no longer wanted Madison.

Ian noted that Brady had been a mess lately. Brady insisted that it was Ian's fault, but Ian suggested that Brady simply couldn't handle the pressure. Ian said that Madison was out of Brady's league, because she was beautiful, smart, and successful, while Brady was just a trust fund baby who had always leeched off of his family's talents.

Brady insisted that Madison loved him, but Ian countered that Brady's drug abuse would cause her to change her mind. Ian reached for his desk phone, but Brady angrily grabbed it and tossed it across the room. Brady vowed that he would never lose Madison, and he kicked over a few pieces of Ian's office furniture.

Breathless, Brady collapsed into a nearby chair. Ian offered to call an ambulance, but Brady insisted that he was fine. Ian claimed that he was going to be late for a meeting, and he added that Brady would be receiving a bill for the damage that he had caused.

Ian started to leave, but Brady grabbed his arm. "Let me tell you something. I know what you did, and I'm gonna prove it. Understand?" Brady asked. Ian wished Brady luck, and he calmly exited the room.

In E.J.'s apartment, E.J. wondered why Nicole wasn't resting. Nicole hid the box of bullets behind her back, and she claimed that she had decided to make some tea. Nicole added with disappointment that E.J. had been serious earlier -- he only had coffee and alcohol in the apartment. Nicole's nervous laughter aroused E.J.'s suspicions, and he wondered what was going on.

Nicole quickly recovered, and she wondered if E.J. had ever fainted. Nicole admitted that fainting was a scary experience, and she explained that it had caused her to feel jittery. Nicole casually changed the subject, and she wondered if E.J. had gotten the dessert that she had asked for earlier.

E.J. handed Nicole a slice of Caroline's carrot cake, and he went to the kitchen to get her a fork. While E.J. was distracted, Nicole tucked the box of bullets into her purse. Nicole noted that E.J. had inherited the DiMera mansion, and she asked if he was going to sell his apartment. E.J. shook his head, and he said that the apartment was convenient, since his kids lived nearby.

Nicole sarcastically agreed that E.J. was only keeping the apartment because his kids lived nearby. E.J. reminded Nicole that they had agreed to a truce, which meant that she wasn't allowed to make sarcastic comments. "This is going to be a very boring conversation," Nicole dryly stated.

E.J. watched Nicole eat her carrot cake, and he reminisced about some of the weird cravings she had experienced during her last pregnancy, like burritos with maple syrup. Nicole winced and insisted that she was not going to have the same cravings again. Nicole said that she would never forget a moment of her previous pregnancy, because the memories were all that she had left.

Nicole gasped as her baby started to kick for the first time. Nicole admitted that she had never expected to experience that feeling again. Nicole said that she had often wondered what would have happened if her first baby had survived. E.J. made a snide remark about the fact that Nicole had lied about her miscarriage.

Nicole wondered why E.J. had mentioned that, and she noted that they had actually been getting along for once, but he disagreed. "You're lying to me now, and you were lying to me then, and I'm sorry -- I'm not gonna stand for it anymore. Last time, you were going to do anything to give me a child, and this time, you're gonna do anything to take a child away from me," E.J. said.

Nicole sighed, and she announced that she had lost her appetite. Nicole started to leave, but E.J. begged her to wait. E.J. apologized, and he admitted that he didn't know why he had mentioned Nicole's previous misdeeds. E.J. claimed that he had already forgiven Nicole for everything that had happened in the past.

E.J. said that Nicole's baby could provide them with a second chance to have the family that had been stolen from them before. E.J. added that he loved Nicole, and he begged her to confirm that she was carrying his baby. E.J. hugged Nicole, but she seemed unmoved, and she continued to insist that Rafe was the father of her baby. E.J. silently stared at Nicole as she exited the apartment.

At the police station, Roman told Spencer and Rafe that he had asked a judge to approve their search warrant as a personal favor. While the group waited for the judge's response, Spencer pointed out that E.J. might actually be innocent. Spencer noted that John, Bo, Hope, and Marlena had each had a reason to murder Stefano, since he had tried to kill them a few weeks earlier.

Spencer bluntly stated that Rafe was not being objective. Rafe started to defend himself, but Roman intervened, and he said that Rafe and Spencer each had a point. Rafe refused to believe that the other suspects were capable of committing murder, but Roman urged him to keep an open mind.

Spencer revealed that he had been investigating the other suspects. "Are you aware that there's a rumor going around town that Marlena Evans is responsible for putting Stefano DiMera in a coma a few years ago?" Spencer asked. Roman stressed that the story was nothing more than a rumor. Spencer countered that Marlena had once shot Stefano. Roman pointed out that Stefano had kidnapped Marlena's kids.

"Stefano goes after Marlena, she goes after him in retaliation...perhaps Stefano DiMera's death is just history repeating itself," Spencer suggested, and he abruptly exited the room. Later, Roman received a phone call from the judge, who denied Roman's request. Roman gave Rafe the bad news. "You don't need a warrant -- you've got me, and boy, do I have a surprise for you," Nicole said.

Rafe and Roman insisted that Nicole should not have interfered with the investigation, but she ignored their protests. Nicole assured Rafe and Roman that they would not have been able to obtain a search warrant on their own, because E.J. had people on his payroll who could deny the requests. Roman informed Nicole that he couldn't use evidence that had been illegally obtained.

Nicole shrugged, and she started to walk away. Rafe stopped Nicole, and he told Roman that she was right. Rafe reasoned that it wouldn't hurt to look at the evidence, since it had already been rendered inadmissible. Roman reluctantly agreed, and Nicole revealed the box of bullets. Roman seemed skeptical, and he explained that the bullets didn't really prove anything.

"I lived with E.J., remember? He doesn't just leave boxes of bullets laying around the house, and if he wants someone dead, he hires someone else to do it," Nicole argued. Rafe asked Nicole to leave the room for a moment. After Nicole left, Rafe observed that Nicole had found the correct type of ammunition, and he insisted that the box of bullets wasn't just a coincidence. Rafe urged Roman not to dismiss Nicole's discovery.

Roman pointed out that the murder weapon had belonged to Abe, who had personally loaded it. Roman believed that Nicole's evidence was useless, but Rafe insisted that it had raised some interesting questions. Rafe wondered why E.J. had obtained the bullets, and why he had been hiding them.

Later, Rafe apologetically informed Nicole that he couldn't use the bullets as evidence. Nicole wondered if Rafe believed that E.J. was guilty. Rafe was confident that E.J. was up to something, and he vowed to find out what it was.

At the Carver house, John and Marlena helped Abe get ready for Lexie's funeral. Abe fumbled with his tie, and he admitted that Lexie had always taken care of that part of his wardrobe. Marlena fixed the tie, and Abe sighed as he recalled the nightly routine that he and Lexie had shared. "I just don't remember...I just don't remember my life before Lexie. I just don't remember who I am without her," Abe tearfully stated.

Later, Marlena and John went to Lexie's garden to collect some flowers, which Marlena planned to place on Lexie's grave. Marlena recalled that Lexie had regularly taken fresh flowers to her office at the hospital. John was worried about Abe, and he noted that he couldn't remember the last time that he had seen Abe cry. Marlena nodded, but she stressed that it was important for Abe to experience a full range of emotions.

"I can't stop thinking about the time I thought I lost you. How hard it was to drag myself out of bed every morning, put on that happy face for the twinners, just try to keep moving on," John recalled. Marlena assured John that they would always find their way back to each other.

Later, John presented Marlena with a rose that he had found. John said that the rose reminded him of Marlena -- beautiful, strong, and sharp. John pricked his thumb on a thorn to illustrate his last point. Marlena tearfully stated that she couldn't believe that Lexie was gone. "She's not gone. She's right here in this garden. She's in that house, she's in Theo -- she's all around us," John quietly stated.

Back inside the house, Kayla greeted Abe, and she handed him an envelope, which contained a video that Lexie had recorded. As Marlena and John reentered the living room, Kayla said that Lexie had asked her to give Abe the envelope on the day of the funeral. Marlena offered to give Abe some privacy, but he didn't think that he would be able to make it through the video without some support.

Lexie's face appeared on Abe's television screen. Lexie's garden was visible in the background. "Hi, honey. Well, I made you a video. I hope you don't mind. I've made so many for Theo that I thought I'd make one for you, too. I know today is going to be hard for you, and I won't ask you not to be sad -- that wouldn't be fair -- but I will ask you not to dwell on what we've lost, but to remember all the things we've shared. I remember our wedding day. Oh, that was the happiest day of my life, because I got to marry you -- my lover, my best friend," Lexie recalled.

Lexie held up one of Theo's photographs. "We've had twenty-three years together, honey -- not all of them easy, but all of them definitely, definitely worthwhile. I have loved every minute of our life together, and...when we had this one, our little angel -- the day we brought Theo home from the hospital, our lives became complete. He's such a special little boy, and he's gonna grow up to be an incredible man, just like his daddy," Lexie continued.

"So...today, I want you to think of all the wonderful gifts that we have been given, and celebrate. Celebrate the love that we have shared, Abe, and know that I don't regret a single second of my life. How could I? I got to spend it with you. Someday, we'll be together again. Oh! And one more thing. Please, please, please, please, please, do not walk out that door without having someone check your tie! Oh, sweetheart, I love you...with all my heart. Until we meet again, my love," Lexie concluded, as Abe smiled at her image on the screen.

Later, E.J. arrived. Marlena, John, and Kayla watched as Abe talked to E.J., and Kayla muttered that she didn't trust E.J., despite the fact that he was Lexie's brother. Meanwhile, Abe asked E.J. to be a pallbearer, and E.J. quickly agreed. Everyone started to exit the house, but Abe realized that he had forgotten his keys, so he rushed back inside to find them. Abe found the keys laying next to a family portrait.

"Oh, Lex. Oh, I miss you. I just feel like half my heart is missing. I just can't imagine how I'm going to go on, but I made you a promise. I'm going to keep it, and I'm going to make you proud," Abe vowed, as he clutched the photograph.

After Nicole took a tour of the labor and delivery area of the hospital, she bumped into Daniel. Nicole noted that Daniel was supposed to be at Lexie's memorial. Daniel admitted that he'd gone to the funeral at St. Luke's, but he hadn't been able to face the gathering at Chez Rouge because it stirred memories of the funeral for his first wife, who had also died too young. Daniel then invited Nicole to dinner, but she assured him that he didn't have to take her out just because they'd slept together.

"What if I just wanted to get to know you better?" Daniel countered. Nicole reminded him, "You were married to Chloe; I was her best friend. When she slept with Philip, I helped her hide that from you. And when E.J. tried to kill me, I holed up in your apartment. That's who I am." Daniel asserted that when Nicole had told him about her miscarriage, he'd realized there was more to her than met the eye. "I am just talking about dinner," Daniel said, so Nicole somewhat reluctantly agreed to go with him.

As they ate dinner in Horton Square, Nicole noticed that Daniel wasn't drinking. He explained that he was refraining because of her pregnancy. Nicole remarked that she was surprised that she was actually having a good time. Daniel took offense, so she elaborated, "I'm usually attracted to men who are a little less...predictable." To prove her wrong, Daniel got up and grabbed the guitar from where a band was set up to play later. He played a chord -- badly -- and briefly serenaded Nicole -- also badly -- until she urged him to stop. Daniel calmly replaced the guitar and sat back down.

After dinner, Daniel offered to walk Nicole to her car, but she maintained that it wasn't necessary. "Really, Daniel? I mean, what are you going to do? Are you going to kiss me goodnight and hold my hand? Gentle kisses and hand-holding, that's not for people like us," Nicole said. Daniel left with some reluctance.

Afterward, Nicole had her phone out to call Daniel, but then called herself stupid and put the phone back in her purse. She turned around to leave, and suddenly Daniel appeared. He gently brushed the hair back from her face, and kissed her passionately right in the middle of Horton Square.

Lexie's friends and family gathered at Chez Rouge after her funeral service at the church. Abe marveled to John and Marlena about all the wonderful things he'd learned about his wife from people who'd known her at the hospital.

As Kayla, Jack, and Jennifer arrived, Kayla got a text message, which she said was from Steve, sending condolences about Lexie. Although Jack tried to defend his brother, Jennifer was peeved that Steve would send such an important message in such an impersonal way. "I'm sure he'd be here in person if saving the world didn't come first," Kayla noted irritably. Jack offered to talk to Steve, but Kayla declined. "We have talked and talked. Our marriage is over," Kayla conceded.

Bo and Hope arrived just then and overheard what Kayla said. Bo and Hope asked why Kayla hadn't said something about what was going on before then. Kayla admitted that she'd needed some time to sort things out, plus she'd been hoping that Steve would change his mind. Hope thought that maybe Steve was just having a midlife crisis, but Kayla divulged that they were filing for divorce. Bo hugged his sister sympathetically.

Sami arrived with Johnny and Sydney, who both rushed into E.J.'s arms. E.J. thanked Sami, and she asserted that Lexie should have all of her family there. E.J. briefly talked with the children about their Aunt Lexie, and when he admitted that he was sad, the kids hugged him again. E.J. asked where Lucas and Will were, and Sami explained that they had taken a tired Allie home. Sami mentioned Will working for E.J., and wondered what Lexie would think about what E.J. was doing.

E.J. asked if Sami would agree to call a truce just for the evening. Sami assured him that she didn't want to make a scene, and asked how E.J. was doing. E.J. admitted that it had been difficult, especially because he kept expecting it to be Lexie checking up on him every time the phone rang. "She loved you, and she was proud of you, and she knew what a wonderful father you are," Sami reassured him.

Cameron and Celeste entered then with Theo. Theo was excited to see Johnny and Sydney, and ran over to greet his little cousins. When Abigail arrived with Gabi and Chad, Cameron was relieved to see some familiar faces. Chad and Cameron agreed that they each planned to live up to their promise to be good uncles to Theo.

Cameron noted sadly, "Everyone here knew my sister better than I did." Chad assured Cameron that everyone would want to tell him about Lexie. Abe overheard and concurred that the party should also help to acquaint Cameron with his sister. As Abe, Marlena, John, Cameron, Abigail, Chad, and Gabi gathered around a table, Cameron asked how Abe and Lexie had met. Abe said that they'd met while on the police force together, before Lexie had gone to medical school.

Cameron admitted that he had a hard time picturing his "Prada-loving" sister in a police uniform. Marlena and Abe filled Cameron in about how Lexie had grown frustrated with the rising crime rate in Salem, so she and Abe's brother, Jonah, had become vigilantes who'd been known as the Pacifier. The others were duly impressed.

Marlena recounted the conversation in which Lexie had confessed to being the Pacifier to a shocked Marlena. Abe confided that he'd had to fire Lexie because of it, and when he'd found a way to reinstate her to the force, she'd turned him down because she'd wanted to find a different way to help people.

Kayla, Bo, Hope, Jack, and Jennifer wandered over and joined the storytelling circle. Bo and Marlena declared that although Abe hadn't been thrilled with the idea of Lexie going to medical school, eventually Abe had been her biggest supporter. They all agreed that Lexie had been an amazing doctor and chief of staff -- and all of their lives would be completely different without Lexie.

Abe then recalled for the group how Lexie had excitedly informed him that she was pregnant. The others agreed that Theo was a very special little boy. Sami urged E.J. to join the group, but he acknowledged that he wasn't the Bradys' favorite person. Sami admitted that she and Lexie hadn't really gotten along, either, and recalled a huge fight she and Lexie had once had about Brandon at the hospital.

Sami added that she and Lexie had eventually gotten past their differences, and Lexie had gone out of her way to help when Sami had gotten sick the year before. E.J. revealed, "[Lexie] used to say, 'If you and Sami would stop trying to destroy one another, you could actually make each other happier than you have ever been.' Can you imagine?" Sami chuckled uncomfortably, and agreed with E.J. that it was a crazy idea.

Sami noted that Lexie had firmly believed E.J. could change, and Sami also knew that E.J. didn't have to follow in his father's footsteps. E.J. replied, "It's not that easy to change course, Samantha." Sami pointed out that Lexie had gotten out from under Stefano's influence, so E.J. could, too. "The biggest problem is that you don't want to," Sami concluded. E.J. didn't want to discuss it, so Sami let it drop after urging E.J. to at least think about it for the sake of the kids.

Abigail declared that she hoped one day to have a marriage like Lexie and Abe's. Abe admitted that Lexie had helped him come to terms with Theo's autism diagnosis when Abe had refused to see the truth. Abe recalled a time when Theo had successfully put together a puzzle, and it had thrilled Lexie and Abe. Abe announced that he had created a foundation in Lexie's name to help other families dealing with autism. The others commended him. Abe hoped that he had what it took to raise Theo on his own, but the group assured him that he could always count on all of them.

Abigail asked Chad if Melanie knew about Lexie's death. Chad admitted that he hadn't been able to reach Melanie, and had finally had to leave the information in a message. Abigail thought it was strange that Melanie hadn't been in contact with Chad yet. Gabi agreed, but assured Chad that he had his friends.

Abe spoke by phone to his son Brandon, who hadn't been able to get a flight in time for the funeral. Abe remarked to Bo and Hope, "I guess you two must be thinking a lot about Zack today. You know Lexie, she never did get over the guilt of trying to keep Zack for herself." Bo assured Abe that they had forgiven Lexie years earlier, and Zack had belonged to all of them. "Friends always find their way back to each other, Abe. We're family," Hope said. Abe embraced both of his old friends in a giant hug.

Celeste asked E.J. how he was doing, and a skeptical E.J. noted that Celeste didn't care about him. "Alexandra did, and she wanted us all to try to get along for Theo's sake," Celeste reminded E.J. He asked if Celeste's "second sight" told her whether they would ever find Stefano's murderer. Celeste replied, "Whatever happened that night, it will eventually come out. Is that what you really want?" E.J. insisted that he had not killed his father. Celeste admitted that something told her that he was telling the truth, and apologized for upsetting him.

Addressing the room from a podium, Abe explained that Lexie had planned a lot of the party herself, because she'd wanted everyone to have a good time. "So she made me promise that there would be dancing -- so come on; grab a partner!" Abe instructed. As "I Only Have Eyes for You" played, people began to pair off and sway to the music. Gabi invited Chad to dance, and he accepted. Nearby, Celeste danced with the children. Kayla asked Abe to dance by reminding him, "Lexie said everybody."

Johnny grabbed his mom by the hand and dragged her over to where E.J. was sitting alone. "Mommy, why aren't you dancing with Daddy?" Johnny demanded. Both E.J. and Sami made excuses, but Johnny reminded them, "But Aunt Lexie wanted everyone to dance, right?" Sami and E.J. reluctantly joined the other couples on the dance floor. As they looked around the room at the swaying crowd, Abe and Kayla agreed that Lexie would have been pleased.

Later, Hope proposed a toast to Lexie. She declared that every woman should be lucky enough to have a friend like Lexie, who always listened without judgment, with whom she could laugh and cry, and who had kept Hope grounded. "While she was going through the most difficult, worst time in her life, she reminds you to cherish the ones you love while you still have the chance. I was very lucky, very, very blessed to have Lexie Carver as my friend." She raised her glass to Dr. Alexandra Carver, and the others chimed in, "To Lexie."

Marlena then shared a memory about Lexie when the two of them had seen a performance of Shakespeare's The Tempest in Chicago. Marlena explained Lexie had been moved to tears during Prospero's fourth-act speech after giving his daughter to the man who loved her. Marlena read the speech to the crowd, ending with the line, "We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep." She turned to Lexie's picture, and bid it, "Goodnight, sweetheart."