Due to the Memorial Day holiday, Days of our Lives did not air today.
This was a planned pre-emption, and there will be no "lost" episodes as a result. Regular programming will resume on Tuesday, May 28, and pick up where the Friday, May 24 episode concluded.
In Kristen's hotel room, she and John kissed and fell back onto the bed. As the two grappled with one another, John pulled away. Kristen turned away from him on the bed and nervously asked what was wrong. John covertly pulled out his cell phone and sent a text message to Brady, asking him to meet John at Kristen's hotel room.
With the message sent, John grabbed Kristen, pulled her toward him, and the two kissed again. John told Kristen that he wanted her. As the two kissed, Kristen pulled away and thought about when Brady had asked her to marry him. Overcome, Kristen jumped out of the bed and crossed to the door. Fighting tears, Kristen asked John what was happening between them. When John avoided the question, Kristen demanded honesty.
John stared silently at Kristen. Kristen offered to say how she really felt. As John fumbled for the right words to calm Kristen, she called him a liar who only cared about himself. Kristen explained that she had pretended that John never existed so that she could move on with her life. Kristen continued that when she had returned to town, she had wanted revenge, but she had learned that revenge was unfulfilling.
"Revenge is hell. Let me tell you. It's pain and it's sadness and it's complete and utter loneliness. And there's no hope. There's never any hope, and I'm sick of it!" Kristen cried out. Kristen ripped the pearls off of her neck and threw them at John's feet. Smiling, Kristen noted that though she hated John and Marlena, she no longer wanted revenge because she loved Brady.
John said that Kristen was incapable of loving Brady because she did not have a heart. Kristen countered that she had a heart, and it was full of love for Brady. Smiling, Kristen said that she knew what John's plan was because she had made the same plan. Kristen cried out that she was free to move on with her life because she loved Brady. Kristen grabbed her purse and announced that she was going to find Brady.
John blocked Kristen's path and noted that he would not let her marry his son. As Kristen walked past John, he slammed the door to keep her from leaving. Kristen and John struggled at the door, and two security officers pushed the door open and said that they had received complaints of raised voices. Kristen asked security to delay John so that she could get away from him.
Once Kristen was gone, John noted to the security guards that Kristen was stressed about her wedding. John attempted to leave, but the security guards stopped him. Frustrated, John called Brady's cell phone, but no one answered the call.
In the waiting area by the nurses' station at the hospital, Sonny waited nervously for news about Will. Adrienne arrived at the hospital and comforted Sonny. Sonny updated Adrienne on the events leading up to the shooting. Adrienne told Sonny that she was proud of him for delivering Gabi's baby. Sonny admitted that he had been terrified when the baby had first come out but that when the baby had started to cry, he had been overcome with the joy of the situation.
In Will's hospital room, Sami sat at her son's bedside. Caroline stopped by to visit, and Sami informed her that Will was expected to wake up in the morning. When Caroline asked Sami how she was, Sami broke down in tears. Caroline comforted Sami and assured her that Will would be fine. Sami told Caroline that Will had been a hero. Smiling, Caroline joked that Will had always stood up to bullies.
As Sami walked Caroline out, Sonny and Adrienne arrived in Will's room. Adrienne lamented that she had believed Will was not good enough for Sonny and she apologized to her son. Sonny noted that he was grateful that Will was in his life. Concerned for Sonny, Adrienne talked him into going to the cafeteria with her to eat.
In the hallway, Caroline stressed that though she was forgetful, she was not fragile. Caroline asked Sami not to keep news about the family from her. Sami apologized for not telling Caroline about Will's situation sooner. Caroline stressed that she was still there for her family.
Down the hallway, Sonny and Adrienne ran into Sami. Sonny suggested that Sami and Adrienne talk while he went to grab food. Sami told Adrienne that her son had done an amazing job delivering the baby. Adrienne offered to help Sami in any way she could. Smiling, Adrienne asked Sami if she could see the baby. Beaming, Sami escorted Adrienne to Gabi's room.
In Gabi's hospital room, Nick crept in as she slept. Nick thought about when he had told Gabi that he had wanted to raise her child with her. As Nick sat at Gabi's bedside, a nurse took the baby in. When the nurse asked Nick if he had held his baby, Nick nervously took the baby in his arms.
Nick held the baby awkwardly and stared sadly at her. As Gabi stirred awake, she saw Nick holding the baby. "We're gonna be so happy," Gabi said groggily before she fell back asleep. A teary-eyed Nick stared at Gabi and then back at the baby.
In the Brady Pub, Marlena looked at the picture that Johnny had hidden in his backpack. Marlena recognized the man in the photo as the man that had attempted to talk to her as a patient. Marlena theorized that Kristen had paid the man in the photo to mug Brady. "What if she set it up to make me look bad? What if it is a ruse?" Marlena wondered aloud.
Marlena asked Johnny if Ciara had shown the photo to Hope. Johnny admitted he did not know but that Ciara had hidden the photo from everyone. Marlena left a voicemail for Hope, begging her to call back. Unsure what to do, Marlena leaped to her feet when Eric walked into the pub. Marlena asked Eric to watch Johnny until Caroline returned. Marlena said that she believed Brady would be fine. Elated, Marlena rushed out of the pub.
In the town square, Brady talked to Nicole, but because he had dropped his phone, he was oblivious to the text message he had received from Kristen, asking him to meet her at her hotel room. When Brady noticed the sour look on Nicole's face, he asked her if she disapproved of Kristen. Nicole explained that she did not know Kristen.
"The question is, do you?" Nicole asked. Brady noted that Kristen was his soul mate. When Nicole asked about Madison, Brady grew emotional and shouted that he did not care what anyone thought about Kristen. Brady explained that Kristen had saved him from depression and had always had his best interests at heart. "Her love is true. Her love is pure, and it's forever," Brady said.
Nicole said that her only concern was that Brady was happy. As Nicole started to leave, Brady stopped her and asked about Eric. Nicole denied that she had a romantic interest in Eric. Brady said he did not believe Nicole. Upset, Nicole demanded to know what Kristen had said to Brady about Eric.
Brady noted that Kristen had not said anything about Eric. Defensive, Nicole rose to leave. Brady told Nicole that he did not want to leave things unsettled between them. Nicole smiled and reiterated that she wanted Brady to do what made him happy. Nicole and Brady agreed to remain friends.
After Nicole left, Brady gathered his stuff at his table. Marlena walked past the cafe in the town square and spotted Brady. Marlena asked to talk to him. Frustrated, Brady said he did not want to talk to Marlena about the wedding or Kristen. Unfazed, Marlena reached into her purse for the photograph, but Brady told Marlena that he did not want to hear what she had to say. Brady walked away, and Marlena apologized for pushing too hard. Brady noted that John and Marlena had forced him to choose between them and Kristen.
Nicole walked to the pub and met up with Eric, who was talking to Johnny. As Nicole smiled in the doorway, an excited Johnny rushed to greet her and pulled her to the table. Eric explained that he was watching Johnny for Marlena until Caroline returned. Johnny noted that Marlena was angry with Kristen. When Eric asked why, Johnny admitted that he had stolen a photo from Ciara.
Nicole awkwardly made jokes about telling the truth, and Johnny laughed. "You should marry her," Johnny suggested. Nicole and Eric smiled nervously at one another. Chuckling, Nicole said goodbye and left. Johnny told Eric that Nicole liked him. When Eric asked Johnny why he would say that, Johnny explained that Nicole looked at Eric the same way she had looked at E.J. when she liked him.
Brady returned to the DiMera mansion and stared at the wedding decorations in the living room. Marlena marched into the living room, and Brady rolled his eyes. Marlena asked Brady to hear her out. Outside the mansion, Kristen whispered to herself how much she wanted to tell Brady that she loved him. When Kristen rushed into the house, she found Marlena and Brady talking together. Brady stared at the photo of Kristen with the mugger. Kristen gasped.
In Gabi's hospital room, Sami and Adrienne quietly slipped in to see the baby. Gabi stirred awake and asked about Rafe. Sami informed Gabi that Rafe was stable. Smiling Sami crossed to the crib to peek on the baby and was surprised to find that the crib was empty.
In Will's hospital room, he woke up when he heard the sounds of a baby cooing. Will groggily opened his eyes and saw Nick standing in the doorway with the baby. Exhausted, Will fell back asleep.
When Sami and Adrienne entered Gabi's room to see the baby, Sami discovered that the baby wasn't in her bassinette. Alarmed, Gabi frantically pushed the call button until Maxine arrived. "My baby is gone!" Gabi exclaimed. Maxine guessed that the pediatrician had simply taken the baby for some tests, and left to confirm it.
Gabi asked if Sami or Adrienne had seen Nick, but neither of them had. Sami added that she thought Nick had left because she hadn't seen him since Will had gotten out of surgery. Gabi explained that Nick had been there, holding the baby. Sami's eyes narrowed with suspicion. Maxine returned and informed Gabi that she had paged the pediatrician. Adrienne stayed with Gabi while Sami followed Maxine out.
In the hallway, a worried Maxine told Sami that the baby wasn't with the pediatrician or in the nursery. "It was Nick Fallon. That crazy son of a bitch took my granddaughter!" Sami hissed.
Maggie arrived at the hospital and greeted Sonny with a grateful hug. Maggie suggested, "This might be an opportunity for the four of you... You all are going to have to start getting along somehow." Sonny admitted that he and Gabi had changed since the baby was born, but he wasn't sure about Nick and Will.
Nick carried baby Arianna Grace into Will's room. When Nick saw that Will was still unconscious after his surgery, he started to tiptoe back out of the room. Will was confused when he opened his eyes and saw Nick retreating. Although still weak, Will managed to call out Nick's name. Cradling the infant tenderly, Nick sat next to the bed while Will struggled to focus. "Say hello to your dad," Nick said.
Will tried to sit up to get a better look at his daughter. "Hi, Arianna," he whispered, a look of utter joy and disbelief on his face. Will was thanking Nick when Sonny crept into the room. "Everything I've done -- I'm so sorry, Will," Nick admitted, sniffling. Although he winced in pain, Will pushed himself into a sitting position so he could hold the baby. As Nick gently placed the infant in Will's arms, Sonny sat on the foot of the bed to help. "You two should share this," Nick said quietly, backing away from the bed.
Maggie was alone near the nurses' station when an agitated Sami rounded the corner and demanded to know if Maggie had seen Nick. "I swear to God, if Nick kidnapped my granddaughter --" Sami began. An incredulous Maggie assured Sami that Nick would never do something like that. Sami retorted, "You have always been blind to what that kid is capable of! ... Does the name Melanie mean anything to you, Maggie?"
As Sami stormed off in search of Nick, Maxine stopped her and quietly reassured her, "Everything's cool." Maxine led Sami toward Will's room while an annoyed Maggie rolled her eyes.
The baby began to fuss as Will got his first good look at his little girl. Sonny tenderly put the tiny stocking cap back on the baby's head when it fell off. Maxine escorted Sami into the room and then quickly left. With a hesitant glance at Nick, who just stood there watching numbly, Sami kissed her son on the head. Nick slipped out of the room while the others were happily focused on tiny Arianna.
Will expressed his relief that Sonny had gotten Gabi away from "that maniac" and to the hospital before Arianna had been born. Sami proudly informed her son that Sonny had delivered the baby. Will was amazed when Sonny described what had happened, but Sonny insisted humbly, "When a baby's born, the mother does all the work. I did next to nothing." Will looked at his boyfriend with awe.
Beaming at his daughter, Will whispered, "You are one lucky little lady. You had Sonny Kiriakis looking out for you from day one. Oh, my God, I love you." He turned his gaze to Sonny and added softly, "And I love you." Sonny echoed his words, then leaned in to kiss Will, while Sami and Adrienne watched with silent joy from the doorway.
When Nick shuffled past the nurses' station, Maggie could tell that something was bothering him, but he left without a word. Maggie followed Nick to the park and asked what was going on -- and if it had something to do with what had happened on the island. His voice a monotone, Nick explained that Will had saved his life and had nearly gotten killed, and Jensen had almost killed Gabi, too. "[Jensen] didn't even care about the baby... He was always like that," Nick mumbled.
Maggie asked if it were true that Jensen and Nick had been in prison together, and that Jensen had gone looking for Nick. A trembling Nick managed, "I don't know if I can hold on." Pulling his sweatshirt tightly around himself, he continued, "I just pretended like -- like it didn't happen. I mean, how else was I supposed to survive? And if it didn't happen, then it didn't matter." He said that everything had been going well for him: he'd gotten early parole, he had a good job, he'd married Gabi -- and then Jensen had gotten out.
"Sweetheart, what happened in prison? What did he do to you?" Maggie asked gently. Nick couldn't answer; he only covered his face with one hand as he began to sob. Maggie clapped her hands over her mouth and began to cry, too, as Nick managed, "Over and over and over and over and over..." Maggie pulled him close and he collapsed, weeping, in her arms. "Oh, Nick, I'm so sorry. Oh, I'm so sorry," she repeated as she held him tightly.
When Nick's tears subsided a bit, Maggie reassured him, "We can get you through this." Nick said sadly that the life he had pretended was so great had been nothing. He added that everything he'd done to Will and Sonny that he had told himself he was doing for the baby had really been because he'd become "a sick freak filled with hate." Maggie urged him to talk to Gabi, because he could get through it if Gabi were with him. "She loves you, but she deserves the truth," Maggie stated gently.
In Gabi's room, Gabi admitted that she and Sonny had been pretty hateful to one another in the past -- but he had been very kind to her on Smith Island, and very smart about how to keep the baby safe. Adrienne confessed that she was very proud of her son. Maxine entered and announced, "Here's the skinny on that little bundle of joy: Will Horton's awake, and Arianna's been visiting with him." A thrilled Gabi only wished she had been there to see the look on Will's face when he'd seen his daughter for the first time.
After Adrienne left, Maxine declared, "That of baby of yours is being oohed and aahed over like crazy! She['s] got a crowd of people just waiting to love her." Nick entered just then. Maxine said that it had been sweet of Nick to take the baby to see her father, but he should let a nurse know the next time he wanted to do something like that.
When Maxine left, Gabi noticed how tired Nick looked. She encouraged him to go home and get some rest, since everything was going to be fine. Nick's eyes filled with tears as he sat next to the bed and admitted, "There's something I have to tell you about. I don't even know how to say this. I'm so ashamed... It's time, way past time, for you to know the truth about me."
John tried to leave Kristen's hotel room, but the security guards stopped him. While one of the guards called the front desk to see if Kristen had filed a complaint against John, John attempted to reach Brady by phone -- but Brady's phone was still under a table in Horton Square. Roman showed up and announced that he had gone there straight from the airport because he'd gotten a report of a disturbance in Kristen's room. He demanded to know what had happened.
When John remained silent, Roman guessed that John had gone there to try to prevent Kristen from marrying Brady. John's lawyer arrived and advised John not to answer any questions. The security guards determined that Kristen had not lodged a complaint, and they confirmed for Roman that the only complaint had been from someone down the hall who had heard raised voices. Exasperated, John asserted that no one should have been surprised about an argument between him and Kristen because the whole town knew that he didn't want her to marry Brady.
Observing the wrinkles on Kristen's wedding dress, which was still laid out on the bed, Roman deduced that John had made a play for Kristen, and she had freaked out and left. Roman added that he knew John still had feelings for Kristen. "If what you think happened happened, you'd be thrilled, wouldn't you? Because that would finally give you a chance to make a play for my wife," John snapped before storming out.
Kristen arrived at the DiMera mansion, eager to tell Brady how much she loved him. She burst through the doors to the living room -- where Brady and Marlena were looking at the photo of Kristen paying off Sy. "Who are you?" Brady demanded. He recognized Sy as one of the men who had attacked Kristen when Brady had gone to her rescue -- which had launched Brady and Kristen's relationship.
"You set me up. You played me," Brady alleged. Kristen accused Marlena of faking the picture. Marlena argued that she knew nothing about photography -- but the man in the photo had approached her about being a patient and to give her something in an envelope. However, the man had since disappeared. Brady asked Marlena for a moment alone with Kristen, so Marlena left after apologizing to Brady that the truth had gotten out that way.
As soon as Marlena had gone, Brady pointed out that Marlena hadn't known when she'd shown him the photograph that Sy had been one of the men who had put him in the hospital. "Kristen, you paid this guy to fake your mugging so I would come to your rescue and you could reel me in, right? You've been playing me since day one, right?" Brady surmised, concluding that Kristen had wanted to destroy John and Marlena. Brady demanded that Kristen tell him the truth.
Kristen declared lovingly that she had gone racing home because she had experienced an epiphany earlier: she had realized that no matter who was against them, she loved Brady. Brady ordered her to answer his question, shouting, "Don't stand there! Say yes or no!" Her voice barely a whisper, Kristen admitted miserably, "Yes."
Kristen reminded Brady that he had been very tough on her when she'd first returned to town because he'd wanted to protect John and Marlena. But then Brady had fallen in love with Kristen, and it had changed him. She added that it had changed her, too, even though she had lied to him and tricked him in the beginning to get revenge on John and Marlena.
Kristen declared that no one had ever loved her like Brady had, but she finally understood what he meant to her. Referencing Kristen's so-called epiphany, Brady growled, "Why don't you tell me what happened tonight, exactly, that changed everything for you?" Kristen reluctantly admitted that John had gone to her hotel room that night because he had wanted Brady to catch them in bed together.
While Brady stared at her with disbelief, Kristen claimed that John had told her that he still wanted her because he had never gotten over her -- but she had seen right through him. "I told him that I loved you. I chose you, Brady, because you're the most important thing in the whole world to me, and I don't need anything else. I don't need revenge. I don't need anything but you, Brady, and your love," Kristen proclaimed tearfully.
"Tonight, you said that you realized you love me -- that means everything before tonight, you were playing me," Brady pointed out. Kristen countered that before that night, everyone including her had believed her incapable of love -- but she loved Brady. She continued that she had been so determined to get revenge on John and Marlena that she had been blind to the gift that had been right in front of her. "I think I loved you from the first time you ever touched me. And then when you said you wanted to adopt a baby with me... I adore you, Brady Black," Kristen declared hopefully.
Kristen began to babble about how sorry she was that it had taken her so long to understand how much she loved Brady, but the two of them could be together forever. "My guess is that you don't know how sick you sound right now," Brady said, adding angrily, "You don't know what love is. Hell, maybe I don't either, because you fooled the heck out of me -- until now." He wadded up the picture.
As Brady strode toward the door, Kristen dropped to her knees, pleading with him not to leave, insisting that she loved him and that she knew he felt the same way about her. Brady shouted, "Do you know what I feel for you right now? I feel disgust!" Sobbing, Kristen clutched pitifully at his leg as he tried to get away. Desperate, she cried insistently that Brady was the most important thing in the world to her and she couldn't lose him because they were going to get married and adopt a baby.
"We have our love now. We can be free," Kristen declared, her voice strangled with tears. "Our love? Our love is gone. You killed it. It's dead, and all we have to do is bury it now, Kristen," Brady spat, freeing himself from her clutches and storming out. Pounding her fists on the aisle runner, Kristen screamed, "No!" over and over.
Marlena went to Hope's office at the police station. Hope said that she'd just gotten Marlena's messages and asked what was going on. "I need your help. It's Kristen," Marlena explained. A little later, Marlena was going over books of mug shots when suddenly she gasped and pointed to a picture, announcing, "There he is! That's the man in the picture, the one Kristen was paying off." Hope stated that Brady had identified the man, Sy Miller, as one of the muggers.
Marlena was excited that they finally had the proof that Kristen had set the whole thing up. Hope asked where Marlena had gotten the picture. Marlena explained that she had gotten it from Johnny -- who had taken it from Ciara's backpack. Horrified, Hope vowed to have a long talk with Ciara -- after she picked up Sy Miller.
While Hope got her computer out of a drawer, a concerned Marlena asked how Hope was doing since the shooting. Hope insisted she was fine, and her interview with Internal Affairs had been brief because she'd had no choice: Jensen had been about to kill Nick. Hope's nonchalance seemed to trouble Marlena, but Hope hurried out before Marlena could say anything.
Later, Hope noted, "It must feel pretty incredible to be proven right. I mean, Kristen's been lying to everyone and now you have the proof." Marlena admitted, "It's nice to be vindicated, but it does come at a price."
A devastated Brady was walking through the park later when John passed by and spotted him. Brady met his father's eyes as a concerned John gazed quizzically at his son.
On the floor of the DiMera living room, Kristen continued sobbing and flailing at the floor, wailing, "It's not fair! It's not fair! I told the truth!" It startled Kristen when she turned and spotted Marlena looming over her.
At St. Luke's, Eric wondered if Nicole was comfortable with working and living at the church. Confused, Nicole guessed that the odd question was somehow related to the comments that Johnny had made at the pub earlier.
"You can't possibly think that I have feelings for you. That's crazy! What's the matter with you? You are a piece of work. May I remind you, since you've hired me -- and I admit, we've had our fights -- but I've stood by you, and I've tried to be the best friend I could possibly be. And what are you doing? You're obsessing over what a child said. I mean, really? A child? Thinking, 'Ooh, Nicole can't keep her eyes off me. I'm so irresistible to her,'" Nicole defensively summarized.
Eric suggested that Nicole was reading too much into his earlier question, but she countered that he was the one who was reading too much into Johnny's comment. Nicole theorized that Eric had jumped to the wrong conclusion because he was always judging her for being an openly sexual person who had healthy needs and desires. Nicole told Eric to face the fact that she could get those needs met at any time without his help.
Nicole insisted that Eric wasn't on her radar and never would be. Nicole demanded an apology from Eric before noon on the following day, threatening to quit if her demands were not met. Nicole stormed out of Eric's office, leaving him in stunned silence. Later, in his room, Eric prayed for Nicole and Brady.
At the hospital, Lucas entered Will's room and was pleased to see that Will was awake. Lucas gushed as he absorbed the sight of Will holding Arianna Grace. Lucas said that he had heard about what Will had done on Smith Island. Will shrugged and replied that he had simply done what had been necessary -- something that he had learned from Lucas.
Lucas deflected the compliment, noting that Will had done some wild and crazy things on Smith Island -- things that he had probably learned from Sami. Lucas started to thank Sonny for taking Arianna Grace to see Will, but Sonny clarified that Nick was the person who had done that. Deciding that it was time to take Arianna Grace back to the nursery, Sonny and Sami left the room, giving Will a chance to talk to Lucas privately.
Will said that seeing his daughter for the first time had felt just like Lucas had once predicted that it would feel. "I swear, it's like, when -- when, um, -- when I woke up and Nick was standing there, and he brought me her, it was just like -- I mean, I swear, music started playing," Will said, beaming with pride. Lucas nodded and observed that Arianna Grace was beautiful, tiny, and helpless, and that Will was responsible for her.
Will vowed to do everything that he could possibly do to give his daughter a great life and ensure that no one would ever hurt her. Lucas said that he had felt the same way when Will had been born. As Will drifted off to sleep, he muttered that everything was going to be perfect again. Lucas kissed Will's forehead and whispered that Will was going to be a great father.
As Sonny carried Arianna Grace back to the nursery, Sami asked him to tell her everything that Nick had said when he had taken the infant to Will's room earlier. Sonny explained that Nick had apologized for his actions and that Will had accepted the apology. Sami beamed with pride, noting that Will had been really amazing on Smith Island, and Sonny said that was who Will was -- an amazing person.
Sami said that it felt weird to realize that her child was a better person than she was. Sonny was certain that Sami wouldn't have let Nick die if she had been in Will's shoes, but she wasn't entirely convinced. Sami wondered how Jensen had managed to get out of prison in the first place.
In Gabi's room, Gabi insisted that she already knew the truth about Nick, who was an amazing man with a great heart. Gabi assured Nick that they were going to have a good life together. "Gabi, stop. You just think you know me. But you can't. I don't even know who I am," Nick admitted. Sensing trouble, Gabi suggested postponing the conversation until a later date, but Nick asserted that she needed to hear the truth right away.
Nick revealed that he had been hiding things from Gabi, theorizing that he had either convinced himself that the lies would eventually evaporate or that he could continue lying forever. Gabi shook her head, insisting that she and Nick had never lied to each other, but he assured her that he had lied about everything. Nick admitted that he had blackmailed Will into giving up his parental rights.
Gabi conceded that she had always suspected that Nick had been holding something over Will's head, but she reasoned that Nick had only done that to protect her from Sami. "No. It had nothing to do with Sami. It's because Will's gay," Nick admitted, adding that religion had nothing to do with the way that he had treated Will and Sonny. Nick said that things had happened in prison that had changed him.
Gabi started to interrupt, but Nick stopped her, insisting that she needed to let him tell her everything. Nick said that Gabi had no idea what prison life was really like. "When I got out, I was -- I was a wreck, you know? I was -- I was lost. I was -- I was just faking everything, just to get through an hour, you know? And then -- and then to get through another hour. And I thought if I could just forget, you know? If I could just wipe away everything that happened, that -- that I would be okay. And then -- and then I met you. Oh, my God. You were so wonderful and warm and -- and sexy and -- and loving. And I made a huge mistake," Nick tearfully admitted.
Gabi wondered what Nick was talking about. "I held on to you, Gabi. I held on to you for dear life. I made you my whole world, and I took everything that happened in prison, and I -- I put it in this box, and I just locked it away. And that's -- I thought I would be okay. I thought that you...would save me. Because if -- as long as I had you, then -- then I wouldn't have to deal with all my demons. And then Will -- Will turned out to be the baby's father, and that's -- that's when some of those demons started to come out again," Nick explained.
Gabi pointed out that Will and Sonny had never done anything to hurt Nick. "I know. I know. But if I didn't treat them like dirt, how was I gonna justify all my -- all my dirty secrets? I know this doesn't make any sense, Gabi, but I couldn't -- I couldn't stop it from happening. And then -- and then Will -- Will risked his life for me. He almost died trying to stop Jensen from killing me. And that's when I realized...I gotta face what -- what Jensen did to me in prison. I gotta face all of the lies. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Gabi. I'm so sorry," Nick said as he started to sob.
Nick said that he had realized that he had been pretending to be someone else from the moment that he had first met Gabi. Gabi wondered if Nick was trying to tell her that he had never really loved her. "I -- I thought I did. I wanted to. I was so confused. Gabi, I was lying so much, to so many people -- how could I know what I really felt?" Nick replied. Gabi tearfully reminded Nick that he had repeatedly sworn his love for her.
Nick explained that he had desperately wanted his fantasy to be real. Nick started to add that his experiences in prison had made him twisted, but Gabi interrupted and pointed out that she had given him a chance to tell her what had happened to him in prison before they had gotten married. Nick apologetically stated that he had been unable to admit the truth at that time. Gabi impatiently demanded to know what Nick had been trying to tell her.
Nick took a deep breath before responding. "Jensen -- Jensen raped me, Gabi. He raped me, and he beat me again, and again, and again, and again. And after that -- there was no me," Nick tearfully admitted, adding that he had never spoken those words aloud before. Nick apologized for using Gabi, who struggled to absorb the fact that their entire relationship had been a fantasy.
"It was so obvious what I was doing, you know? Like, Sonny and Will show up and I start in with the names, trashing them every chance I get. I hated them because of what Jensen did to me. It was sick. You know, Jensen wasn't even gay. You know, in prison, it's not about being gay or straight. It's about violence and power. Gabi, I'm so sorry. I wish you'd never met me," Nick tearfully stated.
Before Gabi could respond, Sami and Sonny entered the room, cheerfully announcing that they had a very special person who wanted to visit Gabi. Sensing that it was a bad time, Sonny and Sami started to excuse themselves, but Gabi stopped them and said that she wanted to hold Arianna Grace. As Sonny placed the infant in Gabi's arms, a nurse entered the room, explaining that she had some paperwork that required Gabi's signature.
Gabi inspected the document and realized that it was Arianna Grace's birth certificate. As Nick took the birth certificate from Gabi, Sami asked to see it. Nick denied Sami's request, but she insisted that she had every right to look at the birth certificate. "There's no point, Sami. It has to be redone. The -- the name of the father is -- is wrong," Nick told the nurse.
The nurse apologized, explaining that she had been under the impression that Nick and Gabi were married. After confirming the nurse's suspicion, Nick reiterated that the wrong man's name had been placed on the birth certificate. "The name of the father should read 'William Horton,'" Gabi told the confused nurse, who promised to fix the issue right away.
After the nurse left, Sami thanked Nick and Gabi for doing the right thing. Struggling to maintain her composure, Sami quickly left the room, relieved that the fight to keep Will in his daughter's life had apparently been resolved. Sonny gave Gabi and Nick a silent nod before following Sami out of the room. Gabi told Nick that they had a lot to think about, and a tear rolled down his cheek as he quietly told her to get some rest. Nick left the room, and Gabi tearfully promised that she would always be there for Arianna Grace, who would always be loved.
In the waiting area, Sami told Lucas about her earlier revelation that Will was a better person than she was. Teasing Sami, Lucas quickly agreed that Will was a much better person than she was. Sami feigned outrage, and Lucas clarified that Will was a better person than Lucas and Sami combined, which was exactly how they should want Will to be.
In Will's room, Sonny was sitting next to Will, who was sleeping peacefully. "It's so incredible. You know, not so long ago, everything seemed so dark. Nothing to hold on to. But now, everything's gonna work out. We're gonna make it work, Will -- you and me, together," Sonny optimistically stated as he gently kissed Will's hand.
In a secluded section of Horton Town Square, John observed that Brady looked terrible. John asked if Brady was all right, but Brady ignored the question. Brady wondered what had happened between John and Kristen earlier that night, directly asking John if he had tried to seduce her. Before John could respond, Hope interrupted and said that she needed to ask Brady some questions about Kristen and Sy.
Hope noticed the crumpled photograph that Brady was holding and said that she would need to take it, since it was a key piece of evidence. Confused, John listened as Brady and Hope discussed the implications of the picture. Brady told Hope that Kristen had lied about the image earlier, just like she had lied in Hope's office on the day that he had identified Sy as one of the muggers.
Brady bitterly summarized that Kristen had staged the attack so that she could reel Brady in and use him to get back at John and Marlena. Brady gave the photograph to Hope, who said that she was sorry that Kristen had hurt him. After Hope left, Brady once again asked if John had tried to seduce Kristen earlier. John reasoned that it no longer mattered, since Brady had finally learned the truth about Kristen. Taking John's non-answer as an answer, Brady stormed off, ignoring John's attempt to stop him.
At the DiMera mansion, Marlena hovered over Kristen, who was kneeling on the floor, sobbing about the unfairness of her situation with Brady. Kristen called Marlena a bitch. "Isn't that what payback is, Kristen?" Marlena calmly replied. Kristen assumed that Marlena had returned to the mansion to gloat about her victory, but Marlena clarified that she had only returned to the mansion to see if Brady was okay.
Kristen said that Brady had left earlier and was definitely not okay, thanks to Marlena. Marlena reasoned that Brady had deserved to know the truth about Kristen. "Is that what you thought? Are you sure you didn't think that you've been trying to get revenge on me for fifteen years, and now was your chance? So what if Brady gets hurt in the process?" Kristen asked as she stood to face Marlena.
Marlena insisted that she had never intended to hurt Brady. "Oh, really? Well, now you're here. What do you want? You want me on the ground again, so you can kick me when I'm down? You know what? I didn't think it was possible, but I hate you more than I ever did. I only have one regret -- that I didn't kill you when I had the chance," Kristen said through gritted teeth, glaring at Marlena.
"Wow. The real Kristen emerges. Hello again. You've put on quite a show the last six months, but I never bought a ticket, because I know the truth about you -- always have," Marlena replied. Regaining her composure, Kristen smiled as she poured herself a glass of scotch, hinting that Marlena didn't know everything. Marlena didn't take the bait, so Kristen cryptically added that the information was about John.
Kristen expressed her condolences, explaining that John had informed her that he and Marlena were getting a divorce. Marlena said that was none of Kristen's business, adding that nothing was set in stone yet. "Maybe. I can't help but be a little nosy, 'cause it's so weird -- a couple hours ago, he was in my hotel room. Actually, he was on my bed. He had me on my back. Should I go on?" Kristen playfully asked.
Marlena assumed that Kristen was lying, so Kristen urged Marlena to ask John about the visit. Predicting that John would claim that he had tried to seduce her to save Brady, Kristen said that, while that explanation was plausible, she didn't really believe it. Kristen mused that she knew John really well -- possibly even better than Marlena knew him -- and he simply had a habit of convincing himself that he was doing things for the right reasons so that he wouldn't have to admit that he was really just doing them because he wanted to do them.
Marlena guessed that Kristen had simply fooled herself into believing that John was interested in her. "Oh, honey, honey, sweetie, girlfriend -- I don't have to fool myself about anything. He was on top of me. Now, granted, his pants weren't at his ankles, but woman to woman, he was ready. Can I help it? Can I help it if he still wants me? Might be a little bit of emotional stuff there, but basically, it's just sex. And I know that you're not exactly in touch with that part of yourself. You know and I know that when John and I are in the same room, sparks fly. You see it. It terrifies you, 'cause you know it's never going to die," Kristen said.
"You know, if you're expecting me to have some apoplectic fit over your accusations, you're wrong. I wish you could understand how sick you really are. You are as sick as the day you tried to kill me. You're ranting, you're raving, you're out of control," Marlena observed. Kristen angrily tossed her scotch glass over Marlena's head to interrupt the impromptu psychological evaluation.
"I could have destroyed all of you tonight -- you, John, and Brady. All I had to do was let John do what he came to do, and make sure that Brady caught us in the act. It wasn't a lie. I don't care what anybody says. It wasn't a lie. I changed. I changed. I changed because of Brady's love. I realized that no revenge in the world could ever give me the kind of joy that loving Brady gives me. So I told John that I was leaving. I chose a wonderful man's love. I chose love. And then you came with that photograph, and you ruined all of our lives," Kristen summarized, glaring at Marlena.
Unmoved, Marlena pointed out that Kristen only had herself to blame. "Shut up! You smug, sanctimonious bitch! Get out! But you just remember one thing -- you remember what I told you about John. He was all over me. He was everywhere. Now, you live with that for the rest of your putrid little life," Kristen said. Meanwhile, Hope arrived at the mansion to question Kristen.
Hope wasn't surprised to learn that Kristen had convinced herself that she was the victim. Hope revealed that she had talked to Brady earlier, and Kristen listened with interest as Hope told Marlena that, given the circumstances, Brady was all right. Hope asserted that Marlena had done the right thing, and Marlena forced a smile and silently exited the mansion.
At the Horton Town Square, Marlena ran into John, who praised her for defeating Kristen and declared that everything was finally going to be right again. Marlena started to ask John to tell her what he had done earlier, but she decided that she didn't want to devote another ounce of her energy to the matter that night, and she calmly walked away.
In the park, someone approached Brady, who was clearly upset, and offered to sell him something that would fix all of his problems. The dealer produced a small bag of cocaine, and Brady eyed it for a moment before sending the man away. A short time later, Nicole arrived, and Brady reluctantly informed her that his relationship with Kristen had ended. Refusing to leave Brady alone when he was obviously not okay, Nicole offered to take him to a bar or an all-night diner, where they could talk about their problems until someone kicked them out.
At the DiMera mansion, Hope announced that she was going to take Kristen to the police station, where Kristen would probably be charged with conspiracy to commit aggravated assault -- a felony that would likely stick, since Brady would be testifying against Kristen.
As day broke in Salem, Brady couldn't believe that Nicole had stayed the entire night on the bench in the park with him. He admitted that he couldn't go home because he didn't know where home was anymore. Nicole urged him to get some sleep. Brady argued that sleep couldn't fix it when he'd lost everything. He wondered why he continued to make the same mistake of stupidly falling for women who lied to him.
Nicole maintained that Brady had always seen the good in everyone -- but that made him kind and generous, not stupid. Brady stated sadly that he had really loved Kristen even though she had probably been the worst possible choice of partner. He wondered how he could have been so wrong.
When Maggie stopped by the hospital to drop off Jennifer's bridesmaid dress, Daniel informed both women that Brady and Kristen's wedding had been canceled. While Jennifer tried to reach Kristen, Daniel called Brady, but neither was successful. Maggie stepped away to call Victor and find out what he knew. Jennifer and Daniel agreed to try to get together in a couple of hours. Daniel said that after he went for a run, he had to pick up his car from the shop. Jennifer wondered who could have slashed his tires. Although he looked like he had his suspicions, Daniel said nothing.
Jennifer had gone when Maggie returned from calling Victor. Maggie guessed that Jennifer wanted to spend as much time as possible with J.J. since he'd returned from school. Daniel asked what J.J. had been like when he was younger. After declaring that J.J. had been a sweet, smart, funny little boy, a curious Maggie wondered why Daniel wanted to know. Daniel explained that Jennifer thought J.J. was till having a hard time with his dad's death -- but Daniel intended to do whatever it took to be there for both J.J. and Jennifer.
J.J. and his friend Rory were hanging out at the Horton house. Rory asked what the plan for the day was. "I don't know. We just chill. Smoke out," J.J. suggested. After Rory pointed out that they had finished the last of his stash, he noted that they could fund whatever they smoked by selling some at a profit -- if they had the money to buy more, but neither of them had any cash. "Wait a minute," J.J. mused, his expression suddenly hopeful.
A little later, J.J. spotted Jennifer's car pulling up out front. He told Rory to leave out the back door because he didn't want his mom to know too much about his friends. As a reluctant Rory hurried out, J.J. quickly stashed the video game controllers they had just been using in a drawer. When Jennifer entered, J.J. noted that she was supposed to be at a wedding. "Plans change," she said simply, tossing her dress bag on the back of the couch.
"I've been thinking a lot...about how bad I feel about what I've done," J.J. stated. He explained that he finally understood that he had messed up by getting kicked out of boarding school, and he had let his mom down. But he vowed to make Jennifer proud by doing a great job in summer school -- and he really wanted to pay Daniel back for the broken MP3 player and train set. Jennifer declared that she was very proud of her son for that.
J.J. announced that he was going to look for a job, but Jennifer worried that holding down a job while going to summer school might be too much. She got out her checkbook, and J.J. grinned triumphantly when her back was turned while she wrote a check. Jennifer handed the check to her son, explaining that it should cover his expenses while he was in school. J.J. gushed, "Wow, Mom, this is incredible. You don't know how much this means to me."
J.J. looked at the amount of the check and worried that it wasn't enough to repay Daniel and buy books -- although he added that it didn't feel right to take the money from her. Jennifer suggested that J.J. get a part-time job working for his cousin Sonny at the coffee shop. "Good idea. Dad always said hard work builds character," J.J. concurred. Referencing his dad's lectures, J.J. added, "Maybe that's what kept me in line all those years. Maybe I counted on him more than I knew."
His manipulation worked, because Jennifer said that Jack would have wanted J.J. to focus on his studies. She went to the desk and wrote J.J. another check so he could pay his debts and make a fresh start. "It's perfect. You're the best!" J.J. declared, grinning smugly as he hugged his mom.
Later, an excited J.J. ran up to Rory in the park and showed him an envelope full of cash. Laughing, J.J. explained where he'd gotten the money. "We're never gonna have to buy our own weed again!" Rory exclaimed -- just as Daniel jogged up. J.J. claimed that he and Rory were on their way to pick up their textbooks for summer school.
As Daniel started to jog away, J.J. joked that Daniel had to have been doing a lot more running since his car was in the shop. "I'm picking it up now, actually. Good as new," Daniel said pointedly. After Daniel left, the boys snickered. "Not for long," J.J. hinted to Rory.
Jennifer left a message for Kristen, "I just wanted you to know that when you're ready to talk, I'm here... Just know that I am thinking about you, okay? Call me anytime."
At the Brady Pub, Victor congratulated John for successfully carrying out the plan to keep Brady from marrying Kristen. John grimly admitted that things hadn't gone as planned -- but the details didn't matter at long as Brady wasn't going to marry Kristen. Victor wondered why John didn't seem happy about it. "I've got a few things I need to explain to my boy," John admitted. Victor said that Nicole had sent the text message informing him that the wedding had been canceled, so he assumed that Brady was with her.
John then dialed Nicole, but Brady asked her not to answer it, so she sent the call to voicemail. Brady declared that he had no desire to talk to Marlena, and it would be fine with him if he never talked to his dad again. Brady requested some time alone. Nicole reassured him that he would get through it -- but not without the help of people who loved him.
E.J. called Sami from Common Grounds to check in, since she would be at the hospital and not at Kristen and Brady's wedding later. When E.J. hung up, Chad said that he thought he'd overheard two cops outside saying that they'd taken Kristen in the night before.
At the police station, Kristen refused to answer any of Hope's questions about the photo of Kristen apparently paying off Brady's attacker, Sy Miller, without an attorney present. Stefano arrived shortly with a lawyer and declared that the interrogation was over unless Hope intended to arrest Kristen. Hope conceded that she wouldn't be filing charges against Kristen -- but she would have many more questions for Kristen once they found Miller. The attorney announced that Kristen was free to leave, so Kristen left with him. Stefano stayed behind to warn Hope that Sy Miller was a "red herring."
Marlena went to St. Luke's to inform Eric that Brady and Kristen's wedding was off. She quickly filled Eric in about giving Brady the picture of Kristen paying off Brady's attacker. Eric was relieved that Brady had learned the truth before marrying Kristen -- and hopeful that John and Marlena could find a way to work things out.
Without answering, Marlena said that she hoped Kristen was locked up somewhere so she couldn't get to Brady any more. Hope arrived in time to overhear and informed Marlena and Eric that Kristen was not in jail -- yet. Hope explained that the photograph hadn't been enough to hold Kristen, but she was hopeful that when they found Sy Miller, he would cut a deal and implicate Kristen.
After Hope left, Eric tried to reassure Marlena that the most important thing was that Brady was no longer under Kristen's spell. "I just hope he's okay," Marlena fretted. Nicole entered and stated, "He's not exactly okay, but he's in good hands." Nicole explained that she had sat with Brady in the park all night, and then she had dropped him off at Maggie and Victor's. Marlena wanted to go see Brady, but Nicole cautioned her that Brady had been adamant about not wanting to talk to John or Marlena. Marlena agreed to respect Brady's wishes. After thanking Nicole, Marlena left.
Eric expressed his gratitude to Nicole for looking out for Brady. Nicole knew that it was going to be a tough time for Brady, but she vowed to make sure that he was all right by being available to him 24 hours a day, and that meant that she might not be in the office very much. Eric wondered if, after their conversation the night before, being there for Brady was the only reason Nicole was going to be out of the office for a while. Nicole insisted that she was merely putting Brady first and suggested that they just forget about the conversation. Eric didn't look convinced.
At the Brady Pub, Hope questioned Ciara about how long she'd had the picture of Kristen. "Mommy, I tried to tell you but you wouldn't listen to me! You never do," Ciara complained. Admitting that Ciara was right, Hope apologized, but urged Ciara, "No more secrets, okay?" Ciara promised to be good, and Hope reassured her that she was always good. Hope stressed that she loved Ciara, and she wanted to make sure that Ciara knew she could tell her mommy anything.
Ciara asked for her picture back so she could give it to Brady and Kristen, but Hope informed her that Kristen and Brady had already seen the picture. "Did they like it?" Ciara asked excitedly. Hope deflected by inviting Ciara to sit in her lap.
When John and Marlena bumped into each other in Horton Square, John asked if Marlena had seen Brady. She replied that Nicole had informed her that Brady had been with Nicole the night before -- and although he was doing as well as could be expected, Brady did not want to talk to John or Marlena. John started to say something, but Marlena cut him off. She declared that she'd decided she didn't want to know what had happened between him and Kristen the night before.
John asked for the opportunity to explain. Her eyes brimming with tears, Marlena began, "All this time, I've been fighting so hard for us. And now --" She flinched when John touched her arm. "Goodbye, John," Marlena said, walking away.
When Kristen and Stefano returned to the DiMera mansion, Kristen confessed that because Marlena had shown up with the picture of Sy and Kristen, Brady had called the wedding off -- just when she had realized how much she loved him. She explained that she'd reached that conclusion when she hadn't been able to go through with her plan to seduce John because she hadn't been able to stand the thought of losing Brady. "And you lost him anyway," Stefano pointed out.
E.J. and Chad arrived just then, and E.J. asked Kristen what was going on. Kristen requested a moment alone with her brothers, so Stefano ambled out. Kristen explained that she'd spent the night at the police station, being interrogated about a photo in which it appeared that she was giving money to Brady's mugger. When Chad asked if Kristen had paid the guy to attack Brady, Kristen hedged, "I'm not going to jail; I can assure you of that much." Chad noted that the wedding was supposed to be in a couple of hours. "No, it's not. He called it off," Kristen said sadly.
Chad left after E.J. asked to speak to Kristen privately. E.J. observed that Kristen seemed genuinely upset, and he was taken aback when she informed him that she had developed real feelings for Brady. Kristen acknowledged that her plan had gone "to hell." E.J. reminded his dejected sister that she would get over it because she was resilient, and he would do whatever he could to help her move on. "Who said I was moving on?" Kristen countered.
When Chad returned, Kristen announced that she needed to shower and change clothes. As she left, Chad and E.J. pledged their love and support to help her through. After E.J. called Sami to report that the wedding was off, he suggested to Chad that they get rid of all the flowers and wedding decorations. They rolled up their sleeves and began carrying chairs out of the living room. Chad remarked that he felt bad for Kristen, but E.J. was confident that she would bounce back.
Maggie returned home to the Kiriakis mansion and fretted to Victor that she wished she knew what had happened with Brady. "I can tell you," Brady said as he entered the living room. "Kristen wasn't the person I thought she was, and she never loved me," he explained simply. A sympathetic Maggie rushed to him and embraced him. Victor ignored Brady's suggestion to say, "I told you so," and instead gave his grandson a hug.
"I'm sorry to put you through this -- both of you," Brady stated, adding that he should probably go to a meeting. Maggie offered to go with him, but Brady declined, maintaining that he would rather deal with things alone. He admitted that he didn't know where he would go afterwards, but Victor reassured his grandson, "This is your home, Brady. Stay as long as you'd like." Brady requested that no one contact John. "I can't see him now. I don't think I ever want to see him," Brady explained as he headed out.
A while later, Maggie descended the stairs, looking for Brady so she could tell him that his room was ready. With a finger to his lips, Victor indicated the couch in the living room, where Brady was stretched out, sound asleep. Victor grumbled that he could strangle Kristen for what she'd done to Brady. "Normally, I wouldn't be happy to hear you talk that way, but in Kristen's case, I wouldn't mind slapping her around a bit myself," Maggie declared quietly before tiptoeing into the living room to cover Brady with a blanket. She and Victor left for the hospital to visit Will and see the baby.
A few minutes later, Brady awakened and found Kristen sitting on the couch next to him, stroking his face.
