Philip and Stephanie were in bed at a hotel while the assassin, hired by Stefano and E.J., lurked outside their room. Philip admitted to her that he had been having nightmares, but he felt like the nightmares would end as long as he was with her. They heard a noise outside the room, and the gunman pretended to be room service. Philip got up to answer the door to get their complimentary bottle of champagne, but Stephanie told him not to open the door, because they weren't dressed and she wanted something to eat to go with the champagne.

Philip told the gunman to put the champagne in the hallway, because they were planning to order some food. The gunman didn't go away. He needed to find another way to get to Philip. Philip and Stephanie argued over whether they should order cheeseburgers, as Stephanie wanted, or a fancy meal, as Philip wanted. Stephanie said she didn't care about things like fancy meals - she'd rather stay at home and watch a movie and eat pizza as long as she was with him.

In the hallway, the maid approached their door, but the gunman grabbed her from behind, choked her, and grabbed her keys. Stephanie told him she had the room for two days, and Philip promised her that he would always make time for her, despite his business' demands. Stephanie put on a robe and went to the bathroom, and while she was gone, the gunman entered the room and shot Philip in the chest.

At the Brady Pub, Sami changed her mind about going to Nicole and E.J.'s wedding after she heard the church bells ringing, signifying that the wedding was over. Plus, Sami realized Grace was sick, so her plan to tell E.J. that he was Grace's father had to be put on hold. Max told Sami that the bells didn't really mean the wedding was over, because sometimes St. Luke's church rang the bells before the wedding.

Sami took Grace's temperature, and when she realized the baby had a fever, she asked Max to call her a cab so she could take Grace to the hospital. Max suggested Sami call the pediatrician instead. When she did, Sami realized that Grace was just teething. Sami didn't think that teething caused Grace's fever, since the twins didn't teeth around that age, but the pediatrician and Max reminded her that since Grace was adopted, Sami couldn't compare her to the twins.

Nicole and E.J. prepared to exchange vows, and when the priest asked if there was anyone who objected to them marrying, Mia stepped forward. E.J. recognized Mia as the girl he ran into at the Java Café. He asked why she interrupted the wedding. Mia told Nicole that she really did want Nicole to be happy. Dr. Baker tried to silence Mia. When E.J. saw Dr. Baker, he questioned Nicole over why the doctor who delivered Sydney was invited to the wedding. Nicole played dumb.

Nicole asked to continue the ceremony, but E.J. demanded to know what was going on. Nicole explained that Mia was a troubled girl whom Nicole tried to help. She asked if they could get on with the wedding ceremony, and as the wedding went on, Stefano's associate stood in the back of the church talking on his headset to someone who informed him that Philip wasn't alone, and asked the associate if Stefano cared about collateral damage. The associate said Stefano didn't care.

Lexie read a passage from the Bible, while Dr. Baker ushered Mia out of the sanctuary. E.J. asked Nicole if she invited Mia, and Nicole said Mia wasn't invited. Mia told Dr. Baker she refused to let her baby grow up under Nicole's care. Dr. Baker told Mia there was something she didn't know. He said the DiMeras were killers. Mia couldn't believe Dr. Baker wanted the DiMeras to have her baby, but Dr. Baker said she didn't have a choice.

Nicole and E.J. exchanged vows, and when the priest asked for the rings, Stefano told him no. Stefano made a speech about how he was giving his blessing to E.J. and Nicole's marriage. The priest tried to continue with the ceremony, but E.J. interrupted to recite vows he had written. Nicole thanked God for giving her a family, and she and E.J. lit a unity candle as a symbol of their commitment to each other, but the candle blew out.

Dr. Baker took Mia to the Java Café to show her all the horrible things the DiMeras had done. He said the only people who were safe from the DiMeras were other DiMeras, and the fact that Sydney was one of their family members protected her. He said if Mia tried to claim Sydney, the baby would be in danger-and so would Nicole and Mia.

Mia was angry that Dr. Baker didn't tell her about the DiMeras' reputation to begin with, but he said Nicole tricked him, too. He advised Mia to run as far away as possible from the DiMeras, but she wasn't willing to give up on her baby. Dr. Baker told her to accept her original decision to give up her baby and that she could never get her baby back.

At the pier, Melanie tried to convince her cell phone company to keep her cell phone service on, but she wasn't successful. As she walked away, she almost tripped over someone, who she thought was a drunk man lying on the ground. It was Brady who had been roughed up by a thug the DiMeras hired. The person who attacked him had stolen his phone, so Melanie couldn't call for help. Instead, she helped him walk to the Brady Pub.

Sami was alarmed when she saw Brady's condition, and she urged him to go to the hospital to get checked out. Then Sami hurried off to stop the wedding. Brady urged her not to go to the church, because no good would come from the wedding. Sami said that was why she wanted to stop it. So Brady warned her to be careful.

At the hospital, Melanie asked Brady if he didn't tell Sami that E.J. had him beated up because Sami was high-strung. Brady said it was because he knew that Sami would have overreacted. Melanie reflected on her own decisions and how many people got hurt because of them.

Brady told her not to blame herself for advising him to tell Nicole how he felt, because he knew what he was getting himself into. Then Brady filled Melanie in on how many kids Sami had, and he confided that E.J. and Nicole's wedding had a weird vibe to it.

As the ceremony continued, Stefano looked to his associate in the back of the room, who nodded his head at Stefano. Before the priest could pronounce E.J. and Nicole as man and wife, Sami showed up with Grace and tried to stop the ceremony.

At the Salem Inn, Stephanie exited the bathroom of her hotel room to find Philip bleeding on the bed with Stefano's assassin standing over him. The assassin turned the gun on Stephanie as she screamed, but he missed. Instead of taking another shot at Stephanie, the assassin turned his gun back on Philip but when he pulled the trigger, the gun was jammed.

Hotel staff burst through the door to investigate the screams and the assassin ran past them, down the hallway. Stephanie rushed to Philip's side and cried out for one of the staff to call 9-1-1. On the way to the hospital, Stephanie called Victor and told him to head to the hospital because someone had shot Philip.

At Salem Hospital, Melanie cleaned Brady's cuts, since the hospital staff was busy with other patients. Brady assured Melanie that Nicole and E.J.'s marriage was meant to be, but Melanie questioned whether Brady still wanted to pursue Nicole. Frustrated, Brady told Melanie, "If you consider us friends, and I hope you do, then you will no longer discuss this." Melanie agreed that they were friends, but she added, "I just wish my friend wasn't in love with somebody who didn't love him back."

Since the doctors had determined that Brady did not have a concussion, he was released from the hospital. Melanie offered to give Brady a ride home, but their exit was interrupted when the hospital staff rushed Philip down the hallway past them. As a tearful Stephanie stood in her bathrobe crying out after Philip, Melanie rushed to her side to comfort her. Stephanie explained what had happened, and Melanie ran off down the hallway. Brady was attempting to calm Stephanie down when Melanie returned with a change of clothes from her locker.

While the surgeons operated on a profusely bleeding Philip, Brady called family and friends. As Stephanie could not reach her parents, Melanie sat by her side and tried to soothe her. Stephanie thanked Melanie for her help, and Melanie explained that she understood how much Stephanie loved Philip and how much she was hurting.

At St. Luke's church, Sami interrupted Nicole and E.J.'s wedding ceremony before the priest could pronounce them man and wife. Curious, E.J. stopped the wedding and asked to speak to Nicole and Sami out in the vestibule. Once in the vestibule, a furious Nicole yelled at Sami for trying to ruin her wedding.

"This isn't about you. This is about something else entirely," Sami said firmly. E.J. attempted to calm Nicole by saying that Sami would only interrupt if it were important, but angry, Nicole disagreed saying that Sami was just hungry for attention. Sami asked E.J. to speak with her privately, but E.J. refused the request, noting that whatever Sami had to say she could say in front of his wife. Sami corrected E.J.'s sentence noting that she had interrupted the service before they made it official.

In a rage, Nicole reached for Sami, promising to throw her out of the church building. E.J. restrained Nicole, and begged her to let Sami talk for one minute.

Sami took a deep breath and then started to explain why she was at the church. With only a couple words out of Sami's mouth, Lexie marched hurriedly into the vestibule and informed them that Philip had been shot, then she left for the hospital.

Sami noticed the lack of reaction on E.J.'s face and backed away, stunned. "You bastard," Sami uttered. "You're as evil as your father." As Sami stormed out of the vestibule and into the garden, E.J. called out after her, telling her that believing he was involved in the shooting was ridiculous.

E.J. started to follow Sami out the door, when Nicole called out an ultimatum to him. "Are you running after Sami or are you going to marry me? It's one or the other," Nicole announced. E.J. apologized for Sami's interruption, and asked Nicole if she needed to sit down. Unnerved, Nicole questioned whether Philip had anything to do with them. E.J. assured her that Philip's shooting was tragic, and E.J. was only worried that the news would upset Nicole. Nicole responded that she wanted to finish the ceremony.

While Stefano waited inside the church, fretting over whether E.J. was being too accommodating to Sami, one of his henchman took him aside and whispered, "The job is done." Noting that Lexie had rushed out of the church, Stefano asked Chloe where Lexie was going. Chloe informed Stefano that Lexie received an emergency page from the hospital regarding a shooting.

Once E.J. and Nicole returned, the priest began the ceremony where he had left off, and pronounced them husband and wife. After the ceremony, Stefano took E.J. aside and told him that he was going over to the hospital for an update on Philip's condition. With a frown on his face, E.J. questioned whether they should proceed with the reception, since it felt like they were dancing on Philip's grave. Stefano nodded, and headed out of the church.

E.J. told Nicole that he wanted to thank some guests out in the vestibule but that he would return shortly. As E.J. walked away, Chloe asked Nicole what Sami had to say earlier. Nicole admitted that Sami never said anything.

Once E.J. walked out the doors of the church hall, he found an angry Sami waiting for him in the vestibule. Sami demanded to hear the truth and asked E.J. to tell her, "that you were behind Philip Kiriakis being shot." Smirking, E.J. agreed to tell her the truth, but in return he wanted Sami to tell him why she had interrupted the ceremony. "I already know, but I'd like to hear it from you," E.J. said with a small smile.

Back at Salem Hospital, Lexie updated Victor and Stephanie on Philip's condition. Although Philip had lost a lot of blood, he had pulled through the surgery. Upset, Victor asked Lexie to give Philip's case to Daniel, since he could trust him. Lexie agreed to call Daniel, then turned to Stephanie and informed her that the only word that Philip uttered since arriving at the hospital was "Stephanie." Worried, Stephanie asked to see Philip, and Lexie agreed to let Stephanie go in to see Philip, even though he was unconscious.

Victor remembered his fight with Philip when he had disowned him. Upset, Victor then thought about Stefano's promise to him about feeling the grief of losing a son. "You're definitely going to know how this feels," Stefano had growled.

Victor gently stopped Stephanie before she went to see Philip and asked her to tell him exactly what happened. Stephanie recounted the shooting, and Victor deduced that the killer used a silencer on his gun. Once Stephanie had finished telling Brady and Victor all the details, Victor asked her to tell Philip that he loved him. After Stephanie was gone, Brady asked Victor what he was thinking.

Victor noticed the bruises on Brady's face, and he demanded that Brady explain what had happened. Looking away, Brady said that a thug had jumped him down on the docks. Unconvinced by Brady's tale, Victor blamed Brady's beating and the attempted murder on the DiMeras. Victor urged Brady to "get a spine" and stop being naïve about the DiMeras.

Stefano walked into the hospital and questioned a nurse about Philip's condition. Furious, Victor rushed over to Stefano and accused him of going after Brady and Philip. Stefano feigned innocence, but Victor's lip curled into a sneer. "This is not over. This is just the beginning," Victor swore.

While Philip lay unconscious in recovery, Stephanie slipped into his room and sat at his side. Stephanie thought about all the happy times they had spent together. "Please come back to me, Philip," Stephanie whispered. Philip grunted, and then opened his eyes. Philip looked at Stephanie, and then closed his eyes again. As Philip's heart monitor flatlined, a horrified Stephanie stared at him in shock.

In the sanctuary at St. Luke's, Chloe urged Nicole not to check up on E.J., who was supposed to be saying goodbye to their wedding guests. She pointed out that Nicole, not Sami, had married E.J., so Nicole should just relax. Nicole conceded that her friend was right. She then suddenly remembered about Philip, and gently broke the news to Chloe that Philip had been shot. A devastated Chloe tried to reach Lucas, and then left for the hospital. Nicole played with Sydney and tried to wait patiently for E.J. to return.

Out in the vestibule, E.J. demanded to know the real reason Sami had interrupted his and Nicole's wedding. An exasperated Sami declared that it had been a mistake, and she started to walk out, but E.J. stopped her. He rambled on about how the two of them shared a deeper bond than just their son, and how he had felt it again when she'd returned from witness protection. Sami, bemused, told him to get to the point.

E.J. launched into an apologetic speech about how Sami had to accept that he was married to Nicole. When Sami finally realized that E.J. thought she was still in love with him, she interrupted him. She indignantly asserted that E.J. was full of himself if he believed she would actually interrupt his wedding because she wanted him back. "How desperately pathetic do you think I am?"

E.J. admitted that he was wrong, but pressed Sami to divulge why she had come. Sami declared that she didn't owe him an explanation, and that she knew E.J. and Stefano were behind Philip's shooting. As she stormed out, she added that the DiMeras' hired gun must be incompetent, because Philip wasn't dead.

Nicole's patience ran out, so she carried Sydney out to see what was keeping E.J., reaching the vestibule mere seconds after Sami had gone. She casually asked whom E.J. had been talking to, and called him out when she caught him in a fib. He claimed with a wink that he was a little addled, because he'd just gotten married. Nicole let it slide, and asked about the reception. E.J. replied with some reluctance that they should cancel it, out of respect for Philip.

Nicole understood, but E.J. cautioned her that people were already blaming him and Stefano for Philip's shooting. She assured him that she already thought of herself as a DiMera, and as such, would side with her new family. Nicole then returned to the sanctuary to gather her belongings so they could go home. When she returned, she overheard E.J. leaving a message for Stefano, cryptically assuring his father that he would take care of "the package" personally.

Sami took Grace home, where Will overheard his mom express relief that she'd stopped herself before telling E.J. the truth. When he asked what she meant, Sami covered. Will then told Sami that Rafe had come by to return her medallion. As she gazed pensively at the necklace, she noted that Rafe knew it meant a lot to her.

After Will left for baseball practice, Sami remembered the time Rafe had impulsively kissed her outside the Brady Pub. She grabbed the phone and dialed Rafe's number, but was dismayed when a recording stated that the number had been disconnected.

When Philip's heart monitor flatlined, a terrified Stephanie quickly used the phone in his room to call for help. Daniel and a nurse rushed in and began trying to shock Philip's heart, while Stephanie watched, sobbing, from the corner. The surgeon who had operated on Philip earlier arrived, and warned Daniel that Philip wasn't likely to make it. Stephanie wailed in horror, and the surgeon ushered her out of the room. Daniel, refusing to give up on his patient, injected Philip with epinephrine.

In the hallway, Victor furiously confronted Stefano, accusing him of trying to murder Philip. Kate arrived and chided the two men for arguing, and asked Victor why Brady had summoned her to the hospital. She was horrified when Victor informed her that Philip had been shot. Victor then led her into a quiet waiting room to update her on Philip's condition, cautioning her that their son had lost a lot of blood. She fretted over Philip, and because she knew Lucas would be in meetings and out of touch all day.

Stefano tried to express his sympathy to Kate, but Victor cut him off, ordering him to leave. Bo showed up and asked what was going on, and Victor informed him that Stefano had put a hit on Philip. Stefano bellowed that there was no evidence to back up Victor's claims. Victor and Stefano got into a shouting match, with Bo trying to referee and get the full story, and Kate trying to ascertain if Victor's allegations were true. As they were all arguing loudly, an appalled Stephanie walked in. "Doesn't anyone care about Philip?" she demanded.

Stephanie told them all that Philip's heart had stopped, and then collapsed in tears in Bo's arms. Kate was similarly distraught, and begged Victor to let her go to Philip's room. Victor managed to calm her, urging her to wait and let Daniel do his job. They all tried to heed Victor's advice, and to have faith that Philip would pull through.

While the others paced or made phone calls, Stefano left a terse message for E.J., telling his son merely that he had news. Bo advised Victor that there would be a guard on Philip's room around the clock until the police determined what had happened. As Stefano and Victor were beginning another heated exchange, Daniel emerged from Philip's room. Kate and Stephanie rushed over, as Daniel informed everyone that they'd managed to restart Philip's heart, and get him stabilized. He explained that Philip's lung had collapsed, and that he'd lost a lot of blood, but the doctors would continue to monitor him for internal bleeding. Daniel added that he wasn't going to allow visitors for a while, but he was hoping for the best.

Bo quietly pulled Stephanie aside, asking her to describe what had happened.

Kate slapped Stefano hard across the face, and excoriated him for hurting her son after everything they'd been through together. He tried to insist that he had nothing to do with it, but Kate wasn't convinced, asserting that she knew how he operated.

Just as Stephanie had finished giving Bo her statement, Chloe rushed in. Stephanie filled her in on what had happened, but started to break down. Bo assured both of them that Philip was going to make it.

Stefano followed Kate back into the waiting room, trying gently to convince her that he had nothing to do with Philip's shooting, but she refused to listen. She reminded him that the one thing they'd always had in common was their love for their children. "Philip is my baby, and you tried to snuff out his life," she cried. Stefano continued trying to reason with her until she shrieked at him to get out.

Bo interrupted and declared that Stefano wasn't going anywhere until he'd answered some questions. "He's all yours," Kate agreed as she stalked out. After Stefano swore that he'd been at his son's wedding when Philip was shot, Bo wanted to know if Stefano had communicated with anyone during the ceremony. Stefano calmly replied that Bo should direct his questions to Stefano's lawyer, and then strolled out.

When a nurse showed Philip's latest test results to Daniel, he appeared dismayed. He asked the nurse to have the lab run the tests again. Victor witnessed their exchange, and asked Daniel if there were something wrong with Philip beyond the gunshot wound. As Kate, Stephanie, and Chloe listened, Daniel reluctantly replied that, if the second test confirmed what the first showed, Philip could face a serious complication.

At the church, E.J. assured Stefano over the phone that if Philip didn't die as a result of their murder attempt, E.J. would take care of it personally. Nicole was excited to finally be married to E.J., but when they got home to the DiMera mansion and she saw the man who E.J. hired to protect his family, she started having second thoughts. E.J. scolded the bodyguard for scaring Nicole, because the man was supposed to remain inconspicuous.

Nicole was anxious over Philip's murder attempt, but E.J. tried to reassure her. He also reminded Nicole that she knew what he was about when she married him. Nicole worried that Sydney wouldn't understand the DiMera lifestyle when she got older. E.J. assured her that their child would know that her parents loved her.

Daniel told Philip's family and friends that his blood wasn't clotting, and Daniel wanted to try an experimental treatment involving hypothermia that he felt was the best hope to stop the bleeding. Kate was resistant at first, because she didn't trust Daniel, considering he cheated with Chloe behind Lucas' back, but she agreed to let him go ahead with the treatment after Lucas pointed out that Daniel was the one who saved Kate from cancer.

Victor assured Kate that she made the right decision to go ahead with the procedure, but she wondered how it could be the right thing to put her son's life in Daniel's hands. Victor understood Kate's distrust of Daniel personally, but he pointed out that as a doctor, Daniel was capable of saving Philip's life. Kate vowed to change her ways if Philip made it through. She promised to be more loving and forgiving, and to live her life with an open heart.

Lucas offered Chloe his shoulder to lean on while she worried about Philip's fate. He understood that Philip was her first love and that sometimes people didn't get over their feelings for their first love. Stephanie waited at Philip's bedside after Daniel assured her that talking to Philip and touching him was the best medicine there was for healing him.

Kate changed her mind about seeking revenge on Chloe and Daniel - and on anyone for that matter -- and she planned to spend her time with the people she loved. Lucas expressed his gratitude to Daniel for trying to save Philip's life. Stephanie talked to Philip and begged him to come back to her. She told him she had never been so happy in her life and that him she loved him. Then, Philip's heart monitor went off, so Daniel ran into the room.

Moments later, outside Philip's room, Daniel told Philip's family and friends that Philip woke up and it looked like he was improving. Philip told Stephanie he loved her. When Victor and Kate visited Philip in his room, Kate recounted how she felt when the Marines told her that Philip was critically injured in Iraq, and Victor said he was proud of his son.

Bo confronted Stefano at the Java Café about his involvement in Philip's shooting. Bo wondered why Stefano wasn't at the hospital on a deathwatch, and Stefano played dumb. Bo threatened Stefano. He said that Stefano tried to kill Philip but didn't succeed and that if Stefano even looked at Bo's brother wrong, Bo would put the final nail in Stefano's coffin.

Stefano called his contact, who told Stefano that he overheard the Kiriakis' butler, Henderson, say that Philip would survive the shooting. At the mansion, E.J. gave Nicole a pair of diamond earrings as a wedding gift.

E.J. got a phone call, so Nicole excused herself from the room. It was Stefano, who informed E.J. that Philip was getting better and needed to be dealt with right away. Bo overheard Stefano's conversation with E.J. and questioned Stefano. Bo said he had probably cause to arrest Stefano. Bo asked Stefano for his statement, but Stefano said he could only give him the address where E.J. was planning to stay on his honeymoon in the Caribbean.

Chloe expressed her gratitude to Daniel for helping Philip, and while they were talking, Lucas thanked Daniel, too. Kate told Victor that the war between him and the DiMeras needed to end, and Victor vowed that the DiMeras would never bother them again. Kate wondered what Victor meant by that, but Victor told her just to trust that he took care of everything. After Kate left the room, Victor made a phone call to someone who was following Stefano. Victor told the man to let him know when Stefano left, so Victor could give him his next order.

Stephanie described to Philip how he was shot, and Philip panicked after realizing that Stephanie could have been shot. He ordered her to get away from him because he was bad for her. Stephanie refused to leave Philip. She told him she loved him and wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. Philip agreed not to tell her to leave again. He said she was the best thing that happened to him.

Nicole and E.J. began to make love, but Nicole heard a noise and stopped E.J. He went downstairs to check out the noise and realized it was Stefano. Stefano told him to go back upstairs to Nicole, and when E.J. left, Stefano seemed to be feeling ill. Stefano walked into the living room, but he was having trouble breathing. Stefano clutched his chest and fell to the ground. Upstairs, E.J. and Nicole resumed their love-making.

Daniel told Kate and Victor that he planned to monitor Philip's bleeding, but Philip's condition was good. Lucas told Kate that they owed Daniel a lot. Bo went to the hospital after hearing the good news about Philip. Victor sat by Philip's bedside and assured him that he was safe, but that the DiMeras were not safe.

Rafe worked on his laptop at the Java Café, remembering how Sami had begged him not to leave town. He glanced at his plane tickets, and closed his computer with a sigh. "Goodbye, Sami," he said quietly as he rose to leave.

Meanwhile, Sami was at the townhouse, thinking about Rafe. She recalled how he'd tried to convince her not to tell E.J. about Grace, and how she'd reminded him that it wasn't his decision. She worried that she would never see him again.

Sami then took Grace to the Brady Pub, where they joined Roman for breakfast. Roman, clearly smitten with little Grace, apologized to Sami for not being more supportive at first about the adoption. He was surprised when Sami told him that Rafe had left town, because he knew that Rafe was still in Salem.

Sami declared that she needed to see Rafe, and asked for her dad's help. Roman made a quick phone call, and then told Sami that Rafe's flight was leaving for New York in a couple of hours. Sami rose excitedly, and asked Roman if he could watch Grace. He agreed, adding that he would leave the tot with Grandma Caroline when he went to work. Sami hugged her father gratefully, kissed Grace goodbye, and dashed out the door.

As Rafe waited at the airport, he told himself that he had to let Sami go. He tried to read a magazine, but found himself thinking about Sami. He put the magazine in his bag and was walking toward his gate, when a breathless Sami ran right into him. Gasping for air, Sami explained that Will had told her how Rafe had dropped off her medallion. Rafe replied that he knew how much it meant to her.

"And then there's you," Sami blurted. "Look, Rafe, I just want you to know how much you mean to me-before it's too late."

Stefano awoke on the floor of his living room, and realized that he must have collapsed the night before. As he rose, he wondered aloud why he'd collapsed. After he had changed clothes, he looked at the morning's headline, which screamed: "Billionaire Playboy Philip Kiriakis Shot!" "Shot, but not dead," Stefano muttered to himself. "That's a problem."

Upstairs, E.J. and Nicole awakened as newlyweds. They made pillow talk about how each of them had dreamt lovely dreams about getting married-and the wedding night that followed. Nicole rose to open the curtains, and scowled when she saw the guards outside. E.J. reminded her that they were for her and Sydney's protection.

No sooner had E.J. gone to shower than Nicole's cell phone rang. It was Mia, demanding to see her baby right away. Nicole called Dr. Baker and asked for his help. Dr. Baker chuckled wryly, reminding Nicole that she didn't even have Mia's baby; Sami Brady did.

When E.J. went downstairs, he found Stefano sitting at the desk, his hand over his eyes. E.J. asked if his father were all right, but Stefano insisted that he was fine. Both men agreed that it was for the best that the newlyweds had postponed their Caribbean honeymoon, considering the circumstances. Stefano warned E.J. that the Kiriakises would be coming after them. He asserted that all of them must be vigilant-and that included Nicole and Sydney.

Nicole entered with Sydney just as E.J. was promising to caution Nicole that she could no longer come and go as she pleased. Nicole adamantly refused to be a prisoner in her own home. E.J. clarified that she simply must take a bodyguard along if she went out. Nicole wasn't pleased, but E.J. firmly asserted that it was for her-and the family's-safety.

Stefano stepped into the foyer to make a phone call, instructing Nicole's security detail that they were not to leave her side. He had to pause in the middle of the conversation to catch his breath, clearly feeling a bit dizzy and unwell. After he hung up, he gripped a table to steady himself. "What the hell is happening to me?"

Nicole took Sydney for a walk along the pier. When Mia met them, Nicole lied to her bodyguard that Mia was a teen she worked with. As the guard backed away, Nicole cautioned Mia that they were being watched. Mia asked to hold Sydney. Nicole quietly lectured Mia that she'd broken their deal, and Nicole made the girl swear not to bother them anymore. Mia agreed, so Nicole lifted Sydney out of the stroller, and put her in Mia's arms.

Mia's expectant smile quickly faded. "Something's not right," she said. "She doesn't feel like my baby." As Nicole took Sydney back, Mia confided that she'd felt more of a connection with another baby she'd sat for than she did with Sydney. Nicole gently asserted that perhaps it was a sign that Mia could start moving on with her life. She repeated her demand that Mia not contact her again. As Mia was leaving, a rusty nail snagged her arm, causing it to bleed.

Stefano gazed wistfully at a photograph of Tony. "I miss him more with each passing day," he stated sadly. E.J. put his arm comfortingly around his father, echoing Stefano's words. Marco then announced that Roman Brady had arrived at the front gate.

When Marco let Roman in, E.J. wanted to know the purpose of his visit. Roman declared that Victor Kiriakis believed that Stefano had ordered the hit on Philip. E.J. replied that they weren't interested in anything Victor had to say. Roman asserted that although he didn't have enough evidence to charge either DiMera, E.J. and Stefano shouldn't leave town. Stefano asserted that he had no desire to leave the town he had built.

Nicole returned to the mansion and put Sydney down for a nap. As Nicole and E.J. were about to leave for a walk, E.J. noted that Stefano looked pale. Stefano brushed off his son's concerns, insisting that he was merely fighting off "a little bug." He added that he was going to run some errands, and then treat himself to a macchiato.

After Stefano had gone, Nicole asked her new husband if something were going on that she needed to know about. E.J. tried to reassure her that she shouldn't worry about the business between their family and the Kiriakises. Nicole pointed out that she'd have to be an idiot not to.

Mia went to the hospital to get her cut checked out, and was happily surprised when Dr. Baker showed up to examine her. As he cleaned her wound, she remarked that the sting of the antiseptic hurt less than how she felt mentally. Dr. Baker asked if it had to do with her baby. Mia replied that she'd gotten to hold the baby earlier, but hadn't felt anything for her. Dr. Baker was impressed with her instincts, and declared that it was time she knew the truth.

As they sat waiting for further news about Philip, Brady took a fresh cup of coffee to his grandfather. Victor took one look at Brady's bruised face and vowed that the DiMeras would rue the day they ever screwed with Victor's family. Brady argued that nothing good could come from seeking revenge. He urged Victor to at least wait until Philip had recovered and could identify the shooter, because he didn't want any more blood to be shed.

Victor was adamant in his desire for revenge, swearing that he wouldn't rest until Stefano had suffered as much as they had. "I'm going to hit them where their heart is," he declared. Brady assured his grandfather that, although he didn't approve of the tactics, he would always be there for Victor.

Stefano went to the Java Café, and greeted the barista, Jackie, warmly. As she prepared his "usual," Stefano asked about the girl who'd served him the day before. Jackie replied that things hadn't worked out with Melina. Stefano remarked that "Melina" sounded like a Greek name.

Under Marco's watchful eye, Stefano sipped his coffee, remembering how Victor had warned him at the hospital, "This isn't over. This is just the beginning." He set down his cup, and a sickening realization dawned on him. "My God, they poisoned me!"

At the Brady Pub later, Brady asked Victor to reveal his plans for the DiMeras. Victor refused to divulge anything except that it would hit Stefano when he least expected it.

As Brady was leaving, he ran into Nicole outside. After she got rid of her guard, she noted Brady's battered face with alarm. Brady shrugged off her concerns, insisting that he was all right. Nicole then thanked him for not ruining her wedding.

When Nicole went inside, Victor remarked sarcastically that she had great taste in men. Nicole rolled her eyes, reminding him that she'd been married to him once, too. She asserted that E.J. was more man than Victor could ever hope to be. Victor informed her that her new husband's family had not only put a hit on Philip, they'd also beaten Brady up. Victor seemed to relish Nicole's stunned reaction.

Meanwhile, E.J. had arrived outside. Brady confronted him, pronouncing E.J. a coward for having his thugs beat Brady up. When E.J. tried to brush past him, Brady declared that E.J. would pay for what he'd done to Philip.