At the hospital, Theresa told Daniel that she needed to talk to him about the night that she had overdosed. Theresa clarified that she hadn't remembered anything else about that night and probably never would, but she added that she needed to make amends with most of the hospital staff members, starting with Daniel.
Theresa reported that she was planning to start going to Narcotics Anonymous meetings, and she wondered if Daniel would be willing to put her in contact with Maggie. Theresa said that she had heard that Maggie was an amazing sponsor and a great woman in general, which was exactly what she had expected to hear about someone who had a guy like Daniel as a son.
Before Daniel could respond, Jennifer, who had been sitting nearby and had heard the entire conversation, silently walked past him and Theresa. Theresa sighed and apologetically informed Daniel that she hadn't realized that Jennifer had been behind her the whole time. Theresa hoped that she hadn't said anything that had upset Jennifer.
Changing the subject, Daniel gave Maggie's contact information to Theresa. Meanwhile, Anne arrived and accused Daniel of trying to influence someone who could potentially be called as a witness at his disciplinary hearing. Theresa tried to clarify that Daniel had simply been trying to help her, but Anne interrupted, handed Theresa a large stack of documents, and dismissively advised her to work on filing them as a way of taking her mind off of things.
After Theresa left, Anne shook her head and sadly summarized that, thanks to Daniel, Theresa would never be quite the same again. Daniel observed that Anne was certainly getting a lot of mileage out of his involvement in Theresa's overdose, and Anne confirmed that she could ride that particular train all the way around the world and back again. Daniel predicted that Anne could do wonders for the morale of the employees at the hospital if her train ride were a one-way trip. After Daniel walked away, Anne muttered that, while she was certainly going to boost morale, she wasn't the person who was going to be taking a trip.
At the Horton house, J.J. was sitting alone in the living room, reading articles on his tablet computer about Eric's suspension and Daniel's impending disciplinary hearing, when Abigail interrupted and asked him about the items that were laying on the coffee table. J.J. turned off his tablet computer as he explained that he was helping Jennifer with the decorations for the Thanksgiving party that was being held at Club TBD later that day.
"The kid who flunked scissors in kindergarten?" Abigail asked incredulously. J.J. referred to Abigail as Martha Stewart and challenged her to do a better job with the decorations. After accepting the challenge, Abigail admitted that what J.J. had done for Jennifer was really nice and that Jennifer was going to be totally surprised. "You have no idea," J.J. cryptically agreed before dashing out of the house.
Later, J.J. returned with Ciara and Allie, who were dressed as Pilgrims, and Hope, who kissed his cheek and thanked him for rescuing her. As J.J. marveled that he hadn't heard those words very often in his life, Hope explained that Ciara would have been very disappointed if she had been forced to miss the Thanksgiving party because Hope had been asked to cover for someone at work at the last minute. J.J. assured Hope that he would be able to handle watching Ciara and Allie for a few hours, adding that Abigail would be there to help him -- as would Jennifer, although she wasn't aware of his plan yet.
After Hope left, J.J. and Abigail reminisced about previous Thanksgiving holidays that they had spent together. J.J. told Allie and Ciara that Jennifer had always asked him and Abigail to reveal what they were grateful for each year. J.J. recalled that his and Abigail's answers had always been the same -- pumpkin pie and books, respectively. J.J. and Abigail agreed that they were grateful for the chance to spend another Thanksgiving together.
Ciara tugged at her Pilgrim bonnet and insisted that she wasn't going to wear it because she hated it. J.J. told Ciara that he had once lived in England and that the queen had never gone anywhere without a bonnet. J.J. assured Ciara that the bonnet was very posh, and Abigail clarified that he was saying that it was cool. J.J. placed a Pilgrim hat on his head as he informed Ciara that confidence was the key to wearing it properly.
Ciara declared that J.J. looked like a dork, and Abigail agreed, so he suggested that his sister could wear the hat instead, teasingly reasoning that she had always reminded him of a Pilgrim anyway. Abigail tried to protest, but Allie and Ciara helped J.J. corner her so that he could place the hat on her head. Later, when Jennifer returned home, she was surprised to see that J.J., Abigail, Ciara, and Allie were all wearing Pilgrim outfits.
When Jennifer learned what was going on, she happily agreed to join the group at the Thanksgiving party. Jennifer assumed that Abigail had planned everything, so she was pleasantly surprised to learn that it had actually all been J.J.'s idea. As Ciara and Allie showed Jennifer the pictures of turkeys that J.J. had helped them draw, Abigail observed that he had managed to make Jennifer very happy. J.J. admitted that he owed Jennifer a few happy days. Abigail summarized that she felt like she finally had her brother back, and she hoped that things would stay that way for good. J.J. confidently assured Abigail that she had nothing to worry about.
Later, Daniel and Parker entered Club TBD as Jennifer was telling J.J. that she was glad that he had invited her to attend the party with him. As Ciara, Allie, and Theo gathered around Parker, who was dressed as a turkey, J.J. discreetly approached Daniel and apologetically explained that he hadn't realized that Daniel was going to be at the party. J.J. suggested that Daniel might want to take advantage of the opportunity to talk to Jennifer, but Daniel revealed that he had tried to do so earlier and that she had no desire to talk to him.
Changing the subject, Daniel revealed that he had talked to Theresa earlier and that she still hadn't remembered the events that had led to her overdose. Daniel added that enough time had passed since the overdose for him to be fairly confident as a doctor that Theresa would never remember anything else about the incident. After Daniel left, Jennifer rejoined J.J. and begged him to refrain from engaging Daniel in the future.
Jennifer reminded J.J. that he would have to appear in front of a judge again in the near future, and she reasoned that she didn't want him to do anything that would jeopardize his freedom. J.J. assured Jennifer that he wasn't going to do anything stupid, and he added that he simply wished that he could do something to help her. J.J. abruptly excused himself, claiming that he wanted to put some space between himself and Daniel.
Elsewhere, Daniel announced that it was time for him and Parker to leave the party. The other kids protested that Parker had just arrived, but Daniel refused to change his mind, and Jennifer and Abigail didn't object to his departure. Meanwhile, J.J. found Theresa at the hospital and asked to talk to her, vaguely stating that he needed to make things right, but she stormed off after insisting that he needed to stay away from her.
In Will and Sonny's apartment, Sonny was stunned when Will asked to be spared from choosing between Sonny and Arianna. "Seriously? Wow -- okay. Am I not the guy who got this apartment so that we could live with Gabi -- who hated me, by the way -- and Arianna, who I love like she's my own kid? How can you say that to me?" Sonny demanded to know.
Will assured Sonny that he knew about all of the sacrifices that Sonny had made for him, but Sonny wasn't entirely convinced. Sonny summarized that he had waited a very long time to be with Will and had given him plenty of space so that he could accept the fact that he was gay on his own timetable. Will agreed and said that he never could have gotten through that period of his life without Sonny.
"And I know what it's like to feel like you have to choose between the guy you love and someone else in your life, but when my mom tried to do it, look who I chose. You got Gabi pregnant, and you lied to me about it. I helped you cover up evidence in two criminal investigations -- two -- and look where I am. I am right here with you," Sonny pointedly added.
"Listen, I know that, and I don't take that for granted, and I don't take you for granted. And you know that about me. But Ari is not gonna be here; Gabi's taking her to New York. And if you're not willing to come with me, then do you not at least see how you're forcing me to make that choice? 'Cause I'm not gonna live away from my daughter. I absolutely will not," Will replied.
Sonny took a seat next to Will on the couch and said that he knew how much Will loved Arianna. Sonny said that he also loved Arianna, and he recalled that he had helped her enter the world and had not only been there the first time that she had rolled over and the first time that she had cut a tooth, but also the first time that she had spit up on someone -- him. Sonny summarized that he felt like he was also Arianna's father, and Will replied that Sonny felt that way because it was true. Will told Sonny that neither of them would get to be a father to Arianna if they remained in Salem while she was with Gabi in New York.
Will said that he couldn't live with only being able to see Arianna once a month, and he added that he couldn't ask Gabi to turn down her dream job. Sonny wondered why it was okay for him to be asked to leave his dream job instead. Will reasoned that he had only asked Sonny to do so because he was confident that Sonny would be able to succeed anywhere -- especially in New York. Frustrated, Sonny interrupted and pointed out that he had already explained why he didn't want to move to New York.
Will conceded that he understood Sonny's reasons for wanting to remain in Salem, and he suggested that they might still be able to make things work somehow. "Maybe?" Sonny asked incredulously, but before Will could respond, Arianna woke up and started to cry. Will excused himself so that he could check on Arianna, and while he was gone, Sonny quietly exited the apartment.
In a secluded section of Horton Town Square, Sami incredulously summarized that Gabi had conveniently neglected to mention during their earlier conversation that Nick would also be moving to New York. Kate wondered if Sami was really surprised that Gabi had lied, and Sami conceded that she should have probably already grown accustomed to Gabi's habit of lying about certain things.
Sami insisted that she wasn't going to let "that sick bastard" Nick Fallon get away with what he was trying to do. "Sing it, sister," Kate agreed. Sami predicted that Rafe would probably get the FBI involved if he knew that Gabi was planning to move to New York with Nick, but Kate believed that Rafe already had enough stress to deal with. Kate said that she and Sami were simply going to have to find a way to keep Arianna in Salem and stop Nick in his weaselly tracks themselves.
Kate realized that there wouldn't be much time to stop Nick, since he was planning to leave Salem soon and had the means to do so because of the two projects that she had paid him to develop for Mad World. Sami was momentarily upset with Kate for continuing to do business with Nick after everything that he had done to Will, but she quickly decided that Kate's reasons for doing so were understandable.
Kate insisted that she wouldn't have paid Nick if she had known what he was planning to do with the money. Kate laughed as she recalled that Nick had thrown a flash drive in her face earlier that day that contained another project that he had developed for her as a free gift. Kate bitterly summarized that Nick could apparently afford to be magnanimous because he was taking her great-granddaughter to New York on Kate's dime.
"Look, don't beat yourself up about this one, okay? It's not your fault -- it's Nick's fault. He's lower than a snake. Well, clearly, so is Gabi...but this one, I really think, is on him, so I think I'm gonna go give that conniving bastard a piece of my mind -- and maybe a fist in his face while I'm at it," Sami announced. Kate said that she was going to practice her particular brand of magic on Gabi while Sami was practicing another brand of magic on Nick. "Give 'em hell," each woman simultaneously said to the other, and after pausing for a moment to silently acknowledge the irony of the situation, they walked off in opposite directions.
Elsewhere, Nick insisted that Gabi couldn't turn down the modeling job in New York because it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that she had been really excited about. Gabi started to explain that she had talked to Rafe and Sami about the matter earlier, but Nick interrupted and reasoned that Sami was far too selfish to ever consider Gabi's desires and therefore didn't deserve to have her own desires considered. Gabi reminded Nick that Arianna was Sami's granddaughter, but he countered that Sami's harassment had nearly caused Gabi to suffer a miscarriage earlier that year.
As Kate entered the area and hid nearby so that she could eavesdrop, Gabi conceded that Sami could occasionally be aggressive, but she added that everyone, including Sami, simply wanted Arianna to have a good life. Gabi admitted that the things that Sami had said during their earlier conversation had made sense, prompting Nick to dismissively mutter that there was a first time for everything. Gabi said that she hated the idea of taking Arianna away from Will, and she assured Nick that everything was going to be okay because Sami was willing to give her a modeling contract with Countess Wilhelmina that would offer the best of both worlds.
"No, no, it's not okay! You have to take the job, and you have to move to New York, because I've worked way too hard to make this happen for it to all fall apart now!" Nick blurted out. When Gabi demanded to know what Nick was talking about, he sighed and reluctantly revealed that he had sent her photographs and story to all of the major modeling agencies on her behalf. Gabi angrily pointed out that she had never given Nick permission to do that sort of thing, but he reasoned that she wouldn't have pursued her dream unless someone had given her a push in the right direction.
Nick explained that he had decided, after one of Gabi's arguments with Will and Sonny, that she needed a fresh start in a new city. Nick added that he needed a similar fresh start, and he proudly revealed that he had also landed a job in New York and would be leaving later that day. Nick insisted that Gabi and Arianna had to move to New York because they would otherwise never be able to finally be together as a family, the way that they had always wanted.
"Oh, my God. What the hell is wrong with you? How dare you go behind my back and play God with my life?!" Gabi demanded to know. Nick reasoned that he had done everything for Gabi and Arianna -- his family -- but Gabi stressed that they weren't a family and that he had simply been using her and Arianna as a way of trying to convince himself that he would still be able to have a normal life after what had happened to him in prison.
Nick insisted that he loved Gabi and that he knew that she felt the same way about him, but she countered that she simply felt relieved that he was moving to New York, since pretending to be his friend had always made her feel really awkward and weird. As a small group of onlookers gathered, Nick tried to get Gabi to calm down. "No, I'm not gonna stop, okay? I've tried to be nice, I've tried to be clear, but let me say it so that you're not confused. Let me spell it out for you -- I am through, okay? I never want to see you again, all right? I want you out of my life for good!" Gabi shouted before storming off, and Nick chased after her.
After quietly praising Gabi's reaction to Nick's machinations, Kate sent a text message to Sami to give her an update on the situation. Meanwhile, at the police station, Sami -- who had gone there to ask Hope for information about Nick's whereabouts -- received the text message and quickly excused herself. Hope's suspicions were aroused, so after Sami left, Hope sent a text message to Nick to find out if he was still in Salem.
Later, as Sami was walking past the Brady Pub, she ran into Sonny. Sami could tell that something was wrong, so Sonny told her about his earlier fight with Will and insisted that he wasn't trying to make Will choose between Sonny and Arianna. Sami assured Sonny that everything was going to be all right and that he simply needed to focus on the fact that Will loved him very much.
Kate received a phone call from Rafe while she was searching for Gabi in the park. Kate assured Rafe that she would make some phone calls and find out if Gabi's modeling contract was legitimate, and she added that she had a feeling that everything was going to be all right. After ending the call, Kate continued her search for Gabi, while Sami also arrived in the park and started to search for Kate.
In Will and Sonny's apartment, Will entered the living room with Arianna and was surprised to find that Sonny was gone. Later, Will paced the living room with Arianna as he tried to get her to go back to sleep. "I love you so much. And I love Sonny so much. But he doesn't need me the way that you do. You know, I was thinking, if your mom goes to New York to be a model, who's gonna take care of you? A nanny? I don't -- I don't -- I mean, she's probably gonna be better at nanny stuff than I will, but, I mean, she's not gonna be me. I don't know -- you're too young to understand why I won't be around, and I -- I miss you when I'm gone for a couple hours. I can't even imagine, like -- you're my little girl, and I promise that I will always take care of you, no matter what," Will assured Arianna, unaware that Sonny had entered the apartment in time to hear the second half of the monologue.
Sonny closed the apartment door to announce his presence, and Will wondered where Sonny had gone, adding that he and Arianna had missed Sonny. Sonny said that he had simply needed some fresh air, and he and Will apologized to each other for the things that they had each said earlier. Sonny kissed Arianna and Will and assured them that everything was going to be all right and that they would find a way to make things work together.
As Gabi walked through a dark, secluded section of the park that night, she tried to contact the modeling agency to inform them that she had changed her mind about accepting the job. Nick approached Gabi from behind, seized her cell phone, and once again tried to convince Gabi that she needed to move to New York with Arianna so that they could be a family.
Gabi reiterated that she didn't love Nick and that their relationship was over for good, and she advised him to seek professional help because he was clearly sick. Nick lost his temper and angrily warned Gabi to shut up, but he quickly calmed down and apologized, reasoning that they had both said things that they didn't mean that night. Gabi tried to explain to Nick that she couldn't take Arianna away from Will, but Nick dismissively countered that Will could visit occasionally.
Nick reminded Gabi that they had previously talked about the fact that they would never be able to be together in Salem because people would constantly judge them for their past mistakes. Gabi clarified that Nick had misinterpreted her words, and she gently pointed out that she deserved to have a voice in the decisions that he had taken it upon himself to make for her. Nick sighed and conceded the point, and Gabi thanked him for understanding.
"Yeah. So...I guess I'll give you two choices. I mean, one is -- is you take the job offer, and -- and you move to New York with me and Arianna, and we can be a family together, all right? And option number two is...you go to prison for what you did to Melanie," Nick matter-of-factly summarized. Gabi tearfully objected that Arianna needed her, prompting Nick to reason that Gabi simply needed to make the right choice and move to New York with him. Nick assured Gabi that they would be happy in New York, but she countered that she would never be able to be happy if she was being blackmailed into being with him.
Nick fell to his knees in front of Gabi and summarized that she was the only good thing that had happened to him since his release from prison the previous year. Nick tried to remind Gabi of all of the plans that they had made together, and he pointed out that she had been unable to stay away from him even after all of the bad things that had happened the previous summer. Gabi gently replied that sleeping with Nick again after their marriage had ended had been about sex, not love, but he angrily rose to his feet and insisted that she was wrong.
Gabi eyed her cell phone, which Nick had dropped during his outburst, but when she reached for it, he stopped her, and in the ensuing struggle, she lost her balance and fell to the ground. Nick joined her on the ground to check on her, but when she tearfully stated that she wanted to go home, he wondered where her home really was. Nick assured Gabi that he would take care of her, and she struggled to get away as he pinned her to the ground and started to kiss her.
As Nick continued to kiss Gabi, stating that he was going to remind her of all of the reasons why they were good together, she grabbed a rock and bashed him on the head with it, knocking him unconscious in the process.
At the Kiriakis mansion, Caroline yelled at Victor, "You son of a bitch! How could you?" A furious Caroline told Victor that he had destroyed Eric. "The woman had to be stopped. Eric was collateral damage," Victor said. Caroline told Victor that she wanted to slap him. Victor swore that he had obtained a copy of the video at the last minute when he had had no other options to stop the wedding.
"She drugged him," Caroline argued. Victor countered, "I know you need to believe that, but you have no proof." Caroline said that Eric said he had been drugged and that Eric never lied. Shaking his head, Victor argued that men lied about sex. Caroline screamed at Victor that there was no excuse for Victor's behavior. Victor insisted that he had done what he had needed to do in order to get rid of Kristen.
When Caroline argued that Victor's behavior had hurt Eric, Victor countered that Eric's troubles would pass. Caroline shook her head vigorously. "The way you are looking at me, I know that I have lost something that I really treasure, and I think I've lost it forever," Victor said. "I don't see how Maggie can bear to live with you!" Caroline said. As Caroline looked at Victor's face, she asked if Maggie had left Victor. Victor nodded. Caroline remarked that something good had sprung from the situation.
At Club TBD, Nicole met with her producer, Miles. Miles asked Nicole if she was friends with Eric, and she responded, "Not really." Nicole explained that she had worked with Eric but that they were not close. Suspicious, Miles asked Nicole if she had worked long hours for little pay out of the goodness of her heart. Miles argued that Nicole knew Eric and everyone else involved in the scandal.
Nicole stressed that she would not "do a hatchet job on Eric Brady." Miles swore he was not interested in a hatchet job. Smiling, Nicole wondered aloud if Miles was playing her. Miles explained that he was interested in hearing Eric's side of the story. Nicole said she would consider Miles offer. Miles countered that Nicole might be Eric's only hope. Smiling, Nicole said that if she did the story, it would be to help her career, not Eric.
In the town square, Eric took photos of a flower cart. Marlena walked up to Eric and commented about his photography. Flustered, Eric said that he had to leave. As Eric walked away, Marlena said that she had news about Kristen, which stopped Eric dead in his tracks. Marlena explained that Roman was working to obtain a warrant to search Kristen's belongings. Eric worried aloud that there was no evidence to exonerate him.
When Marlena said that there would be time to find the evidence, Eric argued that E.J. would destroy any evidence against Kristen before Roman could search the DiMera property. When Marlena mentioned what Sami had said, Eric cut Marlena off and asked her to leave him alone. Eric explained that he wanted to take pictures and not hurt anyone. Marlena countered that when Eric had refused to talk to her, it had hurt her.
"I'm just trying to keep it together," Eric whispered. Marlena assured Eric that Roman would clear Eric's name and that he would remain a priest. Eric argued that even if his name were cleared, he would never return to the position he had held at the church prior to the wedding. Marlena begged Eric not to run away from his problems. Upset, Eric said that he wanted to think about God's will. Marlena assured Eric that he would remain a priest.
E.J. answered the door at the DiMera mansion and found a furious Brady. Brady threw E.J. against the wall and demanded to know where Kristen was hiding. As E.J. struggled for air, Brady swore to "end" E.J. if he did not tell Brady where to find Kristen. When Brady let go of E.J.'s throat, he accused E.J. of knowing Kristen's plot for months and not telling anyone. A breathless E.J. laughed and said that he had not known anything. Brady argued that E.J. was lying.
"This is about Kristen, your psychopath sister who makes other psychopaths look morally upright in comparison. That's what your sister, is and she gets away with everything, everything in this world. But not this time. This time she is going down," Brady growled.
E.J. said that he did not have any evidence against Kristen to share, and that if E.J. had known where to find Kristen, E.J. would be with her. "Lying bitches don't need comfort, E.J.," Brady said. E.J. argued that he cared about Kristen. Shaking his head, Brady argued that E.J. only cared about himself. E.J. reasoned aloud that if he had known about Kristen's affair, Sami would have left him. Brady argued that E.J. had lied to Sami.
"I know there's more than what you're telling me. When I find out that truth, E.J., you will answer to me," Brady said. Brady said that he hoped Sami would not suffer as much pain as Brady when she learned the truth about E.J. As Brady started to leave, E.J. said that he had information that could help Eric because it would help Brady better understand Kristen. E.J. explained that Kristen had genuinely loved Brady more than her own family. E.J. argued that Kristen had chosen Brady over her quest to take revenge against John and Marlena.
"That revenge was at the very core of her being, and she chose you over that," E.J. said. Brady countered that Kristen had drugged and raped Eric, and those actions did not show love. E.J. yelled that Kristen had loved Brady more than Brady had loved Kristen. E.J. continued that if Brady had trusted and listened to Kristen after her first aborted wedding to Brady then Kristen would not have had sex with Eric. Furious, E.J. ordered Brady to leave.
After Brady was gone, E.J. stared at a photo of Kristen and grumbled, "Another fine mess you've gotten me into." Feeling the stare of Stefano's portrait behind him, E.J. waved his hand at the painting but did not turn to look at it. "I know, she's family," E.J. said.
Outside the Brady pub, Nicole called out to Eric as he walked toward the front door. When Eric asked what Nicole wanted, she explained that she wanted to talk to Eric. Surprised, Eric smiled. The two went inside and sat in a booth to talk. Elated that Nicole was willing to talk to him, Eric urged Nicole to say whatever she wanted, and he would listen. Nicole told Eric that she wanted him to tell his side of the story.
"I screwed up, and I'm really sorry about that," Eric said. Shaking her head, Nicole specified that she meant Eric's night with Kristen. When Eric asked what Nicole meant, she pulled a recorder out from her purse and pressed record. As Eric looked on in bewilderment, Nicole asked Eric to talk about what happened between him and Kristen.
"So this was just a set-up?" Eric asked. Nicole shook her head. Hurt, Eric accused Nicole of using him for a story rather than talking to him. Nicole argued that the story could be good for both of them, but Eric disagreed and said he was nothing but a story to Nicole. "What the hell did you expect?" Nicole asked.
When Brady returned to the Kiriakis mansion, he found Victor sitting alone in the dark. Brady told Victor about his conversation with E.J. Victor said goodnight and headed upstairs. Alone, Brady sat on the couch and stared at Victor's half-finished glass of scotch. As Brady contemplated the drink, his phone rang. A voice on the phone said he knew where to find Kristen.
In a clearing in the woods, Nick held Gabi down and kissed her neck, telling her that he loved her. Gabi pleaded with Nick to stop, but he acted like he did not hear her cries for help. Gabi reached out, and her hand grasped a rock. Terrified, Gabi hit Nick on the side of the head with the rock, knocking him unconscious.
"Oh, my God, Gabi. What have you done?" Kate asked as she appeared in the clearing of the woods. Crying, Gabi stammered that Nick had been angry and had attacked her. "He had this crazy look in his eye. He wasn't himself," Gabi said. Kate told Gabi that everything would be fine. From the woods, Sami called out to Kate, asking if she had found Gabi and Nick. When Sami entered the clearing, she saw a bloody Nick lying on the ground.
"I guess you did," Sami said. Gabi swore that she had not wanted to hurt Nick, only to stop him. Sami felt for a pulse on Nick's neck. "What you did was kill him," Sami said. When Gabi said that Nick had attacked her, Sami was unimpressed with Gabi's story. "You can lie to the judge just the same way you lie to Will, you lie to me, you lie to everyone," Sami growled.
Kate told Sami that she did not know what was going on and that she could not call the police. Sami joked that Will could take the baby to visit Gabi in prison. Kate defended Gabi and explained that she had seen Gabi and Nick fighting in the town square. Kate argued that because there had been witnesses in the square, no one would believe that Gabi had acted in self-defense.
Shrugging, Sami commented sarcastically, "Someone might finally not believe Gabi? That's a shocker." Kate said that Gabi had acted in self-defense. Unfazed, Sami said that Gabi should pay for one of the wrongs Gabi had committed. Kate explained that Gabi had told Nick that Gabi did not want to move to New York. Sami disagreed and argued that Gabi had planned to raise Arianna with Nick.
Kate explained that after Gabi had talked to Sami and Rafe, Gabi had realized that she could not take Arianna to New York. Kate stressed that Nick had attacked Gabi after Gabi had told him that she had changed her mind. Overcome, Gabi cried out Nick's name and dropped to her knees next to his body.
While Gabi cried next to Nick, Kate and Sami talked about the crime scene. Kate said that, like Sami and Bernardi, there was more to the story than met the eye. Kate said she had heard Gabi tell Nick that she had changed her mind about New York. Kate argued that it had been more important to Gabi to be a mother than to be a model. Stunned, Sami asked if Kate had actually heard Gabi say that she had changed her mind.
"You should have seen the look on her face when you let it slip out that he had lined up that whole modeling job for her," Kate said. Kate added that Gabi had had no idea that Nick had planned to move to New York. As Sami stared in disbelief, Kate said that Nick had believed that Gabi was in love with him just as he had once believed that Melanie had loved him. Kate explained that Gabi had yelled in the square that she did not love Nick and that Gabi had humiliated him in public.
"Are you gonna let Arianna's mother go to prison for that?" Kate asked as she pointed at Gabi who was babbling nearby. Kate put her arm around Gabi and comforted her. Sami thought about fights she had had with Nick in the past. "Well, I guess that son of a bitch finally got what he deserved," Sami muttered. Sami turned to Kate and Gabi and asked what the plan was.
Kate assured Gabi that everything would be fine. As Sami wondered aloud what to do, Kate remarked that the river was nearby. Sami nodded and handed her purse to Gabi. Kate ordered Gabi to pick up the rock and put it in Nick's backpack, then Kate and Sami each grabbed one of Nick's legs and dragged him toward the river. As Sami and Kate bickered, Gabi warned them that she heard someone in the woods. Sami and Kate stashed the body behind a bush as a bird watcher approached and said hello.
When the bird watcher asked what the three ladies were doing in the woods, Kate asked why the man was alone in the woods. Sami joked that they were all up to no good. As the man chatted about the bird he had spotted, Kate and Sami made jokes. When the man offered to escort the ladies back to the town square, Sami declined the offer. The bird watcher insisted and offered to carry the backpack that Gabi was clutching.
Sami intervened before the bird watcher could take the bag, and she thanked him for his help. Sami explained that they were there to see a "Thespesius Occidentalus," a nocturnal bird. Confused, the bird watcher asked what bird Sami was talking about. Sami laughed and accused the man of teasing her. Unsure, the bird watcher said he had not seen many of that type of bird. Kate noted that they needed quiet for the bird.
Nodding, the bird watcher wished Sami, Kate, and Gabi luck on their search, then left. When Kate asked about the bird that Sami had mentioned, Sami explained that the species she had named was a duck-billed dinosaur that Johnny loved. As Kate and Sami argued, a frustrated Gabi cried out for them to be quiet. Kate and Sami explained that they could not help themselves because they did not like one another.
Sami promised to make things right. As Gabi wanderd over to a bush, she stammered, "Oh, my God." Kate and Sami ran over and cried out when they realized that Nick's body was not there. "Well, I guess he wasn't as dead as I thought he was," Sami said. Shaking her head, Kate noted that they had the wrong bush. Kate wandered nearby and pointed out Nick's body.
As Sami and Kate expressed relief, Gabi was horrified that finding Nick's body was a good thing. Sami urged Gabi to remember that it was better to wake up next to Arianna than to wake up in prison. Sami and Kate handed their purses back o Gabi and dragged Nick's body toward the river as a stunned Gabi walked slowly behind them. When Gabi worried aloud that the police would find the body, Kate countered that the current in the river was strong and swift.
Upset when Sami and Kate started to argue again, Gabi cried out and begged Sami and Kate to stop. Kate reminded Gabi that she had acted in self-defense and that they were almost done. Sami and Kate rifled through Nick's pockets to make the death look like a mugging. Kate found a piece of paper and asked Gabi about it. Gabi shook her head in confusion and turned away.
Kate pocketed Nick's phone and urged Sami to trust her. Sami shrugged and said she did not have a choice. Once Sami and Kate were done searching Nick's pockets, they continued to drag the body toward the river. Sami ordered Gabi to cover their tracks behind them. Gabi dutifully kicked dirt over the drag trail.
When they reached the river, Kate ordered Gabi to throw the rock in the river. Gabi pulled out the rock and threw it in. After catching their breath, Kate and Sami started to push Nick in the river, but Gabi cried out that they needed to think of Nick's family. Sami reminded Gabi that Gabi would go to prison for killing Nick and that Sami and Kate would join her for helping cover up the crime.
"He didn't care about you. Nick didn't care about the baby. He didn't care about his family. He definitely didn't care about Maggie Horton. You need to concentrate on Arianna," Sami said sternly. Sami encouraged Gabi to think about Arianna and cry the next day. Gabi nodded. The three women started to push Nick into the river. As Nick slid in, he startled awake, turned, and grabbed Sami. The three women and Nick all screamed out as Nick pulled on Sami at the river's edge.
As Eric and Nicole sat in a secluded booth at the Brady Pub, Eric was incredulous that she had invited him to talk when all she really wanted was a story. He rose to leave, but Nicole grabbed his arm and asserted that there was something in it for both of them if he took the opportunity to tell his side of the story. Still irked, Eric said that the bishop had instructed him not to talk to the press while the church decided whether Eric could still be a priest.
Nicole gently suggested that Eric might want to tell people that Kristen had drugged him in order to have sex with him. "No!" Eric replied, vehemently pounding a fist on the table. He accused Nicole of insulting his intelligence by trying to convince him that she wanted to do something good for him. Nicole countered that perhaps Eric deserved it for accusing her of doing something that she would never have done.
Eric said that he understood if Nicole could never forgive him. "But don't you walk in here and tell me that you've got something that's good for me when I'm nothing but a story for you. I mean, that is so beneath you, Nicole," Eric spat before walking out.
Victor was drinking alone at Club TBD when a fresh Scotch appeared in front of him -- and Nicole took a seat across the table. To explain her sudden generosity, Nicole said, "Remember when you thanked me for running Kristen off the road? That's nothing compared to what you did. When it comes to being a real bastard, you haven't lost your touch." Smiling at Victor with something like admiration, Nicole raised her glass to him.
Nicole thanked Victor for persuading Marlena, at Kristen and Brady's wedding, to play the video of Kristen and Eric having sex. Nicole added that Victor had also helped convince Eric that she'd been telling the truth, because otherwise Eric would still believe that Nicole had been the one who'd drugged and seduced him. Victor was genuinely surprised that Eric had really been drugged.
Victor admitted that he had wondered how Nicole had been content to work for Father Eric. "I changed my life because I thought he believed in me. But when the chips were down, he turned on me," Nicole said. "You found out that Saint Eric was a mere mortal, huh? Must have been very disappointing," Victor quipped sympathetically. "I hate that man," Nicole declared. She downed the rest of her martini and left.
Hope arrived at the DiMera mansion and asked E.J. where Sami was. E.J. admitted that he, too, would like the answer to that question. As Hope presented E.J. with a search warrant, a handful of uniformed officers showed up and entered the mansion. Hope assigned Officer Jenkins to be the point person. She instructed the team to begin the search in Kristen's room -- and not to let E.J. interfere. Hope introduced E.J. to Jenkins and then started to head out.
E.J. wondered aloud why Hope was leaving without lecturing him about how monstrous his sister was. Hope replied that she could sum the unnecessary lecture up in one sentence: "Kristen reminds me of you." E.J.'s fake smile faded as he watched Hope leave.
E.J. was surprised when Eric showed up a little later to see Sami. E.J. said that he had no idea where Sami was, but he promised to tell her that Eric had stopped by. Eric noted that even though he and Sami had been speaking regularly, she had seldom mentioned E.J. Eric wondered if Sami had been protecting E.J., and if E.J. had known about Kristen's plan. E.J. refused to confirm or deny any of it. "Maggie left Victor. There's a good chance I won't be a priest anymore, and your sister ruined her own life," Eric recounted.
"You could have stopped it all from happening, but you didn't. How do you sleep at night?" Eric asked. Eric observed that what made E.J. tick was no longer money and power; E.J.'s whole world revolved around Sami. "You finally got what you deserve," Eric said. E.J. countered that, rather than deserving things, people worked for what they wanted. "If people got what they deserved, you wouldn't be in the situation you're in now, would you?" E.J. noted.
E.J. continued tauntingly that Eric certainly hadn't gotten what he'd deserved, not after devoting his life to God. Eric cautioned E.J. that things with Sami would not last, but E.J. was confident that he and Sami would continue to weather any storms that blew their way. Eric countered that E.J.'s character would cause him to eventually lose Sami again. E.J. calmly suggested that Eric show himself out, and Eric obliged.
When Eric returned to the Brady Pub, he paused outside to offer up a brief word to the heavens: "I know you're testing me, Father, but I'll find my way. I have to."
At the Kiriakis mansion, Brady received a phone call from someone who said that he knew where Brady could find Kristen. Brady accused the caller of playing games, but the man pointed out that the safest place for anyone to hide out was wherever no one was looking for them. Guessing that the man wanted a payoff, Brady demanded a little more proof before agreeing. "The woman I'm talking about, she kept saying one word over and over: 'Brady,'" the man said. Brady asked where he should meet the caller.
As Brady arrived in the park outside Horton Square a little later, his phone rang, but when he saw that the call was from Victor, Brady ignored it. Someone watched from the shadows while Brady looked at his watch and paced around the bench. At last, a man approached Brady and explained that he'd been making sure that Brady had arrived alone. "When you inform on a DiMera, there's a certain amount of risk involved," explained the man, who promised to use the money he got from Brady to disappear.
The man showed Brady a piece of paper with an address written on it. Before handing over the cash, Brady asked for a description of the woman. The guy offered a verbal sketch of someone who vaguely fit Kristen's description, adding, "Pretty, or she used to be." The man explained that the woman looked like she hadn't changed her clothes or taken a bath in days. "She's not in good shape, either. All she does is keep mumbling your name," the man said.
As Brady gave the man an envelope full of cash and Brady took the address, Hope appeared at the gate and watched, unseen. After warning Brady that Kristen might not be at the address much longer, the man left. Hope emerged and demanded to know what was going on. Brady reluctantly confessed that, even though he knew it was a long shot, he'd gotten a lead about Kristen's whereabouts from the guy who'd just left.
Hope looked at the address and said, "This is as far on the wrong side of the tracks as you can get in Salem -- which could be the perfect place for Kristen to hide out." Hope advised Brady that she couldn't let him go to that address alone, and she wouldn't go with him without backup. As they hurried out of the park, Hope got on the phone to the station.
When Hope and Brady arrived outside the door at a run-down apartment, she warned him not to go inside until backup arrived with a search warrant. "I'm not a cop," an impatient Brady pointed out as he kicked in the door. Hope followed him in, gun drawn, as people fled from what was obviously a drug house. The only person who remained inside was a blonde woman in a chair with her back to the door.
Brady knelt next to the chair and slowly spun it around. "Kristen?" he whispered, prepared to confront her, but the woman in the chair was a stranger. Clearly strung out, the woman looked at Brady with glassy eyes. "Brady. It's you. I knew you'd come!" she said eagerly, getting out of the chair. "What's the matter? Aren't you glad to see me?" the woman asked when a perplexed Brady backed away.
Hope spotted a newspaper nearby and realized that the woman had seen Brady's picture. "She's so wasted, she thinks she's Kristen," Hope concluded. The woman insisted, "I am Kristen! You still love me, don't you, Brady?" As the woman began pawing at Brady, Hope pulled her away to take her to the hospital. In the doorway, Hope apologized to Brady that they hadn't found Kristen. Brady looked around the room, admitting that he had thought that Kristen would be there.
"There's nothing left for you here. Let's go," Hope urged. Upset, Brady's gaze fell on a bag of white powder and a pipe on the filthy coffee table. "Let's go," Hope repeated. Brady grabbed the baggie and pipe and followed Hope out.
After Will put Arianna back to bed, he asked where Sonny had gone earlier. Sonny admitted that he hadn't really been paying attention; he'd just been trying to process everything. Will apologized for saying that Sonny was making Will choose between Sonny and Arianna. Sonny revealed that he'd run into Sami while he'd been out, and she had advised him never to forget that Will loved him.
When Will learned that Sami knew he was thinking about moving to New York, he wondered aloud why she wasn't there, scolding him. Sonny said that it seemed as if Sami had needed to do something more important. "More important than running my life? Oh, my God, please don't be doing something crazy again," Will muttered.
Lucas surprised Will by showing up at the apartment with a six-month birthday gift for Arianna. As if on cue, Arianna began to cry in the bedroom, so Sonny went to get her so she could see her grandpa. When Will told Lucas about Gabi's modeling job in New York, Lucas asked what Will was going to do. Will replied that he would have to move to New York, too, because otherwise he would only be able to see Arianna once a month.
Lucas understood because he hadn't been as involved as he would have liked in Will's early life, and offered to help sell Sami on the idea. Lucas wanted to know what Sonny was going to do. Sonny returned from the bedroom just then, carrying Arianna. Looking from the baby to Will, Sonny declared, "I was playing with Ari, and it made me think, like, I just can't lose her, and I can't lose you. And I also started thinking that you know what Manhattan needs? A Club TBD."
Lucas promised that he would be there, wherever Arianna was when she turned one. After Lucas had gone, Sonny wondered why Gabi hadn't returned home yet.
At the river, Gabi, Kate, and Sami dragged Nick's seemingly lifeless body to the water's edge and heaved him into the current, feet-first. As Nick's torso hit the icy water, he suddenly regained consciousness, twisted around, and grabbed onto Sami. As the women screamed in terror, Nick shouted for help, nearly pulling Sami into the river with him. Kate and Gabi fought to free Sami from Nick's panicked grasp and keep her on the bank. Finally, Nick let go, and the river pulled him away. He tried to swim a couple of strokes toward shore, but the current quickly pulled him under.
"Oh, my God! He's alive!" Gabi cried. Never taking her eyes from the spot where Nick had vanished, Sami quietly corrected her, "Not anymore." Gabi wanted to try to save Nick from drowning, but Kate firmly warned her that the water was too cold and the current too swift for anyone -- including Gabi -- to survive. Gabi shrieked at Sami for convincing her that Nick was dead by saying that there had been no pulse. A worried Sami reminded Gabi that they had all believed that Nick was dead.
Beginning to freak out in earnest, Gabi maintained that because Nick had still been alive when they'd put him in the water, they had committed murder. After reminding Gabi of what Nick had done, Kate asserted that Nick alone was to blame for what had happened to him. Sami announced that they needed to get rid of Nick's backpack. When she picked up the pack, a tag from it snagged on a bush and remained there, unnoticed. While Sami and Kate searched for some rocks to weigh down the backpack, Gabi stood numbly staring into the water.
Sami gently ordered Gabi to help them look for rocks. When the three women had gathered enough stones, they filled Nick's backpack with them, then the trio hurled the weighty pack into the river together. Kate encouraged Gabi to find a way to move past what had happened, although Gabi didn't see how that was possible. Kate pointed out that all three of them had many people to live for. "You know, she's right. We're just going to have to find a way to forget," Sami agreed.
"Forget? Are you kidding me? I will never forget this," Gabi declared, staring at the rushing water with a look of disgusted self-recrimination. Kate assured Gabi that she understood, because it was a shock for all of them -- but they had to get through it. Sami and Kate urged Gabi to think about Arianna. Sami's ire rose a bit as she accused Gabi of not being able to see the real Nick until he'd tried to rape her. Gabi insisted that she and Nick were no longer together, but Sami affirmed that both she and Kate knew that Gabi had slept with Nick.
Kate interceded, assuring Gabi that what Nick had done was not Gabi's fault. Sami redirected her anger toward Nick, declaring, "As far as I'm concerned, you know what happened here tonight? He got what he deserved. It was justice. Now, let's get the hell out of here." Kate and Sami strode away purposefully, but Gabi remained transfixed at the water's edge. The other women returned and pulled Gabi away from the scene.
The three women went to the park to regroup. Kate tried to get Gabi to drink some tea, but a nearly hysterical Gabi blurted that she didn't know how sipping tea would help her get over murdering someone. Kate and Sami cautioned Gabi that she had to be very careful about everything she said from then on. While Sami attempted to clean her shoes, Kate pointed out in the most soothing tone she could muster that there had been witnesses to Gabi and Nick's argument -- which had ended with Gabi ordering Nick out of her life.
"But I didn't want him dead!" Gabi insisted, as the other women shushed her. Pacing fretfully, Gabi muttered about everything that had happened. When she announced that she just wanted to go home, Sami and Kate advised that it might not be a good idea. Kate suggested that Gabi could stay with her, and Gabi could tell Will and Sonny that she needed some time to think about the job offer.
"I have to go hold my baby," Gabi said, thrusting the tea into Kate's hand and ignoring Kate's words. Sami thought that holding Arianna would help remind Gabi of just how high the stakes were. Gabi took her purse from Sami and walked off, anxiously clutching the shoulder bag to her chest. Kate worried about whether Gabi could handle facing Will and Sonny in that state.
Sami asked what Kate intended to do with Nick's cell phone. Kate explained that they had to make it look as if Nick were alive and well, living in New York, for a while. She also had the receipt, which they had taken from Nick's pocket, for the things that he had sent to New York. "There needs to be a paper trail that everything is normal," Kate concluded. "Normal? The light from normal will take a million years to get to this situation!" Sami asserted.
After pointing out that Kate needed to attend to her own shoes, Sami worried that people would suspect they were up to something if they hired someone to move all of Nick's stuff in New York. "That's better than Nick's family thinking that it's all just sitting there, isn't it?" Kate maintained. Sami admitted that she'd gotten the feeling from Hope that the family wouldn't be surprised if Nick simply disappeared into the woodwork.
Sami suggested that Kate should look at what was on the flash drive that Nick had given to Kate. Although Kate said that it was probably all work-related, she agreed. Before Kate left, Sami asked, "I just need to hear you say it. Why are you doing this?" Kate replied, "We're doing this because Gabi is the mother of Will's baby." Extending her hand, Sami stated, "Okay. So this is for Will." Kate shook Sami's hand, then the two women parted.
Arianna was in bed and Will and Sonny were cuddling on the couch when Gabi returned home. They immediately noticed that she seemed upset, and Gabi admitted that they were right. "I have something to tell you both," she declared. Urging Gabi to sit down, Sonny got her a glass of water, which she willingly sipped. "I thought -- I thought I could go through with it, but I can't," Gabi stammered.
Finally finding the words, Gabi began, "I'm not going to New York, not after --" Without letting her finish, Will exclaimed, "Yay!" Ecstatic, he picked Gabi up and spun her around, thanking her repeatedly, while a beaming Sonny chimed in, "Hallelujah!"
As Kate walked through Horton Square, she got a text message on Nick's phone from Hope that read, "Everything okay? Just checking in." Kate replied, "Everything's good. Just got to Manhattan. So much to do. Time to get busy." Hope's next message wished Nick good luck.
The police were still at the DiMera mansion when Sami returned home. Wide-eyed, she asked why the police were there. As E.J. followed Sami into the living room and closed the door, he explained that the cops had been looking unsuccessfully for information that would lead them to Kristen. Not realizing how disheveled she looked, Sami breathed a sigh of relief and took off her coat and scarf. "Where have you been, young lady? And why are you so much the worse for wear? What happened?" E.J. questioned.
Dodging the question, Sami asked if the police had upset the kids, but E.J. assured her that the children had been in bed when the police had arrived. As Sami put down her purse and began looking through it, E.J. informed her that her brother had just been there to see her, "sans collar." E.J. informed Sami of what Eric had noticed -- that E.J.'s name never arose in conversation -- and Eric had already figured out why.
While Sami poured herself a drink, she said that she would go see her brother in the morning. E.J. reminded her that she had promised to drive a busload of kids to the natural history museum. E.J. headed upstairs to bed but paused in the doorway to observe with a twinkle in his eye, "You're wearing those earrings I bought you for Valentine's Day. Be careful. I might think that's a good sign."
As Sami gulped her drink, she caught sight of herself in the mirror. Smiling, she touched the diamond earring in her left ear, then began to straighten her messy hair a bit. As she smoothed the hair on the right side behind her ear, she noticed that her right earring was missing. "Oh, my God!" she exclaimed. Panicked, she swept through her hair with her hand and searched her blouse and pants pockets for the earring. Recalling the struggle with Nick on the riverbank, Sami fretted anxiously, "No, no, no. For the love of God, it can't be there! It just -- it can't. It can't be there."
Meanwhile, Sami's missing earring glinted in the moonlight next to the river.
Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, Days of our Lives did not air today. This preemption was planned for, and there will be no "lost" episodes.
Regular programming will resume on Monday, December 2, and pick up where the Wednesday, November 27 episode concluded.
We'd like to take a moment to thank our Soap Central family of fans and readers a happy and healthy Thanksgiving. Your love and passion of all things soap and your continued support of our site is more than enough reason for us to be thankful -- not just today, but every day of the year.
Due to the extended Thanksgiving holiday, Days of our Lives did not air today. This preemption was planned for, and there will be no "lost" episodes.
Regular programming will resume on Monday, December 2, and pick up where the Wednesday, November 27 episode concluded.
