At the White Dove Motel, Dimitri was startled when he heard a continuous knock at the door and a voice calling out his name. Dimitri opened the door to the person, who was revealed to be Darius Rose/Jackie Cox. Darius said that he was Dimitri's "ticket to freedom."
Darius tried to talk Dimitri out of turning himself in to the police for Leo, and he said he had a plan to guarantee Dimitri safe passage to Canada. Dimitri asked why Darius wanted to help him. Darius said that it was because he loathed and detested Leo.
Darius referred to Leo as a "two-faced walking Pucci print," and he said that Leo had been responsible for Darius' deportation when Leo had fallen for Craig Wesley. Darius stated that Leo was only playing Dimitri, and he again claimed that he could ensure Dimitri's freedom. Dimitri was skeptical of Darius' claims.
Darius produced a black, sequined gown and a blonde wig to help Dimitri hide his appearance. Darius was unfazed when Dimitri reiterated his love for Leo. "Enough with the schmaltz. Leo used to love me, too. And he betrayed me and left me at the drop of a hat for another man. Leo deserves to get screwed, just like he screwed me. And the best place for him to get screwed... is prison," Darius swore.
Just then, Dimitri received a text from Sloan, confirming that Leo would be set free by the police if Dimitri agreed to turn himself in. Meanwhile, Darius pressed Dimitri for an answer about accompanying him to Canada.
At the Salem Police Station, Leo stunned Sloan when he said that he didn't want to accept E.J.'s immunity deal. Leo said that he couldn't stomach the thought of Dimitri being sent to prison. Sloan tried to persuade Leo to think rationally, and she said that Dimitri was insisting that Dimitri go to prison to save Leo from jail time. Leo eventually agreed to Dimitri's request.
Sloan received a call from Eric at the hospital. Sloan froze when Eric said that he had asked Kayla to run a DNA test on the baby to confirm that the child wasn't Nicole's child. With Leo nearby, Sloan whispered in hushed tones to try to convince Eric not to go through with the DNA test. Eric told Sloan that he loved her, and he hung up.
Afterwards, Sloan told Leo that she had to leave. Leo said he thought that Sloan should stay in order to guarantee that E.J. made good on his promise to officially drop all charges against Leo. Sloan said that her life would soon be over if she didn't leave at once. Leo seemed confused by what Sloan had meant.
Moments later, E.J. entered with the paperwork for Leo's immunity deal. Leo readily signed the deal. "Just this once, I am going to trust a DiMera," Leo said nonchalantly. E.J. was skeptical that Dimitri would surrender -- just as Dimitri entered. "O, ye of little faith," Leo groused to E.J. upon seeing Dimitri.
At the same time, back at the White Dove Motel, Darius had changed into the sequined gown and blonde wig to appear in drag as Jackie Cox. "Oh, well. It was worth a try. Looks better on me, anyway," Jackie said before leaving.
In Kayla's office at the hospital, Nicole and Eric awaited the results of the DNA test. Nicole worried about Eric's potential grief if he were to learn that the baby wasn't his. Eric said that he didn't believe the baby was Nicole's son, while Nicole passionately declared that the baby was hers. Eric and Nicole began to argue, and they wondered what was taking Kayla so long to produce the results of the DNA test.
Nicole was visibly stung when Eric said that he would take the baby with him, as he left to find what was keeping Kayla. Later, Sloan entered. Nicole noted that Sloan had rushed to the hospital, and she asked if Sloan was worried that the "jig [was] up." Sloan feigned ignorance to Nicole's question. Nicole warned that the truth would come out. Just then, Eric returned with the baby.
Sloan told Eric that she had gone to the hospital to insist that Eric put a stop to the DNA test immediately. "See, she doesn't want the test done because she knows that that baby is mine," Nicole said. Sloan said that she hadn't consented for Eric to run a DNA test on the baby. Eric produced an envelope. "I've got the test results right here," Eric said. Sloan looked visibly worried while Nicole looked confident.
At the Brady Pub, Holly was flattered that Johnny had chosen to wear the friendship bracelet she had made for him. Holly grew ecstatic when Johnny said that he wanted to talk to her about something that Chanel couldn't find out about.
Johnny asked for Holly's help in planning a surprise for the anniversary of his and Chanel's wedding in Italy. Chanel entered after Tate had tried unsuccessfully to stall her in Horton Town Square earlier. Chanel spotted Johnny with Holly. After some small talk, Johnny received a text from Allie, and he stepped away. Afterwards, Chanel told Holly that she knew that Holly had a crush on Johnny.
Chanel said that it was obvious that Holly was "smitten," but she insisted that Johnny and Holly could never be together. Holly feigned not having a crush on Johnny, and she claimed the real person she had a crush on was Tate.
Holly stammered that she had told Tate not to tell anyone about the crush and that she felt "raw" because of how Tate had responded to Holly's confession. Just then, Tate entered and approached Chanel and Holly. Holly said that she had just told Chanel about her crush on Tate, and she hinted for Tate to play along.
Johnny returned, and he asked what everyone had been talking about. Chanel, Tate, and Holly all stared at one another awkwardly. Holly mentioned her "crush" on Tate to Johnny. Holly claimed that she and Tate couldn't date because Brady had imposed strict rules on Tate's social life following Tate's dismissal from boarding school.
Holly was taken aback when Tate said that he and Holly could date and that he didn't care what Brady thought. "At least, uh, not anymore," Tate said as he grabbed a chair and placed his arm around Holly. Johnny and Chanel giggled as Holly forced a smile. Tate smiled confidently as he sat with his arm around Holly.
Ava was sitting by the fire in an empty Bistro when Stefan laid a hand on her shoulder. "What the?" Ave yelped as she jumped to her feet. Stefan apologized, and he explained that Clyde had sent him the keys to the restaurant. "He also communicated to me through his intermediary that he wants this place opened ASAP," Stefan added. "No surprise," Ava said. Stefan refused to reopen.
"Well, it's not as though we are selling drugs out of the place," Ava said. "So as long as we're just laundering his money from his heinous crimes and not witnessing or partaking in said crimes, you're cool with that?" Stefan asked. Ava said no. "What the hell choice do we have?" Ava asked. Stefan argued that their only option was to kill Clyde.
"When Jake worked for our family, he was the last person we sent out for waste management," Ava said. "Do I need to remind you again that I'm not my brother?" Stefan countered. Stefan said he would do anything to keep Gabi safe. "I would do the same thing for my son. But taking out Clyde Weston from the outside, that is damn near impossible," Ava said. Stefan suggested that he meet up with someone in Statesville who would kill Clyde for them.
"You got someone in mind?" Ava asked. Stefan explained that his mother's henchman was in Stateville. "Ivan will do anything to keep his madame happy. All I got to do is make a phone call to Alamania [to my mother]," Stefan said. Ava argued that Clyde's network could retaliate.
"Without him, the [network] goes belly up. The threat is eliminated," Stefan said. "I see your point. I do. But I would not count on the likes of a washed-up valet being able to take out Clyde Weston," Ava argued. Ava reminded Stefan that if Ivan failed, Gabi and Tripp would be dead. Stefan argued that Clyde's demands over time would get more unreasonable.
"If we don't keep that son of a bitch happy, he is going to see to taking it out on those nearest and dearest to us, which means, as long as Gabi is in Statesville, awaiting trial, she is not safe," Stefan argued. Ava urged Stefan to concentrate on getting Gabi out of prison. "That's exactly what I'm doing right now!" Stefan said. Stefan argued that his point was that until the threat was eliminated, their loved ones would always be in danger.
"You're right. We need to come up with another way to get rid of him," Ava agreed. Stefan asked for ideas. With a smirk, Ava asked Stefan if the DiMera family had a better option for the job than an old henchman. "I've never been involved in that part of the business, so anybody who would be better positioned to do the job is affiliated with my brother," Stefan said. Ava asked if Stefan's mother had any other connections.
"Aren't you from a crime syndicate?" Stefan asked. "I walked away from all of that to prove to my son that I was turning my life around," Ava said. "How is that going for you?" Stefan joked.
In the interrogation room at the police station, Leo signed his deal and asked E.J. if he was free to go. "Only when your boyfriend shows up. Which I sincerely doubt he will," E.J. said. Dimitri walked into the room. "Dimitri, you came," Leo said. "I'm here to turn myself in. So, you can let my Leo go," Dimitri said. E.J. refused to let either man go. "But we had a deal!" Leo objected. E.J. ripped up the agreement.
"Not anymore. I'm going to prosecute the hell out of both of you. You're the reason why my son is dead," E.J. growled. When Leo pointed out that E.J. had dropped the felony murder charge, E.J. shrugged. "I've got a long list of charges I could file against the both of you," E.J. said. "The deal has been signed!" Dimitri argued. "Not by me," E.J. noted. Dimitri argued that E.J.'s signature was not needed.
"Leo has met the stipulation that I turn myself in. Furthermore, he hasn't done anything wrong. He hasn't killed anyone. He hasn't assaulted anyone," Dimitri argued. Dimitri told E.J. to accept the deal, or he would ensure that E.J. "got nothing." "I'm not under arrest, nor have I confessed to anything or signed anything," Dimitri said. "Except, you're in the middle of a police station," E.J. said. With a smirk, Dimitri told E.J. that it was unlikely that E.J. would get a conviction without a confession, based on the Salem PD's track record. "Accept what I'm offering you, and take the win," Dimitri said.
In the bullpen, a concerned Rafe asked Harris if he knew why E.J. had decided to cut a deal with Leo. "I don't know the details, but Dimitri Von Leuschner just showed up and turned himself in," Harris said. Rafe was stunned. "That's a win," Rafe said. Harris said he hoped that Gabi would be relieved that the man that had attempted to kill her was in custody.
With a sigh, Rafe told Harris that the drugs from the Sikowski case had disappeared from the evidence room. Rafe noted that it had been an inside job. "I can't help but think that it might have something to do with your keys going missing," Rafe said. Rafe muttered that it meant that the drug dealer would have to be released.
With a groan, Harris said he felt terrible if the theft had been his fault. "Especially since you put your neck on the line to hire me in the first place," Harris said. "Looks like that was a bad call. Give me your badge. I'm going to have to suspend you without pay," Rafe said. As Harris reached for his badge, Rafe laughed and said he was joking.
"Stop beating yourself up, okay? We don't know anything for sure. Sikowski wasn't gonna flip on that guy. He wasn't gonna flip on his boss. Maybe next time, we reel 'em both in," Rafe said. Rafe told Harris to focus on the positive instead. "We got Von Leuschner!" Rafe said. E.J. exited the interrogation room. "Get in there and book that SOB," E.J. muttered.
Rafe entered the interrogation room, and he handcuffed Dimitri. "Leo, you're free to go," Rafe said. Leo asked if he could say goodbye to Dimitri before Rafe took him away. Rafe's phone beeped. "I got to deal with this. You have five minutes," Rafe said before he walked out. "My love!" Leo said. Leo hugged Dimitri, and he said that he was heartbroken.
"I can't believe you'd do this for me," Leo said. "Truth be told, I almost didn't," Dimitri confessed. Dimitri told Leo about his conversation with Jackie Cox. "Why didn't you go with him?" Leo asked. "Why else? Because I love you. Why do you think I'm here giving up my freedom for you?" Dimitri asked. Leo groaned. Leo said he was thrilled and saddened by what Dimitri had done because he loved Leo.
"You were willing to do the same thing for me. We also shouldn't forget that I was the one who tried to kill Gabi and Stefan, and I assaulted Kayla Johnson and Detective Hunter. You were just there to help," Dimitri said. "[But E.J.] is going to put you away for a very long time," Leo countered. With a sniff, Leo noted that he had asked Sloan to ensure that conjugal visits were part of the deal. Dimitri smiled.
When Leo worried aloud about still going to jail, Dimitri promised that it would not happen. "How can you be so sure?" Leo asked. "We didn't kill that baby," Dimitri said. Leo reminded Dimitri that they had caused the accident, and Dimitri shook his head no. "Nicole's baby is still alive," Dimitri whispered. "Nicole's baby is alive!" Leo exclaimed. Dimitri shushed Leo. Leo asked Dimitri why he had not told anyone. "I shouldn't have said anything. Especially not here," Dimitri grumbled. Leo demanded details, but Rafe returned to the room.
"Listen to me, Leo. You are everything to me. Just, please, be good to yourself," Dimitri said. "You're everything to me, too, Dimitri!" Leo shouted as Rafe dragged Dimitri out of the room.
Harris walked into the Bistro. Stefan explained that he had purchased the restaurant. "We were debating some of the changes I would like to implement," Stefan said. Stefan stressed that it was an investment and that Ava would run the restaurant.
"How do you feel about that?" Harris asked Ava. "She doesn't have any say," Stefan noted. Ava said she was fine with the arrangement. "And I assume you can quit if you're not being treated right?" Harris asked. "I'm not going to quit. I just wanna make sure that Stefan doesn't take any big risks right out of the gate. Risks that we both might regret," Ava said. Stefan promised that he would not take any unnecessary risks with the restaurant.
"I'll be back. And we can discuss the new waste management plan," Stefan added. "Right. Stefan wants to try composting," Ava told Harris. After Stefan left, Harris told Ava that evidence at the police station had disappeared. "And it could be my fault," Harris said. "What? Why?" Ava asked. "It looks like the wrong person got their hands on my keys," Harris said. Ava told Harris she was sorry, and she noted it was not his fault.
"That's what Rafe said. He let me off the hook. But you know, this whole thing really bothers me," Harris admitted. "I can see that," Ava said. Harris explained that the last time he remembered having his keys before they had disappeared was when he had questioned Ava about Gil's death. "Do you have any recollection at all, what I did after that?" Harris asked. After a moment, Ava shook her head no.
"It's okay. I probably just left them on the desk when I took you home," Harris said. Harris noted that anybody could have grabbed the keys off his desk. "Stop being so hard on yourself," Ava said. Ava told Harris that she was sure that the theft was unrelated to the loss of Harris' keys. "I hope you're right," Harris whispered. With a grin, Ava suggested that they go on their overdue first date. In the square outside the Bistro, Stefan called Vivian and asked her for help.
At the hospital, Sloan told Eric that she wanted him to stop the DNA testing on their son. "I knew it. She doesn't want to go through with it because she knows the baby is mine," Nicole said. "No! I'm not going along with this because I never gave you permission," Sloan countered. Eric said it was too late. "I have the test results right here," Eric said. "This isn't right," Sloan muttered. Sloan argued that Eric had needlessly exposed their son to the germs at the hospital because Nicole had refused to accept reality.
"It's a simple test, and it's already been done," Nicole yelled. Nicole argued that Sloan was panicked because she knew the test results would prove that Nicole was the baby's mother. Sloan reached for the stroller, and she insisted on taking the baby home. "Stop! Let's just open the envelope and put everybody at ease," Eric said. "Fine. Go ahead," Sloan whispered. Nicole snatched the envelope out of Eric's hand and opened it.
"Nicole?" Eric said. "The DNA analysis is not a match," Nicole stammered. After a moment, a confused Nicole said she'd been certain that the baby was her son. "I tried to tell you," Sloan said. "I'm sorry," Eric whispered. In tears, Nicole said, "Are you? Are you really?" Kayla returned to the room, and Eric informed her that they had already read the test results.
"Is there anything that I can interpret for you?" Kayla asked. "No. They're pretty self-explanatory," Sloan said. Nicole asked Kayla if she was certain that she had tested Nicole's DNA against the baby. "Actually, no. We didn't," Kayla said. Kayla explained that the lab had been unable to extract Nicole's DNA from her toothbrush, so they had compared the baby's DNA to E.J.'s DNA, which was still on file with the hospital.
"But there's no question that E.J. was the father of your baby, right?" Sloan asked Nicole. "No," Nicole whispered. Sloan quietly noted that if the DNA had matched Nicole or E.J., the results would have been positive. Nicole teared up. "But I was sure. I mean, how can I be so wrong?" Nicole said. When Eric apologized again, Nicole yelled at him to stop. "You knew damn well that you would be taking this baby home today. You just did this test to appease me. Well, thanks for humoring me. Congratulations on the new parents!" Nicole growled before she stomped toward the door. Nicole paused at the stroller. "Goodbye, sweet baby," Nicole said.
When Nicole returned home, she sat down and rubbed her forehead with exhaustion. E.J. walked into the room. "I had to let Leo Stark go. But the good news, Dimitri has turned himself in," E.J. said. "Great," Nicole said quietly. E.J. vowed to send Dimitri to prison for a long time. "I know that this isn't going to bring our baby boy back. But at least someone is going to answer for what happened," E.J. said. Nicole said she did not care.
"I thought our baby was alive. And now I know he truly is not. And I have no choice but to accept it!" Nicole yelled. Nicole told E.J. about the DNA test. "And why didn't I know about this?" E.J. asked. "Because I didn't think you would like it," Nicole said. With a sigh, Nicole told E.J. that she had thought that Eric had believed her.
"But he didn't. He was just trying to get me to accept reality because he was sure that the baby was not ours," Nicole said. With a sigh, Nicole said that Eric had been right. "I feel like I lost our baby all over again!" Nicole said as she started to cry again. Nicole admitted that she was horrified by the thought that when she had held their baby on the side of the road, he had been dying. "He was dying, and I didn't know!" Nicole cried out. Nicole blamed herself for not having realized that something had been wrong with her son.
"Darling, there is no way you could have known. And even if you had, there was nothing you could do," E.J. said. Nicole nodded in agreement. "But I am telling you, E.J., when I held Eric and Sloan's baby in my arms, I had this overwhelming feeling that he was mine. What kind of mother doesn't know her own child?" Nicole yelled. E.J. placed his hands on Nicole's face, and he reminded her that she had suffered a horrible loss.
"Do not beat yourself up about anything anymore, okay?" E.J. said. E.J. told Nicole that they would grieve the loss of their son together. "Together," Nicole whispered. E.J. hugged Nicole, and he said, "I hate to think that you're suffering this loss all over again." Nicole noted that it was E.J.'s loss, too. With a sigh, Nicole said she was grateful for her daughter, but she had had a strong bond to her son. "Even without holding him or ever seeing him, I felt that connection, too," E.J. said.
Eric and Sloan arrived home at their apartment. Annoyed, Sloan asked Eric why he had decided to humor Nicole. "You're just allowing her to think that there is some truth to her pathetic fantasy that our adopted son is the child she gave birth to. Which would mean, by the way, that I am some depraved baby snatcher," Sloan said. Sloan asked Eric if he believed that was true. Eric said no.
"You kind of freaked out a bit when I was holding on to the test results. It's almost like you kinda were hiding something," Eric said. Furious, Sloan told Eric that she could not believe he would accuse her of kidnapping. "That's really hurtful," Sloan said. Eric apologized. "If anybody is hiding anything, it's you. Doing a DNA test on our child without my knowledge," Sloan countered. Eric argued that he had not intentionally kept the test from her, but she had run off to work before he could inform her of the test.
"Oh, my God, my client," Sloan said. While Eric took the baby in the other room, Sloan called Rafe. Rafe confirmed that Dimitri had turned himself in, and Leo had been set free. When Eric returned, she told him the news. Eric apologized again. "I thought we could just help Nicole find some closure so we could all move on," Eric explained. Sloan seemed to relax.
"You were right. I see that now. And I'm sorry for overreacting. And it's actually better this way. Now Nicole will finally accept that it's our baby," Sloan said. With a grin, Eric suggested that they name their son. "What do you think about Jude?" Eric asked. Eric noted that as of late, he had been praying a lot to Saint Jude, the patron saint of lost causes.
"I understand why you would. And since the miscarriage, I think we both thought that the chance to be parents kind of had passed us by," Sloan said. "I'm just really grateful to God for what he has given us," Eric said. Sloan agreed that it was the perfect name.
At Wendy and Tripp's apartment, Tripp greeted Wendy when she returned home from Li's memorial in Hong Kong. Wendy somberly noted that the memorial had been sparsely attended. Wendy began to sob, and she continued to blame Gabi for her family's misery. Wendy said that she would never get over Li's death. She added that the only way she would feel avenged was if Gabi was "put away for good."
Tripp asked how Wendy would feel about the possibility of finding a new home. Wendy seemed torn, and she noted that the apartment made her feel closer to Li. Wendy grew emotional again as she recalled having looked at old emails that Li had sent. Wendy said that Li had told her that he'd been proud to have her as a sister.
Tripp tried to get Wendy to smile, and he proposed a game of poker. Wendy agreed, and she reasoned that it might help take her mind off things. After the poker game was over, Wendy thanked Tripp for helping to distract her. Tripp asked if there was something else he could do to help cheer Wendy up.
Wendy leaned in to kiss Tripp, and she said that she had looked forward to being in his arms all throughout her flight home. "I need you, Tripp. I need you so much," Wendy said. Wendy and Tripp began to make out. As they moved to their bedroom, the couple slowly began to undress one another. Tripp and Wendy made love.
At the Salem Police Station, Jada and Rafe expressed pleasant surprise that Dimitri had turned himself in to the police. Paulina appeared, and she chided Rafe for having allowed a drug dealer to go free due to a lack of evidence. Rafe said that he was still investigating how the evidence room had been breached, and he vowed to find out who was responsible for the new drug cartel in Salem.
Rafe promised to keep Paulina updated on any new developments. Paulina was touched when Rafe said that he was taking the task of discovering who was behind the cartel as a way to honor his late sister. Paulina wished Rafe and Jada a good night, and she left. Afterwards, Jada and Rafe agreed to head home.
A short while later, in Jada's room above the Brady Pub, Jada asked Rafe to help her decorate a miniature Christmas tree she had purchased. Rafe agreed, and he and Jada toasted to a festive holiday season as soft Christmas music played in the background. Rafe teased that Jada was more into Christmas that he had realized.
Jada said that Christmas was her favorite time of year. Rafe and Jada began to make out on the bed before making love. As Rafe and Jada lay in bed afterwards, Jada said she had a feeling that 2023 would be her favorite Christmas season. "I love you, Jada," Rafe said. "I love you, too," Jada replied. Rafe and Jada kissed.
At the Bistro, Ava and Harris kissed before discussing where they should have their date. Harris surprised Ava when he said that he wanted to prepare a seafood dinner for them that night. Ava happily accepted. Harris asked if Ava thought that "Ava's friend" Stefan would mind them using the restaurant for their first date.
Ava flashed back to Stefan saying that he planned to have Clyde killed, and she told Harris that Stefan had more pressing issues on his mind. Harris shared that he had learned to cook when he had been in the Navy. Ava teased that her and Harris' first date would determine the future of their relationship. Ava chuckled when Harris quipped that he would have to make sure dinner was perfect.
As Ava and Harris sat down to a candlelit dinner, she complimented him on his cooking skills. Harris recalled having lost his key to the evidence room, causing a sharp change in subject and tone. Harris surmised that he had ruined the mood of the evening by talking about work, and he soon began to play soft romantic music on Ava's phone. Ava happily accepted when Harris asked her to dance.
Ava and Harris kissed as they held one another closely. Ava rested her face on Harris' shoulder as they slow danced. Afterwards, Harris offered to walk Ava home, but Ava said that she had some things to finish at the restaurant before she could leave.
Ava thanked Harris for their first date, and she said that it had been wonderful. "Does that mean there's gonna be a second date?" Harris asked. "How about this for an answer?" Ava said before she kissed Harris. "I think that is a great answer," Harris said with a smile.
Ava promised to text Harris when she made it home. Harris and Ava wished each other a good night, and they smiled at one another as Harris left. After Harris was out sight, Ava's face bore a pained and remorseful expression.
In Horton Town Square, Stefan told Vivian by phone that he needed to speak to her on an urgent matter. "Never thought I'd ask my octogenarian mother to call in a hit for me. Clyde Weston... you threatened my wife. Bastard needs to die," Stefan said to himself after hanging up the phone. Unbeknownst to Stefan, Chad had approached. "What bastard? Who do you want dead?" Chad asked Stefan.
Chad assumed that Stefan had been talking about E.J. Stefan said that he was only worried about Gabi because she was in Statesville, and he recalled that Gabi had been almost fatally beaten the last time she had been in prison. Chad told Stefan that he didn't want anything bad to happen to either Gabi or E.J.
Stefan said that he was desperate to keep Gabi safe, and he said that she was the most important person in the world to him. "I just want this nightmare to be over. And I would do anything, anything to make that happen," Stefan declared. Chad said that he empathized with Stefan, and he admitted that he had gone to extreme measures in the past for love.
Stefan asked Chad to tell him what he had done. Chad flashed back to having thanked Gwen for selling him her half of the Spectator because he wanted Everett out of Stephanie's life. Chad stammered that he had pulled a gun on Clyde in 2022 after he had learned that Clyde had murdered Abigail. Chad added that he would have killed Clyde if Clyde hadn't gotten the upper hand on him.
Stefan groused that he wished Chad had killed Clyde. "Why do you say it like that? Like it's personal to you when you've never had any involvement with him -- as far as I know, anyway," Chad said. Stefan pretended that Chad was right, and he said he wanted to see Clyde punished for having killed Abigail. Stefan said that Clyde deserved to be "burning in hell." Chad fully agreed with Stefan.
A short while later, Stefan received a call, and he stepped away. Stefan told Vivian by phone that Clyde was threatening to kill Gabi. Stefan said that he needed Vivian's help in eliminating Clyde, but Vivian refused. Stefan grew incensed. "You know what? I will find a way to eliminate Clyde Weston myself. Forget it! Thanks for nothing!" Stefan angrily told Vivian.
In Everett's room at the Salem Inn, Everett learned from Gwen by phone that she no longer owned half of the Spectator. Stephanie appeared after Everett's phone call to Gwen. Stephanie said that Chad had arranged a job interview for Everett with a newspaper in Boston. Everett surprised Stephanie when he said that Gwen had said she'd recently sold her half of the Spectator.
Everett said that he would use his skills as an investigative journalist to learn who had purchased Gwen's half of the newspaper. Stephanie agreed to help Everett, who soon discovered that the paper had been sold to a shell company. Stephanie placed a call to Shane to ask for help in finding who owned the shell company.
Everett thanked Stephanie for her help, and they hugged. Just as Stephanie prepared to leave, Everett received an email from Shane. Everett stared at his computer, but he told Stephanie that Shane hadn't found a name. Stephanie deduced that Everett was lying, and she told him to show her the email.
Stephanie said that she would ask Shane directly, if Everett didn't agree to show her the email Shane had sent. Everett slowly turned his computer screen to Stephanie. "Oh, my God. It was Chad," Stephanie realized. After Stephanie left, Everett marveled that he couldn't believe that Chad had bought the paper. "I guess he isn't quite the man Stephanie thinks he is," Everett said of Chad.
Back in Horton Town Square, Stephanie spotted Chad. Chad said that he had been in the process of texting Stephanie. "Oh, really? What was it about? Maybe how you secretly bought half the Spectator just so you could fire Everett?" Stephanie said as Chad froze.
In Horton Town Square, Stephanie confronted Chad for trying to fire Everett. Chad confessed to the truth, but he downplayed his actions. Stephanie said that Chad had a history of not trusting her, and she mentioned his jealousy of Alex.
Chad learned that Everett had planned to propose to Stephanie before Everett's accident in Seattle. As they argued, Stephanie accused Chad of stringing her along and wasting her time. Stephanie stormed off.
In Everett's room at the Salem Inn, Chad offered Everett his job at the Spectator back on the condition that Everett answer if he was only in Salem to win Stephanie back. "Yes, I am. I love her, and I want her back in my life," Everett admitted. Chad said that he appreciated Everett's honesty, and he left.
Afterwards, Everett opened a ring box. "Well, Steph, maybe now I have a second chance to put a ring on that finger," Everett said.
At the Brady Pub, Alex and Theresa stood up to leave when they saw Konstantin enter with Maggie. Konstantin made a display of apologizing to Theresa for having called her a "gold digger" in front of Maggie and Alex. Theresa accepted the apology.
After Alex and Theresa left, Konstantin claimed that a contact in Greece had warned him to never return to the country. "If I do, I am dead," Konstantin said. Maggie asked where Konstantin planned to go. Konstantin said that he could only stay in the US if he obtained a work visa -- or married a US citizen.
At their apartment, Alex and Theresa spoke in seductive innuendo before having sex on a couch. Afterwards, in the hallway, Alex bumped into Chad. Alex said that Stephanie had stopped by earlier. "She asked me to give you this," Alex said as he produced Stephanie's key to Chad's apartment.
At Steve and Kayla's penthouse, John and Steve discussed their investigation into Konstantin. Steve said that he and John needed to prove that Konstantin had faked Victoria's kidnapping. John surmised that Konstantin had had help. Using a laptop, Steve and John hacked into a security feed from the time of the kidnapping.
Steve and John stared at a black-and-white image of what appeared to be Theresa carrying Victoria in the park, but the image was too grainy to make out a face. Steve and John agreed to send the photo to Shane for help in unscrambling the image.
John left, and moments later, Steve heard a knock at the door. Stephanie appeared with her suitcase, and she told Steve that she had moved out of Chad's apartment. Stephanie asked if she could stay with Steve and Kayla.
In Jada's room above the Brady Pub, Rafe and Jada snuggled in bed after having made love. Rafe surprised Jada when he asked her to move in with him. Jada expressed reservations about the move, and she noted that she hadn't lived with a man in a long time. "But you have lived with someone before," Rafe said. "Yes. My ex-husband," Jada replied.
Rafe asked Jada to open up about her past. Jada confided that Rafe's offer had brought back the memory of the night her ex-husband had proposed to her. Jada grew sad when she said that she'd thought her marriage would last forever. Rafe sympathized with Jada, and he told her to take her time in deciding whether she wanted to move in with him.
Jada thanked Rafe, and she said that she was grateful that she and Rafe were in love. Rafe and Jada kissed, and they made love again. The couple cuddled in bed afterwards. When Rafe stood up, Jada reached for her phone. Jada stared at a photo of her and her ex-husband, who looked exactly like Everett.
In the pub, Tate asked Roman for a night off. Roman guessed that Tate wanted the time off to take Holly out on a date. "Johnny told me that you two are seeing each other," Roman said. Tate chuckled nervously. Tate explained that Brady did not want him to date, because he wanted Tate to focus on school. With a shrug, Tate said he should have warned Johnny to keep Tate's dating life a secret. "My lips are sealed," Roman promised.
As Holly walked by the display in front of the bakery, she complimented the baked goods. Chanel encouraged Holly to take something. "I'll take two for the road," Holly said. When Chanel added an extra scone, Holly pointed it out. "No accident. It's my way of saying sorry I thought you had a crush on Johnny. I was wrong," Chanel said. Holly laughed, and she agreed that it would be cringey if she had a crush on her stepbrother.
"Although you did say you were hot for your stepdad at one time," Chanel noted. Holly winced. "It's completely different now," Holly said. Chanel told Holly that she was glad things had worked out with Tate. "He's really great," Holly said. Chanel agreed. "And I'm super stoked that he's going to be on staff here at Sweet Bits, so that means we'll be seeing more of you, too, right?" Chanel asked. Holly said yes. Chanel suggested that Holly take one of Nicole's favorite doughnuts home.
"Thanks, but that was kind of a cravings thing. I wouldn't want to remind her of her pregnancy. Not that she isn't thinking about it every minute already," Holly said. "My sister lost a baby a few years back. And even though she did go on to have more children, she says that you never really get over the loss of a child," Chanel said. Holly nodded in agreement.
When Holly arrived at the pub, Tate offered to get her a drink. "What I want is for you to leave me alone," Holly said. Confused, Tate asked Holly if she was mad at him. "Could it be that you slipped your arm around me, without my consent, and then you jumped on the opportunity to give the entire world the impression we were dating? No, why would I be mad about that?" Holly said. Holly accused Tate of having taken advantage of the situation.
"Fine. Yeah, maybe I took advantage a little bit," Tate said. Tate offered to tell everyone that his father had ordered Tate to break up with Holly. "Don't you dare," Holly growled. Confused, Tate asked Holly what she wanted. Holly explained that their fake relationship had eased Chanel's suspicions. "She'll never see it coming when I swoop in and steal Johnny right from under her," Holly said. Tate told Holly it was a waste of time because Johnny loved Chanel.
"Johnny just needs a little help to see me as a romantic interest," Holly said. Tate laughed in disbelief. Holly told Tate about Johnny's request to help him plan an anniversary dinner for Chanel. "Why did he ask you?" Tate said. "He wants a woman's touch, and I don't know, I guess he trusts me," Holly said. Tate reminded Holly that Johnny would be going on the date with Chanel, not Holly. Holly told Tate that he owed her, so he reluctantly agreed to help.
When Holly asked Tate to keep Chanel away from her anniversary dinner, Tate groaned. Tate noted that Holly was asking for a lot from him, and he asked for something in return. "What do you want?" Holly asked. "To go on a date with you. A real one," Tate said.
In the jail visitation room, Leo visited Dimitri. "I made a list of survival tips. It's based on my previous experience in this deep, dark hellhole," Leo said. Dimitri assured Leo that he would be okay. As Dimitri reached over to take Leo's list, Leo stopped him. "We need to talk about that bomb you dropped at my feet yesterday," Leo said. Dimitri apologized for having not been able to explain about Nicole's baby before he had been dragged out of the room.
"Then where the hell is [the baby]?" Leo asked. Dimitri explained that he had gone to the hospital, but it had been "crawling with cops." "I panicked, and so I went to Sloan's house instead," Dimitri said. Dimitri told Leo that Sloan and Melinda had agreed to deliver the baby to the hospital. "I figure [Sloan] kept the baby for herself," Dimitri said. "That lying illegal eagle," Leo grumbled. Dimitri explained that Sloan was passing off Nicole's baby as her adopted son.
Dimitri told Leo about Sloan's failed adoption attempt. "That is exactly when I serendipitously show up on their doorstep with a little baby boy in my arms. Sloan must have thought it was destiny, because as soon as I left, she and her attorney concocted some kind of crazy plan," Dimitri explained. Leo rubbed his forehead.
"Why didn't you tell me about this before?" Leo asked. Leo reminded Dimitri that they had almost been charged with felony murder. "Maybe because I didn't feel like pissing off our lawyer was the wisest strategy at the moment," Dimitri said. Dimitri explained that there were already a lot of other charges against him, so he had decided to focus on how he could help Leo. Dimitri noted that Sloan had helped Leo and made a deal for Dimitri in exchange for his silence.
"And now this little nugget of information is far more useful to you than it is to me," Dimitri said. Dimitri advised Leo to use the information against Sloan when the time was right. "She will do anything to keep this truth from coming out. And I mean anything," Dimitri said. "This is a lot," Leo whispered. Leo shook his head, and he admitted that he did not know if he could keep the secret.
"What about E.J. and Nicole? They are mourning a baby who is alive," Leo said. "Oh, no. Leo Stark is suddenly developing a conscience," Dimitri said with a smirk. Leo said he was surprised, too. Dimitri advised Leo to keep the secret. "I've given up my freedom for you. So, please, make the most of it," Dimitri said. "I'll try," Leo said. Dimitri told Leo to have a wonderful life. Leo was taken aback.
"I just don't know when I'm going to see you again," Dimitri said with tears in his eyes. "I'm going to come back here and see you again," Leo promised. Dimitri kissed Leo. Leo gave Dimitri his list, and he walked out. "Have a wonderful life, Leo Stark," Dimitri whispered.
E.J. was staring at his tablet computer in the DiMera living room when Johnny walked in. E.J. admitted that he had been thinking about the tragic situation. "I'm sorry. I wish you didn't have to go through this," Johnny said. Johnny asked about the DNA test. E.J. explained that the test had confirmed that it was not E.J. and Nicole's baby. "So, Nicole has no choice but to accept that our son is deceased," E.J. said. Johnny lamented that he could not help.
"The truth is, I never expected the test results to come back any other way," E.J. said. "[Nicole] really took it pretty hard, huh?" Johnny said. E.J. nodded yes. E.J. added that Nicole appeared to have accepted reality, but he was not sure whether to believe her. "Lately, Nicole's behavior has been rather erratic," E.J. admitted. "I'm erratic, am I?" an annoyed Nicole said as she walked into the room. Johnny gave Nicole his condolences, and he walked out.
"I'm sorry, too," E.J. whispered. "So, you think I'm crazy to question whether our baby was really dead?" Nicole asked. E.J. shook his head no. Nicole asked E.J. if he thought she would not accept the results of the test because she was "a mess." "I think you're grieving. You've been through so much, and I am very worried about you," E.J. said. With a sigh, Nicole admitted that the first time she had lost a baby, she had gone crazy.
"I stole Sami's baby, and I tried to pass her off as my own. And when I accused Sloan of doing the same thing, maybe I was projecting. You can call off the men in white coats, E.J., because I'm not going to lose it. I just needed to know for sure," Nicole said. Nicole told E.J. that she accepted the test results, and she would go on with her life.
"I think every day about the babies we have lost. We will never, ever forget them. But right now, the pain is excruciating. It eclipses everything, but Nicole, someday, someday you will feel joy again," E.J. counseled. With tears in her eyes, Nicole admitted that a part of her knew E.J. was right, but she did not feel like it was true right then. Nicole started to sob, and E.J. held her.
"Yesterday, you said that you had given up hope of [having a baby]," E.J. said. E.J. suggested that they try again. Nicole blinked. E.J. assured Nicole that he did not mean that they should attempt to get pregnant right away. "I realize that there is no replacing the child we just lost. But now, thanks to modern medicine, we know that you can carry a baby to term. So, I see no reason that you can't fulfill your dream of giving birth to a child," E.J. said. "Stop!" Nicole screamed. Nicole told E.J. that she would never get pregnant again. E.J. apologized.
"I understand it's too soon to talk about. Too soon to even think about," E.J. said. "This isn't about timing. We can't try again. We didn't try in the first place. It just happened. It was a miracle I even got pregnant," Nicole explained. Nicole reminded E.J. that she had worried during the whole pregnancy that something would go wrong.
"And then, when I heard the baby cry, and when I held him in my arms, I thought, oh, my God, I finally broke the curse. But I was wrong, E.J. I was so wrong," Nicole said. Nicole wiped away tears. "I am never going to have your child. And if you can't accept that, then I don't know where to go from here," Nicole added. As Nicole shook with tears, E.J. told her that he understood.
"I have two beautiful children. You, you have the light of your life, Holly. And we have each other. Our lives are already full," E.J. said. E.J. gathered Nicole in his arms, and she calmed. "I was just trying to make you feel better. And I made you feel worse," E.J. said. Nicole smiled sadly. "I wish there was something that could make me feel better. That could make us feel better. So, I guess we are going to have to get through this one day at a time," Nicole said. "Together," E.J. said.
E.J. rubbed noses with Nicole to make her grin, then he hugged her tightly. While E.J. went upstairs to get dressed, Nicole answered the front door. It was Leo. "Bad time?" Leo asked.
In the square, Johnny kissed Chanel hello in front of the bakery. Johnny told Chanel about how Nicole had overheard him talk with E.J. about Nicole's mental state. "Poor Nicole. Holly was just here, and I was talking to her. And she was telling me that her mom is having a really tough time right now," Chanel said. Johnny said that Nicole seemed to have accepted the truth, but it was like her heart had been ripped out a second time.
"I feel so bad for her. I mean, nobody should ever have to go through that, ever. Let alone three times," Johnny said. Chanel asked Johnny if he was okay, and he nodded yes. "I just feel so helpless," Johnny confessed. "Hopefully you and Holly can be there for each other, since you are both going through this," Chanel said. Johnny raised a suspicious eyebrow. Chanel admitted that she'd been wrong about Holly's crush on Johnny.
"You weren't maybe just a little jealous, were you?" Johnny teased. "Me? Never," Chanel said with a chuckle. Chanel said she hoped that things would work out with Tate. "They're really cute together," Chanel admitted. "You know who else is really cute together?" Johnny said with a grin. Johnny kissed Chanel, and he asked her if she was free the next weekend.
"It will be two years since we got married in Italy. And if it's okay with you, I'm planning something kind of special to celebrate our would-be anniversary," Johnny said. "What did you have in mind?" Chanel asked. Johnny said it was a surprise. Chanel guessed that Johnny intended to recreate their date in Rome. Johnny refused to reveal his plan. "It is going to be a night that you will never forget," Johnny said.
In Sloan's apartment, she sighed with relief as she read an article about Dimitri's confession. "Thank God I got [Dimitri] that deal for his little lover boy Leo," Sloan whispered. Sloan stared at cooing baby Jude in his bassinet. "Now, he is never going to tell anyone who you really are," Sloan said. Sloan told Jude that she could not imagine her life without him.
"And you were worried you didn't have a maternal bone in your body," Eric said as he exited the bedroom. Sloan said she was relieved that Jude no longer cried every time she picked him up. "I'm really loving this side of you," Eric said. Sloan agreed, and she said she regretted that she had not taken maternity leave.
After Eric finished getting dressed, he returned to the living room. Sloan was cradling the baby while she typed on her computer. "Talk about multitasking," Eric said. Eric offered to help, but Sloan said, "I've got this." Eric sniffed the air, and he asked about the smell. "I put cookies in the oven for your dad's visit," Sloan said. As Eric thanked Sloan, Roman arrived. Roman gushed about the new baby, and he said it reminded him of Eric as a newborn.
"I want you to meet Jude Roman Brady," Eric said. Roman beamed. Eric picked up the baby, and he handed him to Roman to hold. Roman said he had been disappointed to learn that Victoria was not his grandchild, but he was relieved to know that Jude was definitely Eric's son. "You're mine, right?" Roman said to Jude. Shaken, Sloan excused herself to go to the kitchen. Eric placed the baby back in his bassinet.
Eric told Roman that he had stopped by the pub to introduce Jude to Roman, but Eric had run into Nicole instead. "That had to be tough on her," Roman said. "It was. You know, she had this whole idea that Jude was her son," Eric said. "Oh, no," Roman whispered. Eric explained that Nicole had believed that Sloan had switched the babies, and Eric had agreed to a DNA test to prove the theory was false. Eric admitted that Sloan had been upset, and Roman asked why.
"[Sloan] thought I was giving credence to the idea that she was a kidnapping nutcase," Eric said. "Everything seems to be good between you two now, right?" Roman asked. With a nod yes, Eric said that Sloan was relieved that Nicole had accepted the truth about Jude. When Sloan returned with the cookies, Roman apologized for not having been supportive of Eric and Sloan's relationship.
"Now you're married. And you have a child together. And I know that it was devastating when you miscarried. And I know that it was your idea to adopt. And now Eric is a father because of you. And he is also very happy, and I have you to thank for that, as well," Roman said. Roman thanked Sloan for the joy she had sparked in Eric.
After Roman left, Eric told Sloan, "I think that my dad has finally turned a corner on our relationship." Sloan agreed. As Sloan gathered her stuff to leave for work, Eric listened to a voicemail from the lawyer that Melinda had worked with on the adoption. "He wanted to apologize for the adoption falling through," Eric said. Confused, Eric asked Sloan why the lawyer had apologized for not getting them a baby.
