Brady called Nicole on her cell phone to tell her that her secret was out, but E.J. answered the phone. There was bad reception, so Brady couldn't tell whether she was on the phone at first. E.J. demanded to know what secret Brady was referring to. Brady pretended at first not to hear him, but E.J. said the static had gone away. Brady told him to put Nicole on the phone, and when E.J. wouldn't, Brady hung up.

Nicole emerged from the bathroom ready to hit the town. She sensed that something was wrong. E.J. told her that she had a phone call from Brady, who said that "the secret is out." E.J. confronted Nicole, but she played dumb. E.J. suggested that she call Brady back while E.J. listened in on the phone call.

Nicole said she forgot Brady's number, but E.J. told her that Brady had just called and his number had to be in her address book, because Brady's name was displayed when he called. E.J. asked Nicole to let him call, but she refused, then agreed to tell him the truth. She said she suspected that Brady was on drugs again based on his behavior. E.J. didn't believe her.

E.J. got angry, grabbed Nicole's face, and accused her of lying. E.J. said that Brady didn't sound the least bit high when E.J. talked to him on the phone. E.J. demanded again that Nicole call Brady, but she stood her ground. She said that they were on their honeymoon, and it didn't matter what Brady said or didn't say, because it didn't affect them.

E.J. vowed to uncover the truth. Nicole told him to call Brady, but E.J. predicted that Brady wouldn't speak to him. Instead, E.J. wanted to talk to Brady in person. He wanted to leave France right away. On the plane ride home, Nicole told E.J. that she wanted to tell him the truth.

Daniel proposed to Chloe, and she said yes. He put the ring on her finger, and Chloe said that she had never been so happy. Daniel wanted to tell Victor about their engagement, and he was hoping that Victor's attitude about Chloe might change. Chloe supported Daniel's wish to tell Victor about their happy news. Daniel explained that Victor had helped with Daniel's legal defense when Daniel was accused of poisoning Chloe.

Chloe told Father Matt about their news, as well. She explained that she realized that she had never loved Lucas -- she was lying to herself. Chloe said that her marriage with Lucas was based on obligation, because she wanted to take care of Lucas and Allie. Chloe said that because the marriage wasn't based on real love, it wasn't a real marriage, so she wanted an annulment. She asked Father Matt if he and God would bless her union with Daniel.

Daniel told Victor how grateful he was that Victor helped prove Daniel's innocence. He shared his good news with Victor that the hospital reinstated him, as well. When Daniel told Victor about his engagement to Chloe, Victor was against it. He pointed out Chloe's track record with men, but Daniel said that Lucas, Brady, and Philip were responsible for their own mistakes.

Daniel chided himself for believing that Victor would be happy for him. Victor said that loving Chloe almost cost Daniel his life, and it would be Daniel's downfall. Chloe overheard Victor and Daniel's conversation. "I'd rather die than see you marry that whore," Victor told Daniel.

Chad called Mia to grill her again about her alleged drug addiction. He told her that he didn't believe she went to rehab or was hooked on drugs. He accused her of covering up something. Mia said she didn't care what Chad thought, and told him to stay away from her. Will showed up at Maggie's house and told Mia that he respected her decision to give her baby up for adoption.

Mia told him that she almost changed her mind about the adoption, but she realized that the parents could give Mia's baby a better life than she could. She said the parents had a great home, lots of money, and were great people. Will asked how she knew that since she had said it was a closed adoption.

Mia said she read a report that the adoption agency gave her, describing the new parents. Brady called Mia and said he needed to see her right away. She lied to Will, saying that it was Maggie on the phone, and Magige wanted to talk to Mia about something when she got home, so Will decided to leave.

Arianna went to Sami's place. She demanded to know where Rafe was and what Sami had done to him. Sami told Arianna that Rafe hadn't returned Sami's calls, either. Arianna said that if Sami wasn't telling Arianna something and Arianna found out about it, "so help me God..." Sami asked why Arianna thought that Sami wouldn't tell Arianna where Rafe was.

Arianna realized that Sami was being honest about not knowing Rafe's whereabouts. Sami didn't understand why Arianna was so surprised that Sami didn't know where he was, because they had broken up. Arianna told Sami that Rafe was in love with her. Sami felt that if Rafe were in love with her, he would have returned Sami's calls. Arianna said there was something was wrong.

Sami volunteered to call Roman. Arianna interrupted her and decided it wasn't a good idea to have gone to Sami's house. She said that if Rafe was taking time to get Sami out of his head, it was a good thing, because all Rafe had done since he and Sami broke up was worry about Sami. Arianna told Sami that she wasn't good enough for Rafe, and wherever Rafe was, he was better off without Sami. Sami told Arianna that whether she liked it or not, Sami loved Rafe.

Arianna apologized and realized she was just looking for someone to blame. Arianna promised to let Sami know if she heard from Rafe, and Sami agreed to do the same. Will arrived at Sami's place and told Sami that Mia had lied about going to rehab. He told Sami that Mia had given birth to a baby and had given her up for adoption. Will made Sami promise not to tell anyone about Mia's secret.

Brady told Mia that he made a mistake that might jeopardize Sydney's future with E.J. and Nicole. Brady said that E.J. was even more suspicious because of what Brady said. Chad peered into Maggie's window at Mia and Brady talking. After Brady left, Mia called Will and made him promise not to ever tell anyone about Mia's baby. Will told her that he would stop by Maggie's house. After she hung up with Will, Chad confronted Mia with the news that he overheard that Mia had a baby and gave it away. Chad asked Mia if the baby was his.

Rafe woke up and realized that he was tied up. He demanded to know what Meredith was doing. She said she was doing what she should have done years before when Rafe killed her sister. He said he didn't kill Emily. Meredith accused him of trying to replace Emily with Sami. He denied it, saying that he and Sami didn't fall in love overnight.

Rafe said he thought about Emily all the time. He said that Meredith was a good person, like Emily, so Meredith knew that what she was doing was wrong. Meredith thought that what she was doing was what a good sister should do. Rafe told Meredith that she wouldn't get away with kidnapping him. Meredith said she didn't want to get away with anything.

She said she had lost her job at the hospital after she returned from Salem, because her boss thought she was unreliable and unstable. Rafe said just because she lost her job didn't mean she couldn't be happy. Meredith said that she couldn't be happy without her sister, because she and Emily were "the same person."

Sami tried again to reach Rafe on the phone. She left a message for him, saying she and Arianna were both worried about Rafe.

Meredith didn't care what happened to herself -- or if she died -- just as long as Rafe died first. Meredith hit Rafe over the head with a brick. She planned to avenge Emily's death by killing Rafe slowly and painfully, just like Emily died a slow and painful death. Meredith told an unconscious Rafe that when he woke up, he would be sorry for killing Emily and sorry that he was still alive.

While unconscious and tied to a chair in a locked room, Rafe dreamed that he escaped Meredith's clutches and ran to warn Sami. Furious over Rafe's disappearance, Sami slammed the door in Rafe's face in his dream and told him that he was dead to her. Upset, Rafe moaned in his unconscious state as Meredith watched him from across the room. With blood streaming down his face from his head injury, Rafe's head lolled around as he remained unconscious.

Rafe stirred awake to find Meredith staring at a scrapbook of newspaper clippings involving his career. Holding up a picture of Grace, Meredith said how sad it was that the baby had died. "The two of you won't be reunited after you die because murderers go straight to hell," Meredith whispered.

Meredith attempted to use Rafe's phone, but discovered that "Emily" was no longer the password to unlock it. With a smug look on her face, Meredith entered Sami into the phone and unlocked it. "One more betrayal, one more way to disrespect the woman you claimed to love and then murdered," Meredith growled. Feeling bolstered by this discovery, Meredith told Rafe that she was sure that she was doing the right thing in disposing of Rafe.

Meredith rifled through Rafe's wallet and found the mass cards for Emily and Grace's funerals. Meredith assured Rafe that there would be no evidence of his death. Grinning like a mad woman, Meredith sent an email to Sami from Rafe's phone.

Pacing her apartment, a worried Sami left another voicemail for Rafe. Arianna stopped by and asked to work with Sami to track down Rafe. Sami said that she did not think Rafe was the type to disappear without warning, but Arianna's face grew dark. "Actually, he has," Arianna said softly.

Arianna explained that she had a falling out with Rafe a few years before, and Sami countered that she was aware of the fight but not of the specifics. With a slight smile on her face, Arianna said, "I'm not surprised." Arianna explained that she made a mistake a few years earlier, and Rafe had suffered because he helped her. When Sami wondered aloud whether her mistake was related to the disappearance, Arianna said that the mistake had to be unrelated. Arianna questioned whether Rafe's disappearance was due to his part in keeping Grace from E.J.

"Oh great, so it's my fault," Sami huffed. Arianna insisted that she did not blame Sami but that she learned that E.J. and Nicole had left town right after Rafe disappeared. When Arianna suggested that they question E.J. and Nicole about Rafe's disappearance, Sami was confused.

"Why would we need to talk to Nicole?" Sami asked. Sami explained that she knew about Rafe's theory that Nicole had something to do with Grace's death, but that she did not believe it.

"He knows that now," Arianna said. "He does?" Sami said surprised. Sami asked Arianna to tell her what he said about Nicole, but Arianna refused, citing Rafe's request to stay quiet until he had proof. Shaking her head, Sami told Arianna that Nicole's marriage to E.J. was not proof that she was involved in Rafe's disappearance. Sami offered to call Roman and get the police involved.

In Maggie's kitchen, Chad told Mia that he overheard what she said about the baby. Chad confronted Mia about the baby and insisted that he would have stood by her during the pregnancy. Angry, Chad demanded to know where his child was living.

Mia reminded Chad that they were both in high school and were not capable of caring for their daughter. Stunned, Chad asked for a picture of their baby girl. When Mia shook her head no, Chad demanded to see the baby. Mia explained that she entered into a closed adoption and did not know where their daughter was placed. Mia assured Chad that the baby was placed in a good home, because she trusted the adoption agency. In disbelief, Chad told Mia that he did not believe she would trust an agency with her child unless she knew every detail about the adoption.

Chad demanded to see the papers from the adoption agency, but Mia insisted it was too late. "I'm gonna get my own lawyer. I'm gonna put a stop to this phony adoption and I'm gonna get my daughter back," Chad said with tears brimming in his eyes. Lashing out, Mia screamed at Chad to stop pushing her, because he had lost his rights when he walked away.

Not backing down, Chad continued to demand more information about their daughter. Frustrated, Chad grabbed Mia's computer in order to find answers to his questions. Mia struggled with Chad over the computer just as Will was entering the kitchen. When Will pushed Chad away, Chad began to punch Will. Mia pulled the two boys apart, and Chad told Will that he overheard them talking about his baby.

Swearing it was not over, Chad said that he was going to find his child, and then stormed out of the house. Will urged Mia to remain calm, and offered to consult with Mickey about what rights Chad had to the child.

Mia tracked Chad down at the pier in order to talk to him. Holding back tears, Mia apologized for lying to Chad and added, "But she is somebody else's girl now." Mia urged Chad to think about what life he could offer a child. "I carried her for nine months. You don't think I dreamed about raising her myself?" Mia said. "She wasn't even born yet and I loved her. As much as I loved you," Mia whispered. Mia implored Chad to let their daughter go so that they could have their lives back.

On the jet heading for Salem, Nicole flipped sullenly through a magazine in silence as E.J. stared at her. When E.J. asked whether she was going to stonewall him, Nicole softened and offered to tell him the truth. "If there was some stupid secret between me and Brady. do you honestly think you wouldn't already know what that was?" Nicole questioned. Noting the reach of the DiMeras, Nicole theorized she would not be able to hide anything from E.J. nor would she want to hide anything from him.

Suspicious, E.J. claimed that Nicole had "played him too many times." When Sydney began to cry, Nicole picked her up and discovered that she was running a slight fever. Worried, E.J. was frantic to get to a doctor. Nicole assured E.J. that Sydney was not Grace, and that she would never let anything happen to their daughter.

Nicole gave Sydney baby aspirin and talked about how her ability to care for Sydney had come naturally as a mother. "Loving you both had made me want to be the person I wish I could always be. Does that count for anything at all to you?" Nicole said.

As the aspirin took effect, Sydney fell asleep. "Where do we go from here?" Nicole asked. E.J. stressed that he wanted to believe Nicole. When Nicole went to the bathroom, E.J. shook his head and murmured, "I love you very much, but if you've been lying to me there is going to be hell to pay."

Disgusted with Victor's reaction to the announcement of his engagement to Chloe, Daniel explained to Victor that he was disappointed that he did not have Victor's blessing. "Well at least you got one thing right," Victor grumbled as he walked around his living room. In the foyer, Chloe listened to the conversation quietly.

"I'd rather die than see you marry that whore!" Victor announced. Daniel warned Victor to never speak ill of Chloe in front of him again. With a chuckle, Victor joked that Daniel could be very intimidating when he wanted to be. Victor equated Chloe to a siren in "The Odyssey" because of the number of lives he felt that she had destroyed. Frustrated, Daniel threatened that despite his love for Victor, he would walk out the door and never return if Victor stood in the way of Daniel's marriage to Chloe.

"Daniel, don't," Chloe announced as she rushed in the room. "Victor's right. I'm not worth it," Chloe said. Daniel rushed to Chloe's side and assured her that she was worth fighting for. "We all make mistakes," Daniel said. As Daniel and Chloe started to leave, Victor called out to them. Victor agreed that he had made his share of mistakes, and explained that his main concern was to look out for Daniel. Victor assured Daniel that he would keep an open mind to Daniel's wishes, but it did not mean he would bless their union. Chloe assured Victor that she would not let him down.

Chloe went outside to check her voicemail messages, leaving Daniel alone to talk to Victor. Daniel told Victor that he knew in time that Victor would warm up to Chloe, and Victor reiterated that he only wanted Daniel to be happy.

In the park, Chloe and Daniel snuggled on a bench and talked about getting married. Meanwhile, back at the Kiriakis mansion, Victor thought about his conversation with Daniel. Henderson entered the room to check on Victor and told him that he respected the kindness Victor showed Daniel regarding Chloe. "Yes it was. Not that the cheap slut deserved it," Victor said gruffly.

At Sami's apartment, Arianna eagerly agreed to talk to Roman about Rafe's disappearance. While Sami dialed the number for the police station, her computer beeped. Worried that she had received an email about one of her children, Sami checked her in box and found an email from Rafe. Sami and Arianna read the email, which stated that Rafe had left town to clear his head and would not be reachable.

Arianna received a message on her cell phone from Rafe that explained that he was leaving town to spend time alone. "This is how he says goodbye for months, maybe years? He sends me a text and you an email? This isn't right. This isn't right at all," Arianna exclaimed. Sami blamed herself for Rafe's absence, but Arianna assured Sami that Rafe still loved her very much. "He always comes back," Arianna said.

While Rafe continued to struggle against his restraints in the locked room, Meredith told Rafe that she had Stefano to thank for getting her back to Salem. After Meredith left, Rafe slipped back into unconsciousness and dreamed of telling Sami about the baby switch.

In an alleyway, Arianna spotted Meredith standing in the shadows. "What are you doing back in town?" Arianna asked.

E.J. and Nicole returned home to the DiMera mansion with Sydney, still arguing about Brady's phone call. Nicole was shocked and angry to learn that Stefano had married Kate-and that E.J. already knew about it. Nicole pulled E.J. into the foyer and confronted him about keeping it from her, but he merely replied, "You're not the only one who can keep a secret, my dear." Nicole, still furious that E.J. had cut their honeymoon short, announced that they were moving out, because she didn't feel that Sydney was safe with Kate living there. E.J. firmly declared that no one was going anywhere.

In the living room, Kate presented Stefano with a dessert that she'd asked the cook to make to celebrate their marriage. Stefano was delighted, but reminded his bride that he couldn't have any because of his diabetes. Kate was embarrassed to have forgotten. Stefano was unable to resist, however, and began to take a taste just as Nicole and E.J. returned. Nicole hit the roof, warning Stefano that Kate was probably trying to kill him. An angry Stefano asked to speak to his daughter-in-law privately.

After E.J. and Kate had left the room, Stefano ordered Nicole to treat Kate with the respect she deserved. Nicole wanted to know why he had married Kate, but he insisted that the two of them were soul mates. As he downed bite after bite of cake, Stefano asked why Nicole and E.J.'s honeymoon had only lasted one day. Nicole filled him in about Brady's cryptic phone call, and begged for Stefano's help in case E.J. decided to take action right away. Stefano replied that he wasn't going to help yet, but urged Nicole to be patient and trust him.

In the foyer, E.J. and Kate exchanged pleasant chitchat about Sydney. E.J. then posited that Stefano had helped Kate out of a jam regarding Chloe's poisoning, but for a price: marriage. Kate replied that she and Stefano admired one another greatly, suggesting that perhaps she might one day bring the DiMera and Kiriakis families together. E.J. laughed heartily, but warned that if she ever hurt Stefano, vengeance would be swift and without warning. Kate shrugged off his concerns, countering that E.J. had made a rare mistake in marrying Nicole. Smiling, E.J. argued that his marriage was none of Kate's business.

Stefano emerged from the living room and invited Kate and E.J. to return for a champagne toast. As they followed him back inside, Nicole exited on the premise of checking on Sydney. As soon as she was alone in the foyer, she quickly left an urgent message for Brady.

At the townhouse, Sami told Will about Rafe's email, and asked what had happened with Mia. Will informed her that the father of Mia's baby had found out about the baby, and was making Mia's life miserable by declaring that he would do anything to get his baby back. Will asked his mom what he could do to help Mia get through it.

On the pier, Mia told Chad that she wouldn't have anything to do with him unless he stopped trying to find their baby. Chad refused to give up on his daughter just to get his old girlfriend back, and demanded to know where the baby was. Mia was furious, reminding Chad that the baby wasn't a thing for him to possess. Chad quietly stated that he just wanted to know his kid, to see her, to hold her, and take care of her. Mia countered that she had done what was best for her baby, and had since moved on. "And if you want to be with me, you've got to move on, too."

They continued to argue until Mia began to cry. Chad declared softly that everything would have been different if he had just been there. Mia reminded him that they couldn't change the past, and Chad agreed, but still wanted them to be together. Mia replied that the only way that would happen was if he gave up searching for their baby. Chad reluctantly consented, but only on the condition that Will was out of her life for good. Mia wept quietly as Chad stalked off.

Will and Sami were at the Brady Pub later when Will got a call from his Uncle Mickey, just as Mia walked in. He urged Mia to wait with Sami while he talked to his uncle outside. When they were alone, Sami confided that she thought Mia was a very brave girl. Mia was upset that Will had told his mom about the baby, and asked to speak to him privately when he returned. Sami made herself scarce so they could talk. Mia crossly reproached Will for betraying her confidence, and then broke up with him. She declared that she never wanted to see him again and stormed out.

After Mia returned to the Horton house, she summoned Chad. When he arrived, she informed him sadly that she'd done as he'd asked and broken up with Will.

A miserable Will returned home and told Sami what had happened. Sami felt terrible for mentioning the baby to Mia, but Will took responsibility for breaking his promise to Mia not to tell anyone about the baby. He pleaded with his mom for her advice. Sami admitted, "When you lose someone's trust and you try to get it back... I don't know, Will. That's the one thing I never got right."

Arianna was surprised to bump into Meredith outside the Cheatin' Heart, and asked why Meredith was back in town. Replying coldly that it was none of Arianna's business, Meredith accidentally dropped the shopping bag she was carrying. Arianna helped her pick up the items that had spilled, including a package of mortar mix. Meredith explained that she was fixing up her parents' old house in order to rent it out. Arianna was glad that Meredith was back, and offered to buy her a drink. Meredith seemed suspicious at first, but at last agreed with a smile, and the two went inside.

Arianna and Meredith acknowledged that they'd said some unpleasant things to each other the last time they met. Inferring that Meredith still blamed Rafe for Emily's death, Arianna insisted that he was still heartbroken over it. "Hasn't he suffered enough?" Arianna asked. "No, not remotely," replied Meredith. Arianna contended that Meredith wasn't honoring her sister's memory by holding onto so much anger. Offended that Arianna seemed to believe she knew Emily better than Meredith did, Meredith tossed some money on the table and tried to leave.

Arianna hastily apologized, but Meredith wouldn't hear it. "Your brother killed my sister, Arianna," Meredith snapped, "and he snuffed out my life, too!" Arianna gently pointed out that Rafe thought every day about how he had lost Emily. "Good," Meredith replied with a creepy smile. "I'm touched to know that Emily is still on Rafe's mind. I hope he never forgets her. I hope he takes Emily as a part of his heart." Clearly a bit unnerved, Arianna hoped that Meredith could eventually find some peace. Meredith was sure that she would soon, and left after sarcastically telling Arianna to give Rafe her best.

An unconscious Rafe was in the windowless storage room where Meredith had left him, his hands handcuffed around a pipe behind him. As he recalled a conversation with Sami, he slowly opened his eyes. "Sami's baby is still alive," he murmured, remembering what he'd put together. "Sydney is Sami's baby." Rafe struggled against his restraints and looked around for a way to free himself. Spotting a nail on the floor, he tried to reach it with his foot, but couldn't. He managed to get out off the chair, sliding down to the floor so he could extend his leg fully, and painstakingly pulled the nail toward him.

Rafe had just gotten the nail inserted into the lock of the handcuffs when Meredith returned. "You didn't like my chair?" she asked. "You feel more comfortable on the floor?" Rafe gave her a sheepish half-smile as he surreptitiously dropped the nail. In a flash, Meredith picked up a pipe and whacked Rafe's already injured head with it, and he fell unconscious again. "You shouldn't have made me do that," she chided.

Arianna met Roman at the Brady Pub and whispered that she needed him to run the name Meredith Hudson for her. Arianna was stunned when Roman noted that Sami had also had him check out Meredith a while back. He asked Arianna to say what was going on before he would divulge what he'd learned. "I wish I knew," she replied grimly. "But whatever it is, it's not good."

Meredith taunted Rafe's lifeless form as she wiped his blood from the pipe, and then got to work. She mixed the mortar with a trowel and a sinister grin, and then began bricking up the half of the room in which Rafe was confined. "You are finally going to pay the way Emily had to pay," she resolutely declared.

Stefano gave a toast to Kate and his new marriage. E.J. thought that they should have waited for Nicole, but Stefano wanted to proceed. Stefano asked where Nicole was, and E.J. said that she had gone upstairs to check on Sydney. Meanwhile, Nicole was on the phone with Brady, trying to find out why he had called her in Paris. Brady explained that there was static on the line, and he thought he was talking to her. She asked why he didn't make sure it was her before he opened his mouth and ruined her life.

Brady asked Nicole to meet him at the pier. E.J. overheard Nicole agreeing to meet Brady and asked where she was going and who she was talking to. Nicole lied and said the doctor prescribed some medication for Sydney's diaper rash and Nicole wanted to pick it up. E.J. told her that she wasn't going anywhere, and told her to let Marie pick it up. Nicole said that the pharmacy wouldn't let anyone but Nicole pick up the medication. E.J. told her that it could wait until after they both toasted to Stefano and Kate's marriage.

Stefano tried to convince Kate to eat more of the cake that she had made for him. Otherwise he would have to eat it all by himself. E.J. and Nicole joined Stefano and Kate in a toast to his family. Nicole hurried off after the toast was finished. Kate noticed that Nicole was in a hurry and asked E.J. whether Nicole was rushing to get away from Kate or E.J.

Kate sneaked out of the room while Stefano poured more champagne for himself and E.J. E.J. asked if Stefano thought about Tony when he was with Kate, the mother of the man who killed Tony. Stefano said he thought about Tony every day, and love was not a choice. E.J. wondered how Stefano could trust Kate.

He reminded Stefano that Kate wasn't discreet, and they couldn't conduct business with her in the house. Stefano's solution was to handle business in the office only. E.J. noticed that Stefano looked pale, but Stefano said he was just tired. Stefano told E.J. that he could take care of himself, and he asked Kate to bring him a glass of "grappa" to settle his stomach.

At the pier, Nicole confronted Brady about his slip-up. Brady told her that Arianna knew about Nicole's miscarriage but that Arianna didn't know when it happened. Nicole thought that Arianna's revelation was troubling, especially because Rafe was trying to dig up dirt on Nicole. Nicole said that E.J. was more suspicious than ever to uncover her secret. Brady didn't see any other way around telling E.J. the truth, but Nicole didn't see it that way.

Brady was furious to hear that Nicole had told E.J. that Brady had a relapse. She said that she had to think of something. Brady reminded her that if anyone heard her accusations, Brady's career would be ruined. Brady refused to lie about his sobriety.

E.J. told one of his henchmen to spy on Nicole. Kate walked in the room after the man left. She asked who the man was and what he did for E.J. E.J. told her to keep her mouth shut and her eyes closed. Kate asked if that was what Nicole did. E.J. said Kate was already ignoring the family rule. Kate told him that she sensed tension between him and Nicole before Nicole had left to handle a "mysterious errand." E.J. refused to explain himself to Kate.

E.J. told Kate that his marriage was none of Kate's business and neither was anything else in the mansion. Kate asked if she was expected not to notice the next time that E.J. tried to kill Philip. E.J. said he was sure that Kate didn't want E.J. to notice that Kate tried to kill Chloe and frame an innocent man. Stefano called for Kate. E.J. warned Kate to treat Stefano with nothing but love and respect. Kate said that taking care of Stefano was her new career. E.J. said that whatever Stefano made disappear, E.J. could make reappear.

E.J.'s henchman recorded Nicole and Brady's conversation as Nicole begged Brady to go along with her plan. Brady said if he helped her, he would ruin his own life. Nicole asked if Brady losing his job for a while was as bad as her losing her daughter, because that was what would happen if E.J. ever found out the truth.

Nicole said that if Brady wouldn't lie for her, she would have to tell E.J. the truth, and she would lose Sydney. Besides, Nicole said, he was the one who slipped up and mentioned the secret. She asked him to be the friend he was to her when she had a miscarriage during the one and only time she could be pregnant. Brady told Nicole that they wouldn't be in that predicament if she had just been honest with E.J. from the beginning. Nicole told Brady that it was too late for that. She said that if Brady didn't help her, Sydney would be taken away.

Back at the Dimera mansion, E.J.'s henchman played the recording of Nicole telling Brady about her miscarriage. E.J. played the tape again and thought back to Nicole's pregnancy.

Brady told Nicole that he didn't want Sydney to be hurt. Nicole acknowledged what a good friend Brady had been to her. She said that having Sydney and E.J. almost made up for her Nicole's childhood, and that loving them convinced her that she wasn't such a bad person. Brady agreed to lie for Sydney's sake, but he made Nicole promise to make Sydney happy. Nicole pledged to make it her life's work.

At the Kiriakis mansion, Philip searched for a memory stick with Titan information on it. Victor tried to convince Philip to talk about his feelings about Kate marrying Stefano, but Philip didn't think there was anything to talk about. Philip considered Kate "a psychopath and a traitor," and he didn't think of her as his mother anymore. Philip left the room, and found Stephanie waiting in the foyer.

Stephanie was there to check on Philip after hearing about Kate's new marriage and learning that Kate had poisoned Chloe and tried to frame Daniel. Philip joked that Stephanie should have been relieved that she and Philip had broken up, otherwise Stephanie would have to deal with his family drama and a "mother-in-law from hell." He noticed that she wasn't laughing and wondered why. Stephanie said it would have been funny if she thought that breaking up with Philip was a good thing.

Stephanie told Philip that breaking up with him was the hardest thing she had to do and he would always be in her heart. Philip said that he would always regret sleeping with Melanie. Victor overheard them talking and said that he was the only one who was glad that Philip and Stephanie broke up. Victor found the memory stick that Philip was looking for and told Stephanie to "feel free not to stay too long."

Stephanie was surprised to hear that Philip was back at Titan after all the promises that he had made to himself. Philip felt that there was no point to being good and honest when everyone else was doing whatever they wanted. Stephanie said that she cared what he did, and he asked if she cared enough to give him a second chance.

She pointed out that it would be considered a fourth chance. She said it didn't matter, anyway, because he was back to a career in crime, which she considered a deal breaker. Philip told her she was free to leave, and when she started to lecture him, he said that he wasn't in the mood for one of her lectures. Stephanie told him it was his life, and she left. Victor encouraged Philip to find a woman who didn't want to change him. Philip thought about Melanie.

Nathan got word from Lexie that he and Melanie had been reinstated at the hospital. Melanie was so overjoyed that she jumped on him and hugged him. Then she realized what she was doing and jumped off of him. Nathan said his shift was beginning in an hour. Melanie realized that meant that they wouldn't see a lot of each other. Nathan suggested that they go out sometime. Maggie overheard them.

Melanie and Nathan told Maggie the good news about their reinstatement. Maggie sent Melanie downstairs to pick up Halloween decorations, so that she could talk to Nathan alone. Maggie advised Nathan that dating Melanie would be a big mistake. He told Maggie that he and Melanie were just friends and he wasn't looking for anything serious. Maggie reminded Nathan that Melanie still had feelings for Philip. Nathan knew that Maggie was afraid that Melanie would date him and then dump him when she realized that she was still in love with Philip.

Maggie told Nathan that she was just trying to protect him. He apologized, but said that he felt like Maggie thought he couldn't compete with Philip. Maggie said she wasn't saying that -- she thought highly of Nathan, while she thought Philip was arrogant and obnoxious. Maggie said the point was that Melanie was drawn to Philip, and Philip had feelings for Melanie. Maggie told Nathan not to settle for someone who didn't appreciate him.

Nathan wasn't worried about Philip. He said that Philip didn't understand Melanie or see her for what she was -- smart, beautiful, and funny. Melanie returned with the Halloween decorations and realized that Nathan and Maggie were talking about her.

When Nathan left the room, Melanie told Maggie that she realized that Maggie sent her out of the room so that Maggie could talk to Nathan about her. Maggie told Melanie that while she cared about Melanie, she was protective of Nathan. Melanie assumed that Maggie thought that Melanie would hurt Nathan because she still had feelings for Philip, or that she would tarnish Nathan's image because of her sex tape. Maggie said Melanie was wrong.

Melanie pointed out that Maggie's attitude about Melanie and Nathan seeing each other changed after the sex tape was posted on the Internet. Maggie said it was because of Melanie's feelings for Philip and nothing else. Maggie didn't want to see Nathan or Melanie hurt. Melanie said that Nathan would never hurt her, but Maggie thought that if Melanie still had feelings for another man and she was involved with Nathan, Melanie would be hurt, because Melanie had a conscience. Maggie urged Melanie to let Nathan go for both their sakes.

Nathan and Melanie talked about what Maggie had said. Nathan said he made his own decisions. He asked Melanie out on a date, and Melanie said yes.

Stephanie welcomed Nathan back to the hospital. Meanwhile, Philip stopped by Maggie's house to see Melanie, but she wasn't there. Maggie warned Philip not to hurt Melanie or he would answer to Maggie.

Melanie went to the Brady Pub to tell Brady that things were going well for her and Nathan. She sensed that something was bothering Brady, and she tried to get him to talk about it. Brady said he was doing a favor for a friend, and warned that Melanie might hear some "unsavory things" about him. Melanie assumed that the favor was for Nicole, but he said it wasn't. Melanie asked if Brady was still in love with Nicole.

E.J. put the tape recorder he was listening to away right before Nicole walked in. She apologized for taking so long, making up an excuse about the line at the pharmacy being long, but he didn't want to hear about it. She asked what was wrong, and he said he found out something that he needed time to digest. She asked what it was. He said she would know soon enough, when the time was right.

At the Cheatin' Heart, Nicole told Brady about her conversation with E.J. the night before, during which E.J. had stated that he needed to digest something he had learned. Brady agreed to lie that he had fallen off the wagon, and that was the secret to which he was referring when he called Nicole in Paris. He was worried for Nicole, however, that the truth would eventually come out. Nicole asserted that E.J. would continue to believe her because he loved her and Sydney, and everything would be fine if Brady would just stick to the plan.

At the DiMera mansion, E.J. phoned Marco, ordering him to investigate every move that Nicole had made since she had met E.J. He hung up and nursed a glass of scotch as he listened again to the recording Marco had made of Nicole's conversation with Brady the night before. Marco called later with a report for E.J., who listened impassively.

Nicole returned home with Brady in tow, and found E.J. still at the desk, drinking. She explained that Brady wanted to clear up the confusion that his phone call had caused. E.J. barely acknowledged Brady's presence as Brady apologized, divulging that he had fallen off the wagon and didn't want it to get out, hence, "the secret." An indifferent E.J. ordered Brady to leave. Brady complied after declaring that E.J. was lucky to have Nicole as a wife.

A relieved Nicole reiterated to E.J. that Brady simply hadn't wanted her to tell anyone that he had slipped up. E.J. replied, "I am so sorry that I ever believed a word out of your lying, poisonous mouth!" Nicole quietly told E.J. that he was scaring her. He then produced a box and instructed her to open it. She slowly pulled out a pregnancy pad like the one she had worn, her stammering response betraying her confusion. E.J. explained that although she had gotten rid of all the evidence, he'd gotten that pad at the same place she had bought hers.

Faltering, Nicole claimed that she'd bought the padding early in the pregnancy to buy maternity clothes for her later trimesters. E.J. coldly demanded to know why Nicole had been so upset at the shop when she'd bought the pads. Nicole reminded him how hormonal and fragile she had been while she was pregnant. "Were you? Pregnant?" E.J. asked quietly. "Of course I was! Why would you ask me that?" Nicole replied.

In response, E.J. opened the desk drawer and played the recording for her. Nicole listened in horror to her own voice imploring, "I need you to be the friend you were for me when I had the miscarriage, when you were so kind and understanding, because you knew it was the only chance I had to have a baby, the one and only time I was going to be pregnant."

E.J. offered sarcastically to play the recording again. Nicole flipped out and hurled the device to the floor, breaking it. She angrily declared that the conversation had been none of E.J.'s business, because it wasn't about his baby--it was about a miscarriage she'd had years before. "E.J., I didn't lose our baby!" Nicole exclaimed, fighting back tears. "Our beautiful little girl, she's upstairs!" E.J. didn't buy it. "I don't know who that is upstairs," he stated with dismay, and demanded that Nicole tell the truth. "Who is she, lying up there, sleeping sweetly, without a care in the world?"

Before Nicole could answer, E.J. theorized that she'd had a miscarriage the previous winter, the night she'd returned home from the clinic, crying that she'd been bleeding and had a close call, but she'd been so distraught that she could scarcely speak. Nicole tearfully insisted that she had given birth to Sydney exactly as she'd told him, and it had been painful, but she'd gotten through it without even an epidural.

"And there she was: our perfect little miracle," Nicole cried. "E.J., you have to know in your heart that Sydney is your daughter." "Every fiber of my being tells me that that girl is my daughter," E.J. replied quietly, his eyes filling with tears. "But that's impossible, isn't it? Because my daughter is dead." Nicole at last broke down, sobbing.

On the pier, Chad told Will that he and Mia had gotten back together, despite her having just broken up with Will. Will was dubious, but Chad maintained that he and Mia had a deep bond because of their baby. Will declared, "You're a moron if you think she still has feelings for you." After Will departed, Chad left a message for Mia, asking her to meet him at the pier during lunch.

Sami was at the townhouse, looking for jobs online, but interrupted her search to reread Rafe's email. She had just slammed the computer shut in frustration when Mia knocked on the door, claiming she'd left a notebook behind while studying with Will. When Mia learned that Will wasn't home, she started to leave, but Sami stopped her. She tried to assure Mia that Will had only told her about the baby because he cared about Mia and wanted some advice.

Mia was still upset that Will had betrayed her trust--plus, she had already gotten back together with Chad. A skeptical Sami suspected that there was more to the story, but Mia insisted that once Chad had found out about the baby, they had reestablished their connection very quickly. When Sami gently prodded, an emotional Mia reiterated that she and Will were over, and left.

Roman went to the Brady Pub to tell Arianna that Meredith's story had checked out: she'd lost her job in Florida and had returned to Salem to rent out her deceased parents' house to raise some cash. Arianna guessed that Meredith must have been behaving strangely because she still blamed Rafe for her sister's death. Roman and Arianna promised to update one another if either learned anything about Rafe's whereabouts.

In Meredith's basement, Rafe regained consciousness, squinting in confusion at the half-erected brick wall in front of him. When he moaned Sami's name, Meredith popped up from behind the wall, full of sarcastic joy that he had awakened. Mumbling, Rafe asked what Meredith was doing. "Making sure you never see the light of day again," she replied. She added that although she hadn't been able to save her sister from him, maybe she could save Sami from the same fate, because after losing a child, Sami had been through enough. Rafe managed to mutter that Sami's baby was still alive before he passed out again. Meredith thought Rafe was delusional, suffering from the effects of one too many blows to the head.

Sami ran into Roman at the Cheatin' Heart, where she was killing some time before a job interview at a nearby spa. Roman was glad for the chance to catch up with his daughter, who told him about the email she'd gotten from Rafe. After clarifying that he only knew Arianna from the pub, Roman confided that Arianna had asked him to check out Meredith Hudson. He repeated the information to Sami about how Meredith had just returned to town to fix up her parents' house.

Sami wondered aloud whether Meredith knew where Rafe was, but then stopped herself, determined to move on. Roman was pleased, and proud of her for looking for a job. Sami then left for her interview, and her dad wished her the best of luck.

When Arianna called to tell Meredith that she was on her way over, Meredith asked if she could take a rain check. Arianna insisted that they really needed to talk and Arianna wouldn't take "no" for an answer. Livid, Meredith mused to an unconscious Rafe about what she would do, since Arianna was about to foil her plans to brick him up in the basement.

Arianna was on her way out of the pub when Brady arrived and asked if they could talk. He wanted to know if she'd told anyone about Nicole's miscarriage. Arianna assured him she hadn't--and wouldn't--and apologized if she'd seemed judgmental. She then left.

Sami arrived at the pub later, her previously neat chignon a mess and her outfit disheveled. Alarmed, Brady asked what had happened to her. Sami confessed that she'd just been on an interview at what had turned out to be a dog spa, which had gone horribly awry when an ill-mannered teacup poodle had assaulted her. An amused Brady suggested that Sami open a daycare center at the townhouse, since she had so much experience with kids already. Sami agreed to think about it, since she was ready to take charge of her life. Brady offered to use his resources to try to find Rafe, because his gut feeling was that Rafe hadn't really left town to clear his head. Sami was grateful for Brady's support, but declined.

Arianna called out to Meredith as she opened the door to the basement. She looked around the half-enclosed basement curiously, wondering why Meredith wasn't there when she knew Arianna was on her way.

On the docks, Meredith dragged Rafe to the water's edge. She emptied his pockets, and then rolled him into the water.

Elsewhere, Carly Manning and her husband, Lawrence Alamain, exchanged heated words. When the fight grew physical, she stabbed him in the abdomen. His eyes searched her face pleadingly, but her steely gaze never wavered.