Marlena paced the living room, her hands twisting together. “It’s just the waiting. I’m not sure how much more of the waiting I can take. ”
John crossed to her and took her hands.
“You’re not going through this alone, Doc. ”
“I keep thinking of how desperate Sami must have felt, how terrified she must be. ”
“Sami’s a fighter. She’s strong.
She’s willful. She’s just like her mother. ”
Marlena pulled away. “Do you think being strong and being a good parent can keep your children from getting hurt?
I don’t think so. Not when there are people like Stefano who want them hurt. Look what he’s done to you and Hope. ”
“That situation has gotten very complicated,” John said.
“But I’m not going to do anything that will put our future at risk. Whatever happened in the past, that’s in the past. ”
“Is it? ” Marlena asked.
Across town, Gina smiled to herself. “Drastic times call for drastic measures. Since John refuses to remember Gina on his own, I’ll just have to see to it that Rolf deactivates the computer chip in his brain. Then he’ll have no other choice but to remember.
”
A knock came at the door. Gina opened it to find Bo holding a bouquet of roses. “Special delivery,” Bo said. “Hope Williams.
”
“That’s me,” Gina said, taking the flowers. “They’re absolutely beautiful. They’ve got to be from Bo. ”
“That’s right,” Bo said.
“Who’d you think they were from? ”
Billie watched the exchange with narrowed eyes. “What is up with you, Hope? After all you did to break up me and Bo, now you’re being nicer to me than you are to him.
”
At the Brady house, Eric faced Nicole. “I’m not buying it, Nicole. I don’t care what you said. You did not marry Lucas of your own free will, and I am not giving up until I find out the real reason you did.
”
“No one forced me to do anything,” Nicole insisted. “I made the decision to marry Lucas. It was what I wanted. ”
“It was because I love you, Eric,” she added, her voice cracking.
“I know it sounds crazy, but that’s why I married Lucas. ”
The doorbell rang. Nicole opened it to find her sister Taylor. “Hey.
Wow. What’s all this? ” Taylor asked, looking at the boxes. “I’m moving out,” Nicole said.
“What? You’re moving out? Wait. Have you and Eric decided to live together?
I mean, I know you’re engaged—”
“We’re not. Not anymore. ” Nicole took a breath. “I know you’re going to find out sooner or later.
I am now Mrs. Lucas Roberts. ”
Lucas paced his living room, furious. “Incompetent idiots.
What have they done to find my son? I should be out there looking myself. ”
Kate tried to calm him. “Lucas, please, you have to calm down.
I know the police are going to find Will and Sami soon. And you know something? With any luck, this time they won’t bring her back alive. ”
Lucas stared at her.
“Tell me I heard you wrong. You didn’t just say you want Sami to die, did you? Even you couldn’t be that heartless. ”
“And even you couldn’t be that guilt-ridden and naive to think that Sami won’t stop wreaking havoc on our lives if she’s ever set free,” Kate shot back.
“Why are you worrying about Sami when her only focus in life is to keep you away from Will? You need to focus on the wonderful future you’re going to have with Nicole and Will as soon as Roman finds Will and brings him back home. ”
“It’s not going to end there,” Lucas said. “You know Roman’s not going to stop till he gets the truth, and we both know what that is.
So what’s going to happen to our lovely, happy ending when Roberto regains consciousness and tells everybody that there was no hit man? You and I, we’re both going to jail. ”
“You don’t have to worry about Roberto,” Kate said. “Oh, really?
Why? What does that mean? ”
Kate didn’t answer. In a remote cabin in northern Ontario, Sami held her sleeping son.
She heard a sound and looked up to see her father in the doorway. “Daddy. Oh, God. How did you find me?
”
Roman hushed her. “Don’t wake the little guy. ”
“How did you find me? ”
“I had a feeling you might turn to Tracey,” Roman said.
“She didn’t mean to give you away, but she mentioned some people she used to hang out with in a commune up here. I figured there was a chance you might take Will there. ”
“Dad, please, I can’t face going back to death row,” Sami begged. “You’ve always said you want what’s best for me.
”
“Sami, you got to listen to me. ”
“Dad, please. Just let me go. Pretend you never found me and let us disappear.
”
“Sami, I’m sorry. I can’t do it. I can’t let you go. ”
“Why not, Dad?
You know I’m innocent. ”
“Yes, I do, and that’s why running isn’t the answer. ”
“What is? Dad, this is my only hope, especially if Roberto never regains consciousness.
”
“Then I will move heaven and earth to find another way to free you,” Roman promised. “Dad, even if by some miracle you were able to prove me innocent, it could take years. Years that I wouldn’t be able to spend with my son. He would be raised by some drunken, abusive father.
”
“We don’t have a choice. ”
“You could let me go. ”
“You’ll never make it. ”
“I’d rather die trying than give Lucas custody of my son.
”
Roman’s face softened. “Sami, listen to me. Even if I thought this would work—and believe me, it won’t—somebody else would track you down. There’s no way you can live a life hiding out with Will.
And besides, I’m selfish. I can’t stand the thought of never seeing you again, just like you can’t stand the thought of never seeing Will again. ”
“Dad, the risk is worth it. I will do anything to protect Will from Lucas.
”
“Not like this. ”
Will stirred. “Mommy? ”
Roman smiled at the boy.
“Hey, how you doing, Peanut Jr.? Listen, we’re going to take you back home, okay? ”
“To Austin? ”
“No, not to Austin.
We’re going to take you back to Lucas. ”
“Mommy? ” Will looked at Sami, confused. Sami pulled him close.
“Oh, honey, it’s okay. It’s okay, baby. ” She turned to Roman. “Dad, maybe you could go get our bags in the front.
I’m just going to explain everything to Will alone. ”
“All right, sweetheart,” Roman said, and left. Sami looked at her father’s retreating back. “I’m sorry, Dad.
”
Back in Salem, Taylor confronted Nicole. “I knew you were a liar, but violent? That’s a new one. ”
“You had no right to come here and insult me,” Nicole said.
“You told me you were in love with Eric and you wanted to spend the rest of your life with him, then you turn around and marry Lucas, and you’re talking to me about insulting? How much did Lucas pay you, Nicole? ”
“Not a penny. It’s not about the money.
”
“Well, it’s certainly not about love. ”
“You’re wrong. And no matter what you think, Taylor, I truly do love Eric. ”
“Well, you have one hell of a way of showing love.
”
Taylor picked up the engagement gift she’d brought. “You know, Nicky, for once you actually did the right thing. Eric is better off without you. Have a great life.
” She left, and Nicole was alone with the gift, which read, “To Nicole and Eric. Congratulations. ”
Eric, meanwhile, was with Billie. “The camera never lies,” he said, looking at photos of him and Nicole.
“We were so happy and in love when these shots were taken. Those kind of feelings don’t change overnight. ”
“I heard the news,” Billie said. “Eric, what happened?
”
“That’s a good question. ”
“So you haven’t spoken to Nicole? ”
“No, I talked to her. She gave me some story about why she married Lucas.
I didn’t believe her. ”
“What did she say? ”
“She said she realized they were better suited for each other than she and I were, and that I deserved someone better. She lied.
I know Nicole loves me just as sure as I know she doesn’t love Lucas. ”
“Then why would she marry him? ”
“Because Lucas was desperate to get Will. ”
“Desperate enough to pay Nicole to marry him?
”
“He certainly has the money. ”
“Yeah, he does,” Billie said. “But if Nicole’s the kind of woman who would take money over love, are you sure you want her back? ”
“You’re not the first person to assume Nicole married Lucas because of his money,” Eric said.
“That was my first instinct, too. ”
“Eric, I know you’re trying to give Nicole the benefit of the doubt because you love her, but what other explanation could there be? ”
“Lucas blackmailed her? ”
“Okay.
I wouldn’t put that past him. ”
“He knows her insecurities. ”
“Insecurities? Eric, what could someone as beautiful and as successful as Nicole have to be insecure about?
”
“Losing her job as a Titan model. She’s terrified of it, and Lucas is her boss. My guess is he probably threatened to destroy her career if she didn’t go along with what he wanted. She hasn’t been in the business long enough to know she could work anywhere she wanted.
She’s a perfect target for him. Hell, I don’t know, Billie. I do know that she loves me. ”
“Then go to her and talk to her.
”
“I can’t. ”
“Why can’t you talk to Nicole? ”
“Because I don’t know where she is. ”
“Have you tried her apartment?
” Billie asked. Eric called, but got her voicemail. “She’s not there? ”
“She was.
”
“You should go see her, Eric,” Billie said. “And while you do that, I’m going to go home and talk to Lucas, see if I can find out anything about Nicole. ”
“You’re not going to get anything out of Lucas. ”
“You want to bet?
Look, if you believe in Nicole’s love for you, then you have to fight for it, Eric. ”
“Thank you, Bill. You’re a real good friend. ”
“Who doesn’t like seeing her friends in pain.
”
At the police station, Abe argued with District Attorney Carson. “Cut the bull, Palmer. You’re not informing the press. You’re courting the press because you’re going to run for governor.
”
“You know the number one issue in this state—crime,” Carson said. “People just don’t feel safe with convicted killers running around loose. ”
“Samantha Brady is not a killer,” Abe said, “and she sure as hell isn’t some mass murderer the public has to fear. And when Roman proves her innocence, you’re going to lose your bid for governor.
That’s your fear. ”
“If she’s innocent, then why was she convicted by a jury? ”
“You’re the D. A.
What, you don’t know that sometimes juries make mistakes? ”
“Well, not in this case. I prosecuted Samantha Brady. That verdict was correct.
”
“You know, Palmer, it’s lawyers and politicians like you that scare me. ”
“Well, cops who protect cold-blooded killers scare me. And by the way, your good buddy Roman is sure well aware that Mickey Horton has filed an appeal for Sami. You tell him not to hold his breath, because once I’m elected governor, I won’t be granting Roman Brady’s daughter a stay of execution.
”
Roman and Sami sat in the cabin. “Sami, listen to me,” Roman said. “I am sorry. Nothing hurts me more than to see you hurting.
”
“Then tell me something,” Sami said. “Tell me why you would rather see me in a jail cell on death row than being able to start a new life with my son. ”
“Because you can’t start a new life like this. We’ve got to go back and clear you of these false murder charges so you can have the future you deserve.
”
“And what if I’m not cleared, Dad? I’m going to sit in my jail cell and rot day in and day out. I’m going to spend time sitting there trying to remember how my son looks and trying to remember how I feel holding his hand and what his hair smells like. What kind of future is that, huh?
”
“Sami, I have to ask you for your faith and trust here, okay? Will you please give me that? I lost you once. I am not about to lose you again.
”
“I don’t want to die, Dad. ”
“You won’t, sweetheart. You won’t. We have plenty of time to prove you innocent.
”
Back in Salem, Kate got a phone call. “Hello. ”
“Hello, Miss Roberts. This is Rosa Barelli.
”
Kate’s face tightened. “It’s not about Will. ”
Lucas said, “I’ll go upstairs, check the news on TV. ”
“Okay.
Rosa, has Roberto regained consciousness? ”
“My brother’s not able to speak yet,” Rosa said, “but he has held my hand very strong to let me know he hears me. ”
“Oh, Rosa, that’s wonderful news. Thank you so much for calling me.
I’ll be right over. ”
“Wait, Miss Roberts. It’s late. Can you wait until the morning?
”
“No. I’m coming now. ”
Kate hung up. Lucas came back downstairs.
“No news on the tube about Sami and Will. Damn it! ”
“I have to go out,” Kate said. “Now?
”
“Yes. I want to take care of something tonight so that we can all have breakfast in the morning as a family—you and I and Nicole and Phillip—and leave all of our worries behind us. ”
But Kate’s real thought was darker: “I have to stop Roberto from telling anyone about our deal, or everything I’ve done for Lucas will have been for nothing. ”
Lucas picked up a children’s book and read aloud: “‘The new prince moved into the palace with his dad the king and his new mommy the queen.
‘ We’re all going to live happily ever after, Will. ” He set the book down. “So much for happy endings. ”
Billie appeared at his door.
“I see you’re alone. ”
“For the moment,” Lucas said. “My lovely wife isn’t back yet. ”
“Well, your lovely wife may not be coming back at all.
”
Meanwhile, John and Marlena were planning their future. “You know, Doc,” John said, “there’s just one thing about this idea about a double wedding. ”
“What? ”
“I don’t want to wait another day to marry you.
”
“I feel the same way,” Marlena said. “But we can’t do anything until we know Sami’s safe. ”
“Well, yeah, I understand that,” John said. “But I just think that if we wait for the perfect time, it’s never going to come.
And maybe it’d be good for the family to have some happy news for a change. What do you think? ”
“Well, we haven’t had a wedding for… ”
“Forever.
”
“I’m sure Belle’s outgrown her little dress, and Brady has outgrown his tuxedo, too. ”
“That’s a fact. I think you ought to take them shopping right now. ”
“Right now?
”
“Right now. ”
“What are you thinking? ”
“I’m thinking about marrying you tomorrow. ”
The phone rang.
Marlena answered. “Hello. ”
“Doc, it’s Roman. ”
“Roman, please tell me you found Sami and Will and they’re all right.
”
“I did. I did, and they are. ”
“Oh, thank God. He found them.
They’re all right. ”
John grinned. “I knew it. I knew it.
”
“Doc, are you there? ” Roman asked. “I’m here. ”
“All right.
Listen. We’re on our way back to Salem, but I don’t want Lucas to know that. After the hell he’s caused both our kids, I want that little bastard to sweat for a while. ”
Marlena smiled.
“I understand. ”
But across town, Gina was making her own plans. She had found the cigarette butts in the vase—Lucille’s, she claimed—but Bo wasn’t buying it. “Was someone else with you tonight?
” he asked. “Or did you take up smoking? ”
“Oh. Lucille.
She’s always leaving her cigarette butts in there. It’s driving me absolutely crazy, not to mention what it’s doing to my health. She really has to stop smoking. ”
“Why are you looking at me like that?
Don’t tell me you don’t believe me. ”
“Just a little confused lately about your anger, the way you’ve been treating me. ”
“Okay. So I need to pack my bags for a guilt trip, is that what you’re telling me?
”
“That’s exactly what I’m talking about. ”
“Why did you come here, to upset me? Is that why you’re here? ”
“To upset you?
Hope, I brought you roses, your favorite color. I think you were upset before I got here. ”
“I’m sorry. Maybe you should just go.
”
“I don’t want to. I’m worried about you. ” Bo took her hands. “I love you, Hope.
Loving you comes as natural to me as breathing. ”
“Nobody understands what I’m going through right now, not even you. Nobody understands. ”
John found Gina later.
“After all we’ve been to each other, there’s nothing you can’t tell me. There’s nothing we can’t share. ”
“You’re right,” Gina said, and she told him everything—or at least, her version of it. She insisted he had to remember their past together, that Stefano had erased his memories, and that only by deactivating the chip in his brain could he truly be free.
John shook his head. “You’re not going to drag me into the past. I have a life to lead. It’s going to be with Marlena.
It’s not going to be with you, Hope, Gina, whoever the hell you think you are! Just take this. Just take it. ” He thrust something at her.
“You take that. ”
“You remember, John. I know you do. ”
“Damn it all.
The past is dead and buried. Just let it go. ”
“No. ”
“Let me go.
”
“No. ”
But John walked away, leaving Gina alone with her obsession. Bo, meanwhile, refused to give up. “I feel like I’m losing you little by little,” he told Gina.
“Okay, so maybe I have changed a little, but so what? What’s the big deal? Why do you have to make such a big production out of everything, Bo? ”
“It’s DiMera.
He’s responsible for this, and I’m going to stop him before I lose you altogether. ”
“Stefano, Stefano, Stefano. It’s always Stefano, isn’t it? Can’t you come up with something just a little more original these days, Brady, huh?
”
“Is he the reason? Did you see him? Talk to him? Did he say something to upset you?
”
“No. ”
“Well, why are you so rattled? ”
“Look, the best thing you can do is just accept the fact that I have changed and move on with your life, Bo. ”
“I don’t want a life without you in it.
”
“Then you’ll have no life. What’s it going to take for you to accept the fact that what we had is over? ”
“I don’t like fighting with you. I’m tired of fighting, Bo.
”
“I’m tired, too, but I’m never going to stop fighting for you. ”
“Haven’t you heard a word that I’ve said? ”
“Yes, I have, but I don’t believe they’re your words. ”
“Here we go again.
If I don’t love you the way you want, you blame Stefano. ”
“All I can say is what I said. I don’t think this is Hope talking. ”
“I don’t like what you’re implying—that because I didn’t come rushing back into your arms, I must be under some kind of a spell?
For God’s sakes, give me some credit for having my own mind, would you? Or does that threaten you too much? ”
Bo left, but he was more determined than ever. At the police station, Abe got a call.
“Roman’s on his way here… with Sami and her little boy. ”
Carson smiled. “Oh, good.
Well, Captain Brady got lucky tonight. May I use your phone to call a press conference now? ”
“For what purpose, Carson—to claim credit for her recapture? Look, at least let me call my wife and check on Roberto’s condition.
”
“Oh, yes—the comatose witness who can supposedly clear Sami. ”
“He will clear Sami. ”
“Well, you better hope he comes out of his coma fast,” Carson said, “because I’ve decided the only way to make sure that Samantha Brady doesn’t escape from prison again is to have her executed immediately. ”
Abe stared at him, horrified.
And somewhere in Salem, Kate was on her way to the hospital, determined to silence Roberto before he could speak the truth that would destroy everything she and Lucas had built. But she didn’t know that Roman was already on his way back—and that he had no intention of letting Lucas or Kate get away with what they’d done.
