Ménage a Quatre

Stami walks along the dock. S/he takes out a cell phone and calls Tony. He tells him he nailed another assignment. Tony is thrilled. “Who would you like to terrorize next,” asks Stami.

Mimi and Rex sleep. Mimi cuddles the TV remote. She dreams of Stami telling her he will tell Rex about the abortion if she doesn’t. She tosses and turns, “God why is this happening?” She turns on the TV, “Who was that man and how did he know about my abortion? Rex, I’m so scared. I don’t wanna lose you.” Rex wakes up. Mimi stares.

Hope tells Belle she and Bo will work things out, “The bottom line is Shawn still needs his dad.”

Bo says, “Shawn, you keep acting the way you are, you will drive Belle away.” Yeah, and that would be bad. We don't want Shawn driving anything.

Shawn says, “Belle and Phillip’s marriage is over.”

“She is handling this the best way she knows how,” says Bo, “You should be supporting her. She’s doing the right thing.”

“It’s killing her and it tears me up.”

“Be there for her with no tantrums, pressure or demands. Don’t make the same mistake I made and take her love for granted. Do that”, says Bo, “and you’ll be sorry for all the Days of Your Life.”

Roman and Marlena make love. Body parts entwine. Marlena is startled. “What’s up, Doc,” asks Roman.

Marlena says, “I can’t do this to John.”

John and Kate, however, are doing the deed themselves. John is sorry for the way he acted earlier. She is sorry she took the drugs away, but she cares too much about him. John flashes back to finding the pill residue on the floor and popping one, “I’m through with all of it,” he says, “The only thing important to me now is finding Phillip and bringing him home.”

One of Phillip’s creepy captors throws a glass of water in his face, “You have to be presentable.”

“What for,” asks Phillip.

“Your funeral.”

Stami wants to know who is next – Tony says Stami is to do nothing until he hears from him. Tony hangs up. Stami says, “Easy for you to say, I’m stuck in this stupid disguise.” He flashes back to the make up session just in case we’ve forgotten he really is Sami, “All dressed up and no place to go. On the other hand what my benefactor doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”

Bart asks if Tony things Stami will do something stupid. Tony responds, “With Sami Brady, anything is possible.”

Tony watches Marlena and Roman on his cell phone.

Marlena can’t do it. She’s being unfaithful to John.

Kate says, “I feel a little guilty. I know it sounds crazy but maybe we shouldn’t have done this. Roman and Marlena trusted and loved us.”

“They’re gone, Katherine,” says John, “All we have is each other. I know they would want us to be happy.” Kate stares.

Roman says, “It is only natural you would feel that you are being unfaithful. Unlike John and Kate, we know they are still alive.”

Marlena says, “I just felt something...”

“Something surprised you?”

“Yes how did you know?”

“I felt it too. It was like we were never apart,” says Roman.

Mimi says, “I didn’t know you were awake.”

“I am now,” says Rex, a bit peeved. Rex asks why she is afraid she will lose him.

Mimi blames her encounter with Stami. Rex tells her, “He was just a sleazy salesman. What did he say to you?”

“It’s not important.”

”OK I’ll let it go, but you have to let it go too. He can’t hurt you. Not now, not ever,” Rex assures her.

Shawn says, ”I have done nothing but hurt Belle since I got back to Salem. The woman I love married my best friend.”

Bo says, “I still don’t understand how Jan spears got hold of you. Short of her holding you prisoner.”

“Maybe she did hold me prisoner, Says Shawn, “Sometimes I think that would be the only way she could have kept me from Belle.”

Belle tells Hope ever since Shawn got back to Salem he hasn’t been the same. “I wouldn’t have gotten involved with Phillip if I thought Shawn was coming back.”

Hope says no one blames Belle for moving on, “When Bo was With Diane Parker I almost moved on with Larry Welch. But I never stopped loving Bo and he never stopped loving me.”

Hope knows why Belle married Phillip, “A part of you really does love him.”

John tells Kate Marlena would be grateful to her for seeing him through his drug addiction. Kate thinks he is right. Roman and Marlena would want them to be there for each other. Not being one to let any grass grow under his feet, John says, “Let’s get started.”

“Yes”, says Marlena, “that’s it. Like when we were together before and couldn’t get enough of each other.”

He tells her he never stopped loving her. He meant it on the island and he needs her to know that.

She asks about Kate. Well, Marlena is here and Kate isn’t. He says the love he has for Kate isn’t the same as the love he had for Marlena. Stefano ripped them apart. Stephano’s evil plot tore them apart and Tony’s evil plot tossed them together. Makes sense if you’re from Salem.

Marlena says she wouldn’t have made it without him. He says there might be a reason he is there, “A reason that has nothing to do with Tony DiMera.” Good thinking, Roman, tell her anything.

“Roman, Make love to me,” she says, “I need to feel safe and loved.” Hot damn, Roman, it worked.

He asks if she is sure. Oh, yeah, she’s sure.

So, we've got a Ménage a quatre going on here, so to speak. Roman, Marlena, John, Kate.

Bart watches on his cell phone.

“Bartleby,” says Tony, “This is not lust. This is the power of love.”

The creep tells Tony. “Private Kiriakis is ready.” Tony tells him to proceed.

Tony watches as they taser Phillip. Shocking. Bart says when they are through, Kiriakis will cooperate.

“By the time we are through,” says Tony, “He will be dead.”

Rex turns out the light. He tells Mimi things will be better in the morning. “I hope so,” thinks Mimi, “I never want to see that evil face again.”

Stami stalks. Thunder booms.

Shawn tells Bo they should head in. Bo asks if he thinks Jan kept him locked up.

Shawn says she is crazy and he gets flashes of things. He says Jan says this was all a part of his kinky sex life. Bo is immediately uncomfortable. Shawn says he is not into bondage. Bo is into changing the subject.

Shawn has no memory of how he and Jan got together, “There is one thing I know for damn sure. I would never have left Belle for Jan Spears.”

Belle says her love for Phillip isn’t the kind you build a marriage on, “Right now I just want him back alive. Until he is safe, nothing else matters.”

Roman, Marlena, afterglow. He asks if she’s ok. “Yes, for the first time in a long while I feel safe and at peace. This really was like another time, another place. And for right now, we escaped these walls.”

“What an escape it was,” says Roman.

“It doesn’t mean I don’t’ love John,” she says. Roman knows. He still loves Kate. If you can’t be with the one you love, love the one you’re with.

They vow to not torture themselves, “We’ll just wait until we get back home. Until then we have each other.”

Pan to Kate and John. “What was that drug,” asks John, “Suddenly I am in no pain.” Kate still can’t believe this is happening. She has no regrets. He only regrets the way he treated her. She says, “That wasn't you talking. It was the drugs. We will beat this.”

“For the first time,” says John, “I believe it is true.”

“I believe you will bring my son back to me.”

Boy, Howdy! John has a brainstorm, “I’ve been going about it all wrong. I just had an idea. If it works, Phillip will be home before you know it.”

They continue to fricassee Phillip.

Bart cautions Tony he’s going to kill Phillip. Tony is peeved, “That is exactly my plan.”

Stami lurks, “Just think, Meems, you could have been my sister-in-law if you played your cards right.” S/he flashes back to Mimi’s argument with Sami, “I know my benefactor told me to wait but since when does Sami wait? I know someone who needs his mommy.”

Mimi hears crying.

Hope and Belle hug. Hope says, “I hope they find Phillip and bring him home soon.”

“If he survives,” says Belle, “It will only be to have his heart broken. Kate says I was heartless and evil.”

“No,” says Hope, “Evil is what the DiMera’s are.” They talk about all the past evil DiMera plots, her parents, Bo, Billie, World War III, all that. Hope says she never should nave said what she said to Bo tonight. Belle says Billie or no dead DiMera can come between Ho and Dope.

Bo tells Shawn the business with Jan has never seemed right.

Shawn threatens, “She will pay if she held me prisoner.”

“Don’t get yourself into more trouble. Give your old man another shot at being there for you,” advises Bo.

“Only if you forgive me for the things I said earlier,” Says Shawn. This is getting a little sappy.

They hug. “Thanks Dad,” says Shawn, “I have been pushing Belle too hard but only because I love her so much.”

Bo says, “I have a feeling things will get worse before they get better.” He’s read the script.

“I think I should check on her,” says Shawn

“Good idea,” says Hope, as she busts up their little love-in.

Shawn leaves. Bo and Hope both start to say something.

“What were you going to say,” asks Bo.

“Just this,” says Hope, as he kisses him.

Mimi starts to get up to check out the crying, “Rex, did you hear that?” Rex sleeps. More crying. She sees Stami holding a baby. Oh, the horror!

Bo is impressed.

“I don’t wanna lose you,” says Hope.

“That’s not gonna happen,” says Bo, “I should have been here tonight for my son.”

“You’re here now. It looks like you made a difference. I just wonder if they’ll make it through this,” says Hope.

“If two people love each other enough they will make it though anything,” says Bo.

Hope wonders, “Are you talking about them or us?”

Belle asks how things went.

“Fine,” says Shawn, “I have caused everyone so much pain. Especially you. From now on, no more pressure. I’m just here for you.” HUG.

Roman asks what Marlena is thinking about. She’s wondering what Tony’s next move is.

Kate wants to know what John is talking bout.

“If I can pull this off, Phillip will be in Salem before the week is out.” Provided, of course, John finds more maverick pills on the floor.

Bart asks, “You’re not gonna off this guy are you? You’re messing with the MARINES.”

Tony says Stefano taught him what counts in chess is how you use your pawns, “That boy in there is the most important pawn of all. In fact he is the key to destroying all the so-called real loves of Salem.”

We flip through gripping scenes: Tony, taser, John and Kate, Marlena and Roman, Belle and Shawn, taser.


Previews
========

“As soon as the kidnappers transmit again I’m going to intercept the signal,” says super-sleuth John. Kate asks, “What if the transmission says Phillip is already dead?”

“You went out on your own,” says Tony to Stami, “Now your mistake may have fatal consequences.”

Belle says, “The nightmare could be over tonight.” Bo says, “Yeah, he could be on his way home.” Belle asks, “What if something goes wrong?”

Phillip in the crosshairs.

OK. I see through this whole thing now. John has turned back into Roman Brady, so he’s not cheating on Marlena with Kate. They are bound together by the bonds of holy matrimony. Marlena is really her twin sister Samantha, and the guy we think is Roman ain’t. As we have all known for years, he’s Chris Kostacheck. It does sort of bring up the question, where are John and Marlena? I figure they get kidnapped so much they probably consider that their annual vacation, so they will show up eventually. I also know Samantha’s supposed to be dead, but as we have seen over, and over, and over again on this show, that means absolutely nothing. So there you have it. Roman and Kate are back together, John and Marlena are back together (although a bit indisposed), and we have this new thing going between Samantha and Chris. As my man Kostacheck would say, “Count on it, pard.”