That Silly Word - 'Commitment'

Billie joins Lucas in the pub. He was there to meet Max and Shawn. There are difficulties with the upcoming Salem GP. Billie hopes her brother gets his self-destructive behavior out of the way before then.

"Which one," says Lucas, "I don't know about that. That kind of stuff runs in our family."

Billie asks, "How is Austin doing? He's going to realize some day how lucky he is things worked out this way. I mean, he's finished with Sami, right?"

"Not necessarily," says Lucas, "He's talking to her right now. Don't be surprised if that wedding is still on."

Austin is with Carrie. He thinks they have a chance to make things right.

Sami wants to find out who is writing the notes. EJ wishes he had answers. Sami insists she won't give up custody of her son. EJ says he's going to call the police. Sami protests but he tells her, "This represents the only way you can get out of this for once and for all, Samantha."

Carrie wants to know why Austin is doing this since he was just down with Sami trying to reschedule the wedding. He says he was just trying to honor his commitment with Sami, "But Sami said it was over forever."

"Why," asks Carrie.

"Because of you."

Sami and EJ argue about whether he should go to the police. There is a knock at the door. She panics and tells him not to answer. They argue about who will answer the door. EJ opens the door to see Marlena. Marlena says, "You two together again? This is becoming a habit. Is something going on that I should know about?"

Sami says, "No. But there is plenty going on you should not know about."

Patch comes into the pub. He decides to take his coffee upstairs. He tells Lisa, "I've been sitting around doing nothing, living at a bar, open tab. Sounds like a dream life right?

"It sounds like a typical life in Salem," says Lisa.

"Well, back to my exciting life," says Patch.

Billie overhears him feeling sorry for himself and invites him over. He introduces himself to Lucas, "Hi. I'm Nick Stockton... er, Steve Johnson." Patch says he was looking for Billie. He's trying to get some people to get together to watch the big Colts-Giants game. "Kayla doesn't want to watch. She's not interested in sports... Especially racing. It's going to be a great game. Like brother against brother."

"May the best man win," says Lucas. Oh, the metaphor!

Billie asks if Kayla will mind if they all get together without her. Maybe she wants to have Steve to herself. Steve just doesn't know.

Billie thinks she can come over on Sunday. He invites Lucas too. Steve doesn't know which team he will root for, since both New York and Indianapolis are suburbs of Salem.

Prevuze knows this is all a coincidence and NBC would never stoop so low as to jam a cheesy advertisement for NBC Sunday Night Football into a show.

Lucas says his wife is a big Giants fan, but he's Colts all the way, "I've loved horses ever since that time one of them kicked me in the head as a kid ."

Patch asks, "Your wife – are we talking about Carrie, my niece? Does that me we are somehow related."

Billie laughs, "Oh, God I hope not... uh, I mean, Carrie is my best friend." Patch asks how the ex-groom is doing.

Lucas says, "He's doing OK. Things will work out."

Billie doesn't think so, "You can't change fate."

Austin tells Carrie Sami knows they still love each other. Carrie nearly faints. Austin asks, "Is that a shock? We don't do a very good job hiding it. Sami says she first realized it at the wedding. We gotta stop lying. Yeah... that's it... more cheating, less lying."

Carrie says, "Watching you say those vows my heart was breaking. The thought of losing you was unbearable. I'm sorry."

"I'm not."

Sami tells Marlena EJ just offered a shoulder to cry on. Marlena wonders what about Austin's shoulder. "I told him I think he belongs with Carrie," says Sami, "I gave them my blessing."

"That can't have been easy," says Marlena.

"I'll survive."

Marlena reminds everyone of an inconvenient detail, "Carrie is still married to Lucas."

"I think Lucas deserves to have a woman who really loves him," says Sami, "I want him to be happy too."

"I am so proud," says Marlena, "Making that decision must have taken so much courage."

"I didn't have a choice," says Sami. Hugs.

Carrie thinks Sami must be devastated. Austin says she is doing OK. "Deep down this must be killing her," says Carrie.

Austin says he can't make her happy, but he was ready to marry Sami, "I was prepared to be a good husband and spend all the Days Of Our Lives together. The feelings I have for her isn't the love that sustains a marriage. You and I would have had that. When I lost you I didn't want to be alone. I thought we lost our chance because I broke your heart."

"No," says Carrie, "I broke your heart."

"Here we are, years later, broken hearts and all," says Austin, "I want to spend the rest of my life with the woman I love and that is you. If I can't have you then I would rather be alone. If I can't have the real deal I am not going to settle. That is what I was going to do with Sami. If this was my last day on earth I would want to spend it with you. So the only question is, do you want to spend it with me?"

"Only if you can guarantee it would be my last day," says Carrie.

Lucas asks if Billie is saying Austin still has feelings for Carrie. Patch brings more coffee as Lucas steams. Kate joins them. She wonders why Austin would want to be saddled with that little witch. Intros. Patch can see where Billie gets her good looks. Steve fills Kate in on his memory problem.

Kate thinks he should consider himself lucky, "There are a lot of things I would like to forget about this town, believe me." Patch says he misses having someplace to go and something to do. Kate brings up the ISA – both he and Billie worked there. Patch knew there was something familiar about Billie. He asks if she is sure they never met.

EJ offers to leave. Sami insists he is just a good friend. Marlena thinks Sami is hurting over this. Sami says she has to move on. Marlena asks her to promise she won't rush into anything. She should take this time to rethink things, but not rush into a new relationship.

Sami asks, "Is that what you think I would do?"

Marlena talks about her new career. She's expanding her practice to include more people. She tells Sami about the New Jersey offer. She is proud of Sami. Sami is proud of her. Marlena says she came by to say goodbye since she's leaving tomorrow.

Pan to the back of a guy talking on his phone with his feet propped up on his desk, "Dr. Evans will be leaving tomorrow. I told you not to worry. We'll take good care of her. Just like you instructed."

The Glove folds his cell phone.

Billie says by the time she joined the ISA Steve was already presumed dead. She's not a secret agent anymore. She works for countess Wilhelmina. It was a natural career move.

Kate whips out a picture of the brat. That brings up Stephanie. Kate talks about sponsoring her racing career. Billie says she stopped working at the ISA because it would be better for the brat. She fills Steve in on the brat's history. "So," says Patch, "Bo is married to Hope and you're... uh..."

"Single."

Kate thinks it's great how all these reunions are going on – Bo, Billie and the brat, Steve and Kayla. Patch insists he doesn't remember anything and wonders if he ever will. He is tired of disappointing people. John joins the crowd. Kate asks about the new girlfriend. John drops the Eve bomb.

Sami is excited for Marlena. She can't believe she is moving to New Jersey. Marlena says it's only for a couple months, "Which will be a bout a year in Salem time." Sami was hoping she would be around for a while. They will miss each other. Hugs... tears... sap...

EJ promises to take good care of Sami. Marlena sends her love to Will. She hesitates as she starts out the door. She thought she saw someone stepping away from the door, but decides it was probably nothing.

After Marlena has gone, EJ goes to check things out.

Austin and Carrie talk about that silly word 'commitment.' Carrie thinks about her father and how Marlena broke his heart. Carrie says, "I was raised to believe you kept vows you made before God, if it's not too inconvenient."

Austin may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but he does have a good memory, "Forgive me for bringing this up, but you didn't have trouble divorcing me."

"That was a mistake," says Carrie.

"So you're admitting your marrying Lucas was a mistake," says Austin, "You want to be with me. You think you can keep this from Lucas forever?"

"You don't understand."

Austin says, "The only thing that matters is do you love me? Do you want to spend the rest of your life with me or not?"

"YES I DO," exclaims Carrie. Smooch.

Lucas asks if they know who killed Eve, "Did we know her?"

"You didn't know her, Lucas," says John, "She was shot, not bored to death. It was Eve Michaels. You knew her, Kate."

"Hardly," says Kate, "We were just working on the fundraiser."

"So she was a cop," says Billie, "Maybe this has something to do with the case she was working on."

John can't talk about it. John wonders what she was into that someone would want to kill her. Kate decides it's time to leave.

After Kate goes, Lucas notices she left her purse. He picks it up and runs after her.

Billie gives John a look. John asks, "What?"

"Please don't tell me you think my mother had anything to do with this," says Billie.

Austin gets more serious. Carrie protests, "We can't do this! There are other people involved."

Austin knows Carrie doesn't want to hurt Lucas, "But he is strong and will accept it." He promises Lucas will get over it. And Carrie will enjoy the silence.

Carrie says, "There is another problem. One we can't fix."

Sami comes out into the hall with a bottle of wine EJ can use to bonk the intruder.

A mystery call interrupts them. Sami runs back into her apartment and answers. The Voice says, "It's time for school. Do you know where your son is?"

"Lets not jump to conclusions," says John.

Billie makes the leap anyway, "You were interrogating her." John hopes Kate wasn't involved.

Patch speculates, "You think she might be."

"Not with murder," says Billie. She turns to John, "So John, you were dating Eve? How does Marlena feel about that?"

"It was kind of a business arrangement," says John, "You should know about that kind of date."

He leaves to make a call. Billie pumps Patch, "You're in on it, aren't you? Patch stares as best he can.

Lucas has caught up to Kate. She says she has to rush. Loquacious Lucas thinks she is up to something, "You got all tense when John mentioned that officer's death, and you can't wait to get away from me. What gives? Although I have to admit lately it hasn't been too unusual for people to want to get away from me"

Kate asks, "Why are you being insensitive like this? I was just with a woman who was murdered?"

Mr. Sarcasm says, "I can see you're all broken up about it."

"It just makes you realize your life can change in the blink of an eye," says Kate.

Carrie reminds Austin she can't have children. Austin knows and he's sorry, but that doesn't change the way they feel about each other. Carrie knows he wants kids. He talks about adoption and foster children. Carrie wonders if he is ready to give up the dream.

EJ pulls the phone away from Sami, but the caller has already hung up. Sami tells him the voice threatened to hurt Will. Sami panics and calls the school to find out of Will is OK.

Patch thinks Billie is persistent, "I can see I'm going to have to stay on my toes with you."

Billie says, "It sounds like you have something to hide. Do you?"

"My left eye," says Patch, "If I do have something to hide, though, you will get it out of me sooner or later."

John is on the phone with Roman, "I'm going to tell you something I don't think you'll like. I think Kate is involved."

Lucas tosses his verbal barrage at Kate. He wonders why she is freaked by Eve's death. Kate says, "Because out of the blue life can knock you flat. None of us is safe from that."

Austin insists their relationship is what is important. His life means nothing without her. More hugs. She loves him so much. "This is right," he says, "This is real. This is where we belong." Carrie rolls faster than a downhill putt.

Sami tells EJ Will never showed up for school. She will blame herself if someone hurts him. FF on a washed-out Sami.


Previews
========

Patrick hugs Hope with Bo in the background. A nurse announces, "The doctor is ready for you Mr. and Mrs. Lockhart." Bo's face goes blank. Hope yells, "Bo!" Patrick holds her back, "No! Let him go."

Marlena says to John, "I simply came here to tell you goodbye."

Sami says, "It's Will." Lucas asks, "What about him?" Sami cries, "Lucas, I don't know. OMG, he's missing."

Roman stares down at the work on his desk, "Kate, I'm busy." Kate sticks out her arms and says, "I want you to arrest me – now."