I'll Kick Your Butt To Chicago

Billie runs into the cop shop and bumps into Kate. She tells Kate she's dealing with a nightmare of a case.

"I hope it doesn't involve Chelsea," says Kate.

"No," says Billie, "Chelsea is a nightmare all on her own."

Kate tells Billie the cops arrested Lucas for shooting EJ. Billie says she's really not surprised... she's had her suspicions all along. Kate asks Billie to convince Lucas to see her, "His life could depend on it."

Phillip sits on the floor and plays with Claire's toys. He tries to convince Claire to join him. The doorbell interrupts the fun and games. Phillip does his act like you only have one leg maneuver and answers. Shawn does his, act like you have a brain maneuver and busts in with Chloe close behind, "Where are her things? She's my daughter... I get to play with her toys."

Phillip explains Belle had an emergency and left Claire with him because Shawn was at orientation. Shawn thanks she should have called him anyway.

Chloe tries to jump in to the conversation but Shawn ignores her and gets in Phillip's face (one of them, anyway), "You stole my wife. What's it going to take to get you to keep her? "

EJ busts into the mansion and demands to talk to Stefano. Rolf tries to calm him down. Suddenly, EJ hears a noise, "The houseguest? Who is it, Rolf?"

Marlena storms into Roman's office where he, Abe and Bo are having a big confab. Belle and Sami follow. Marlena demands to know what the cops are going to do to keep them safe. Roman wonders what is going to keep Salem safe with the three of them on the loose. He says the police are doing everything they can. Marlena says she has lost faith in the SPD. Maybe there is hope for her after all. Marlena is angry, "John's son is missing and Stefano still walks the streets. All of you listen to me. I want Stefano arrested, and I won't stop until he is."

Somewhere in the distance, Stefano thinks, "It might be worth going to jail if it would shut her up."

Chloe takes Claire over to look at the fire while Phillip and Shawn trade insults. Shawn snorts, "You may have won Belle but won't win Claire. Hope you enjoyed staying with Claire this evening because this is the last time."

"That's what Belle keeps telling me, too," says Phillip. Shawn scoops up Claire and takes her into the next room to get her stuff. Phillip turns to Chloe and says things are working the way he planned.

Rolf says he can't tell EJ anything and asks him to leave. As EJ goes, Stefano calls for Rolf in the distance.

Billie thinks Kate is being a drama queen. Kate tells her Lucas was almost murdered tonight, "Unfortunately, EJ saved his life." Billie finds it hard to believe EJ risked his life for Lucas. Kate insists Stefano will attack again, but Kate has a plan. The less Billie knows about it, the better. Billie tells her to be careful. Kate asks Billie to get her name on the list of people who can see Lucas. Billie says she can't make any guarantees.

Abe tries to calm Marlena down. He'd have more luck stopping a tsunami. Marlena says they don't understand what life has been like for her, "My grief is unspeakable."

"Then how come you keep speaking," asks Abe.

Marlena isn't sure how long she can take it. Roman says they have promising leads. Bo says they are doing their best. Marlena thinks it's not good enough. She'd like to work with the cops, "But it's time to consider another alternative."

EJ credit cards his way back into the mansion.

Phillip praises Chloe. He asks her to dis himself to Shawn, so Shawn will lose it in front of Belle. Phillip somehow thinks that will make him look better in Belle's eyes.

Abe asks if Marlena is threatening to become a vigilante, "If you do, you will go to jail." In an ironic role reversal, Sami and Belle try to calm Marlena down. Marlena says she knows they are all concerned but assures them she is lucid and will not be a victim. They guys say this time they have to have Stefano dead to rights before they try to arrest him. Sami and Belle watch the whole thing unfold and do a great job of acting like basket cases. They don't want John to be a distant memory before they catch his killer. Abe tells Marlena she can't take Stefano on her own, and they don't know that Brady's disappearance is connected to Stefano, "If there is a common denominator we will find it... just as soon as we figure out what a denominator is."

As she goes, Marlena tells them she can't take any more of this.

"You're not the only one," they say in unison. Roman promises no one will rest until Stefano is put away. As they all leave, Roman grabs Sami and tells her to keep an eye on Marlena. Sami says his best bet is to arrest Stefano. She leaves.

Phillip asks Chloe what happened with Brady. Chloe rants and says that has nothing to do with him and Belle and Shawn. Phillip agrees to back off. He doesn't want to be the bad guy, but he does want Belle. Chloe agrees to keep on helping him, "Good," says Phillip, "Make me sound like a real horrible person. After our little talk here, you might not have to do too much acting."

"This is DOOL," says Chloe, "If you want acting, you have to find another show."

Shawn comes out of the other room with Claire and her things. They leave. Phillip smirks.

Kate and Marlena run into each other as Marlena leaves Roman's office. Marlena tells Kate she thinks Lucas should be given the key to the city for what he did.

"I think he'd settle for the key to his cell," says Kate.

They form a giant mutual admiration society and decide they are both just trying to take care of their families. Marlena and the girls leave. Billie joins Kate. She says Lucas doesn't want to see her. She advises Kate to give Lucas some space.

EJ sneaks down by the laboooratory. He cracks the door open and looks inside. He sees Rolf, so he closes the door and hides as Rolf comes out. Once Rolf is gone EJ goes back to the door and goes inside. He finds "the experiment" covered with a sheet. He uncovers a hand and stands there staring forever. Finally he pulls back the sheet.

ZOMBIEJOHN!

Stefano walks in and sees EJ standing there staring in horror, "Magnificent isn't he?" He tells Elvis this is one of his greatest creations yet. Elvis thinks it can't be possible. He thinks this destroys any future for Sami and him. EJ threatens to make sure Stefano's purpose never sees the light of day. He runs out of the laboooooratory and Stefano chases.

Upstairs, EJ makes a call. Stefano yanks the phone away from him, "You will not turn against me!"

Back at the police station, the fellas try to recover from Marlena's eruption. "We need to put someone on Marlena," says Abe.

"I'll definitely volunteer for that duty," says Roman.

Abe says the clock is working against them.

Billie tells Kate Lucas needs his space. "He's got a lot more space since Carmine is out of his cell," says Kate, "But I know Stefano won't give up." Billie advises her to stay away. She reminds her that's the same advice Kate gave her last year about Chelsea. Kate doesn't remember saying that. Billie leaves. Kate plots.

Phillip contemplates the fire as Marlena walks back in with Belle. Marlena immediately heads for the next room. Belle tells Phillip she is worried about Marlena, "I think she's losing it."

Phillip mumbles something about a pot, a kettle and the color black and then tries to be supportive. He tells Belle about Shawn taking Claire, "Shawn certainly wasn't happy when he and CHLOE came and got Claire." That got Belle's attention. She asks about Chloe being there with Shawn. "I guess they're hanging out now," says Phillip.

Marlena walks out of the next room and overhears Phillip. Years of training on how to compassionately handle situations like this kick in, "WHAT DID YOU EXPECT? LETTING A MAN YOU HAD AN AFFAIR WITH WATCH YOUR CHILD. WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?"

Belle mulls it over, "Thinking... bold new concept."

Phillip decides that's his cue to leave.

With Phillip gone, Marlena zones, "Sometimes I fell so rational. And then there is the other 99.9% of the time. I miss John so much."

Belle hugs her, "I know, Mom. And I know you didn't mean what you said."

Dr. Jekyll turns back into Ms. Hyde, "I did mean it. I just didn't mean to use those words. You need a babysitter. And you need one for Claire, too. I notice you didn't call Hope or Maggie or Caroline to watch Claire."

"You're right," says Belle, "I don't want her to be exposed to them and grow up to be a ranting busybody.".

Shawn has left Claire upstairs. At the rate she's aging, when she comes back down she'll be dressed for her high school graduation. He tells Chloe he was up with her so long because they read Goodnight Moon together, "I really like that story," says Shawn, "It's a good thing Claire can read." Chloe likes that story, too and says she thinks Shawn is a great parent.

Shawn asks, "Why do you think I'm such a loving parent?"

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder," says Chloe. He says the only reason he didn't lose it in front of Phillip is because of Claire.

Bo slams the book of mug shots closed and curses the fact that Crystal isn't in there. They wonder where she came from. Roman says, "She won a quiz show, 'So you want to be on a second-rate drama.'" He decides to go check out the building next to the cleaners where Marlena found Crystal.

EJ says he won't let Stefano torture that poor man any more. Stefano wonders what has happened to his son. EJ thinks Stefano is out of control. Stefano threatens if he tries to stop him. EJ says he has always put the family first, "What I just saw down there... You are not the man I thought you were."

"If you are going to turn against me," smirks Stefano, "Give me a clue."

"People with a clue are in short supply in Salem," says EJ. EJ leaves. Stefano goes to the door and watches.

Belle agrees she shouldn't have left Claire with Phillip. She doesn't know why she did it. "I don't want to judge," says Marlena. She judges, "You keep making the same mistakes over and over." She apologizes for scaring Belle at the cop shop. Belle assures her they will get through this. It's hard for Marlena to feel optimistic. Belle suggests letting John guide her.

"But John is dead," says Marlena.

"He still has more sense than the two of us put together," says Belle.

Marlena gets a call and leaves to take it. Belle stares.

Chloe tells Shawn, "I like you because you are real."

Shawn asks, "As opposed to..."

"Some character on a soap opera." She thinks Phillip is fake.

"Most of his body parts are," says Shawn. Chloe respects how Shawn has handled things with Belle. She thinks he's a good guy. He asks about Brady. Chloe says she misses him. They clink their beer bottles together and toast faith. Faith looks over from the next table, smiles, and toasts them back.

Phillip says he is tired of meeting Kate at the police station. She tells him about the attempt on Lucas' life. Phillip starts to go but she asks him not to, "I need your help to get Lucas out."

Sami is on the phone with Eric as EJ interrupts and asks where Johnny is. He says he's worried about both of them. He also tells her he stood up to his father, "He drew a line and I crossed. It. You may be in danger. You and Johnny could be his next target."

Sami asks what happened. EJ says he went to talk to Stefano and it didn't go well. Sami presses. He says he saw a side of his father he never knew existed, "He's gained more weight than I realized. My father might be a sociopath."

"You're just now figuring that out," asks Sami, "Stefano doesn't care about anyone but himself."

EJ says, "You're right. And as long as my father is alive, no one is safe."

Roman returns with the title on the building next to the cleaners, "A DiMera owns it. He plops the file on the desk in front of Bo, "Take a look."

Stefano barks instructions, "I want you to study this entire dossier. Everything is in it including the woman who keeps secrets."

ZombieJohn asks, "How did you get a woman in that small folder?"

"You have to be ready to go at a moment's notice," says Stefano, "This woman is your mission. Your destiny."

Chloe thinks she's had enough. She thinks she and Shawn should hang out sometime. Shawn suggests going to the Cheatin' Heart tonight and playing some pool. "Sure," says Chloe, "I'll kick your butt to Chicago. Watch and learn."

"I'll watch," says Macho-boy, "But I don't think I'll learn a thing."

Kate thinks they have to help Lucas escape. Phillip insists Lucas is fine. He walks off.

Sami says she has never seen EJ this shaken. She thinks there are more details. EJ flashes back to seeing John, "Let's just say I saw my father in a different light than I've ever seen him." He thinks Stefano will now come after Sami and Johnny. Sami asks for something to take to the police. "We can't cross my father," says EJ, "If we do, we'll be running in fear for all the Days Of Our Lives. He's planning something. Something big. I don't know what it is, but it's bigger than anything he has done before."

Belle gets a text message, "Claire asleep – will call tomorrow – Shawn." She invites Marlena to sit and share a gallon of ice cream. They both dig in. When the going gets tough the tough pig out. Belle says she is there for Marlena and so are her friends and family. She says they can't let fear rule their lives.

Stefano tells ZombieJohn to study the dossier and memorize every detail, "We will teach this woman a new meaning to the word vengeance."

Bo says this doesn't make any sense, "This is the DiMera that owns the building? Who is this?"

Roman doesn't know, "This is a new player... C.B. DiMera."

Paramedics rush two women into the emergency room at Salem Hospital. "OMG," gasps the doctor on call, "This is the worst case of ice cream poisoning I've ever seen."


Previews
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