O Dartmaster

Mata Hari... uh, I mean Chloe, yucks it up with Shawn and Claire in the pub. Chloe takes pictures of cadet Shawn and cadet Claire. She decides to take one of cadet Claire by herself so cadet Claire won't have the embarrassment of being seen with cadet Shawn. Cadet Claire actually requests a picture of cadet Shawn so she can remember what he looks like since she's always off with a babysitter somewhere.

"Why isn't cadet Mommy in the picture," asks Claire.

We're taking pictures of police cadets today," says Chloe, "Mommy is a space cadet.

Caroline takes a shot of the three of them and then goes for cake. Chloe says she and Brady were planning to have kids but it wasn't meant to be. Citizens United for a Better Gene Pool couldn't be more grateful. Shawn goes to change out of his uniform while Chloe watches the now promoted Commander Claire.

Belle comes in. Claire runs over to her and shows her the camera. Belle looks at the back, which is still showing the picture of Chloe and the group. The temperature in the room drops several degrees.

Sami refuses to be Lucas' scapegoat. She wonders if Lucas knows about this insane idea. Phillip says he does and asked him to talk to her.

Stefano says, "Your threats are becoming monotonous. Just like DOOL." EJ says when he walks out the door, he's going to the cops. Stefano makes his own threat, "If you walk out that door, you won't want to walk back in." EJ turns and leaves. He opens the front door, but slams it and walks back in as Stefano says, "No matter what happens you will always be my son."

"And you will always be my father," says EJ in an enlightening piece of dialogue, "but that doesn't give you the right to control me as you have others."

Marlena rants at Crystal. She begs her to tell her what she knows. John is her heart, "A body can't live without a heart."

"John seems to be able to live under any circumstances," says Crystal.

Marlena says she has tricked herself into thinking she could survive without John, but now thinks that isn't true. She asks how Crystal could be so cruel, "Give me a shred of hope."

"Give me a shred of good writing," says Crystal, "But the truth is I haven't seen him."

Marlena digs, "But have you heard something?"

"Yeah," says Crystal, "I've heard." Marlena continues to pressure her. Crystal says, "Stefano has him." Marlena gasps three or four times, hyperventilates and nods.

Bo steps in and wants to know what kind of sick game Crystal is playing. Crystal claims it's the truth. Suddenly, her attorney drops out of the sky and stops her from saying anything else. He says the cops have to release her. Bo wonders how he knew she was here. He doesn't answer. As she leaves with her attorney, Crystal says she can see Marlena's love for John in her eyes.

Marlena immediately wants to head for the mansion. Roman puts the brakes on things, "Every time we try to bust in someplace, they always want one of those pesky warrant thingies."

Marlena accuses them of not believing, "I am the only person who cares to fight for him." She storms out.

Stefano reminds EJ he doesn't have any money. "Easy come easy go," says EJ, "I'm a bright fellow. I can always get a job and new furniture."

Stefano tells him the business world is ruthless. EJ says, "I had a great education in ruthlessness, and now I have a son who relies on me. If you are asking me to choose, I choose my son. And there is another thing you can't take from me – my wife."

Sami says she cares for Lucas but this is the stupidest idea she has ever heard. Forest Gump sticks his head in, You know the town motto, 'Stupid is as stupid does.'"

Belle's undies are in a bundle, "He left Claire here with you?"

"Is that a problem," asks Chloe.

Belle sends Claire to help Caroline and get out of the line of fire, "Yes, it is a problem."

Chloe apologizes if she has overstepped her bounds. Shawn comes in, overhears and says she doesn't have to apologize, "You are a piece of work, Belle. I asked Chloe to watch her for two minutes."

Belle asks if Chloe is looking for her missing husband, "She obviously doesn't give a damn. I don't understand why Chloe is walking around free."

Chloe says, "Phillip thinks I'm innocent and he's the reason I'm walking around free." A duck drops from the ceiling. It seems "Phillip" was the magic word.

Simpering Sami snivels, "Saying I don't love Lucas because I won't do this is a load of bull. Lucas' life is too important for me to try to get my story straight." Phillip asks if she won't take the stand because she's mad at Lucas. She says she won't because she can't fix this, "Find another way."

"You won't walk away from him," says Phillip.

"I'm not."

Stefano lectures EJ about the DiMera name. EJ says he's quite happy to be Elvis Wells. He doesn't want what Stefano has. People fear him, "What I want is freedom!"

"Freedom means a lot of things to people," says Stefano.

Janis Joplin sticks her head in the room, "Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose."

EJ says if Stefano backs off he will shut up. Stefano mulls it over while the cheering in the audience dies down. He finally agrees and tells EJ to run along. AS EJ walks out, Stefano gives him a parting shot, "Never threaten me again."

"I don't think I'll need to," says EJ, "Now that we understand each other." Translation: Threats will fly.

Marlena stands outside the office. Hope watches as Marlena makes a call. She says she knows Marlena is buying all this.

Bo adds, "She believes some fake psychic..."

Marlena overhears and barges in, "The psychic may be fake but my feelings about her are very real."

Belle asks about Phillip helping Chloe. Chloe says Phillip is covering her legal costs. Shawn jumps in, "Phillip just full of surprises, isn't he?"

Caroline comes in with cake. Belle asks for Claire's piece to go and walks out with her.

Sami is drenched from giving the twins a bath. She and EJ make small talk about caring for them and then EJ tells her he and Stefano came to an understanding. Sami is skeptical. EJ says he took Tony's advice and went toe to toe with Stefano. He asks for Sami to help in the fight against his father.

Hope wants to believe John is alive, "But it's not possible."

"You're right," says Marlena, "It's not possible. But this is not false hope." We have to pause for a moment to let that one sink in. Marlena asks Roman to get a search warrant.

"I have nothing to go on," says Roman.

"When has that ever stopped you before," asks Marlena., "Besides, you do have a death certificate."

"Search warrant... death certificate... What's the difference?"

Marlena asks, "You think I'm losing it, don't you?"

Nonononono, of course they don't think she's losing it. They all confirm this in unison as Roman motions for they guys in the hall to get a straight jacket pronto. "I can see the pity in your eyes," says Marlena, "I need your help."

"You need help, all right," says Roman.

They all vow to help, pretty much just to shut her up. Marlena says placating her won't change what she believes, "Give me the benefit of the doubt."

Nick mercifully interrupts things. Marlena asks, "Did you get it?"

Nick says, "Yes, but you're not gonna like it."

Nick asks if it's OK to talk. "I don't know exactly what they were," he says, "But the ashes weren't John's. They are at least three years old." Marlena smiles and hugs him. Nick leaves.

"There it is," says Marlena, "He's alive. Get that search warrant."

Roman says this doesn't mean he is alive, "You're obsessed with this. You aren't thinking straight." That's an understatement. Marlena's brain is the Lombard Street of thought.

Marlena wants him to believe her and knows he would love to search the mansion. She says they might find John and Brady. Roman agrees to try to get the warrant, "But it might take a while."

"How long is that," asks Marlena.

Roman asks, "In real time or DOOL time?"

Hope starts to come around. Marlena vows to find John. Bo squirms.

Chloe apologizes. She thinks she made things worse. Shawn says he and Belle are through and Belle will look for any way to get ticked off at him, "As far as this thing with Phillip is concerned, you did what you had to do. But..."

Chloe presses, "What's on your mind Shawn."

"Two dying brain cells floating around in a vacuum. What's the deal with Phillip? What's the hold he has on you and Belle?"

"Absolutely nothing," says Chloe, "Well, maybe except for money, power and looks."

Belle meets Phillip at the Java Café. Claire orders a double Sumatra.

Phillip is delighted to see them, "I like surprises."

Belle is full of them, "The one I got was not so nice. You helped Chloe. What kind of games are you playing?"

"It's called 'burning the candle at both ends,'" says Phillip.

EJ thinks it's time Sami took a break from all of her mundane and unimportant chores like caring for the twins. He apologizes if what he said about joining forces upset her. Sami rants about Stefano and his unending threats. EJ understands. He wants to see a future of hope. He's a fighter and that's what he intends to do.

"I know about fighting," says Sami, "I trusted you once. You told me we were on the same side. I don't make the same mistake twice. I'm not saying I will trust you, but I will help you fight Stefano."

EJ smiles, "And I thought you didn't make the same mistake twice."

Chloe remembers asking Phillip to trust her. Shawn brings beer. Chloe smiles, "Great, cake with a beer chaser."

"Really," says Shawn, "I thought I was having cake with a man-chaser."

Chloe says she went to Phillip because he had the resources and influence. She didn't have a choice. She asks if Shawn believes her. He asks if she had something to do with Brady's disappearance. She says no. She knows it doesn't look good, but says he has to believe her. The people who took Brady threatened her. They would go after her if she went back, "That's the truth. Do you believe me?"

"Yes."

Chloe goes on, "I found about Phillip and Belle by accident. You are a good guy. You deserve more."

Belle rants about Phillip helping the suspect in her brother's disappearance. Phillip defends his actions.

"I didn't know you cared so much about Chloe," says Belle.

Phillip goes for the jugular, "Are you jealous?"

EJ comes back into Sami's apartment, "I've never seen a bed in the kitchen before but the furniture is back." Sami reiterates she will fight Stefano with him.

EJ thanks her, "But this is my fight."

A knock at the door interrupts this scintillating conversation. EJ opens the door. Larry, Moe and Curly. Marlena says, "EJ! I'm glad you're here." Bo and Hope play the part of bobbleheads.

Zieupppppp... chunk! Chloe tosses a dart and misses the mark. Shawn cowers, "Wow! What wall were you aiming for?"

"The one with the dart thingie on it," says Chloe.

"It's not a 'dart thingie,'" says Shawn, "It's called a dartboard."

Chloe gets defensive, "Oh, yeah, how are you at singing arias, O Dartmaster?"

Shawn assures her Brady will turn up. Chloe says she still loves him, "Your feelings don't just vanish even when you hate someone, want to divorce him and are suspected of kidnapping and killing him."

"I know what you're talking about," says Shawn. That makes one of us. They go for a new game. "Winner buys," says Shawn. That will be interesting since neither of them has two dimes to rub together.

Phillip insists there is nothing between him and Chloe, but he won't turn his back on a friend. Belle is the only one he is interested in. She wants to know if that's true why he kept this from her. He insists it's nothing, "It doesn't matter."

"It matters to me," says Belle.

Marlena drops the John bomb on Sami, "Stefano has him. We have to get inside the mansion." She asks EJ's help, "If you know, please tell us."

EJ chooses his words carefully, "I'm sorry. I can't."

Outside the pub Shawn thanks Chloe for being there for Claire and him. Chloe says she enjoyed it. He suggests doing this more often. Chloe agrees. They shake on it.

Phillip wants to talk at his place. Belle snorts, "What are we gonna talk about... trust?"

"Maybe it was a mistake not telling you," says Phillip. Belle can't believe he would do this.

"You're not being rational," says Phillip. Rational and Belle are like oil and water.

Bo asks EJ, "You can't or won't help us?" Marlena says they know they are asking him to betray Stefano. She doesn't think he's like Stefano. She wants him to prove he has changed.

Sami takes EJ's side and reminds him what he said about fighting Stefano, "If he says he doesn't know, I think we should believe him."

EJ gives them his thousand-yard stare, "You shouldn't. I do know something. And you're right. He's not dead." The room becomes a vacuum as people gasp.


Previews
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