Saint Stefano

Max Brady, the former champion racecar driver who has moved up to keeping bar in a third-class Salem dive, arrives at the IFT sorority house/coffin emporium with Stephanie. As they walk inside, Max mulls over his relationship with Stephanie. "I don't know if it's acceptable to date my niece in Salem," he thinks, "If she were only my cousin..."

They giggle and argue over who won the snowball fight they just had. This evolves into slap and tickle, but Stephanie backs off. She invites him to stay for some peanut butter and jelly.

"I didn't realize you were that kinky," says Max, "But I promised Adrienne I'd get down to the bar. It's inventory time. There's nothing more fun than counting the beer mugs. Of course, when you can only count to ten, it doesn't take long."

Stephanie takes a rain check and gives him a look. Max soaks it in, "Damn, you're hot!"

Shawn and Chloe kid around about their own adventure in the snow as they arrive at the pub. Shawn suggests taking Claire next time. Chloe asks, "Are you sure your butt can take it, the way I walloped you?" Shawn gets defensive and claims he only fell once, "Twice if you count the snowman incident. Anyway, I'll run it by Belle."

Chloe asks, "Why do you have to run it by Belle?"

Phillip is on his cell phone leaving a message begging Belle to call him. Sami runs up in a panic. Phillip tells her what happened. He says he can't reach Belle, "They're gone."

"OMG!"

Belle consoles Claire and asks her captors where they are going. No answer.

Roman hands Stefano the warrant. He questions its validity. They assure him it's real. Stefano is resigned to letting them search. He plays it cool and asks them to look for a set of keys he lost while they are at it, "I haven't seen John Black since he was in his casket."

"Which time," asks Bo.

"So it has come to this," says Stefano, "Salem's finest running around looking for ghosts." Roman says if John is in the house they will find him.

Downstairs, Marlena is busy with John, "It really is you."

"I suppose it is," says the introspective zombie, "Now, tell me, who are you?"

Max says he didn't mean that like it sounded. Stephanie thanks him for his understanding. More arguing about the snowball fight, then things get serious again. Stephanie says, "I just want you to know how much I appreciate what you've done." She leans over and kisses him.

"Gee," says Max, "I was hoping you appreciated me a whole lot more than that."

Sami can't believe Belle and Claire have been kidnapped, "Who would want them? " She asks what Shawn's reaction was, but Phillip says he doesn't know yet. He hasn't tried to reach him.

Bo and Roman ask to see the tunnels and caves beneath the mansion. Stefano asks why he would hide a dead person he had brought back to life, since that would be such a great achievement. Hope runs up, "We found him!" Stefano lights a cigar.

Marlena frees John. John gets a quizzical look on his face, "Your perfume... It smells just like mine."

"You bought it for me," says Marlena. John remembers the alley. Marlena says she was there.

"You're also the one who shot up the living room," says John. She frees him. John starts to bolt, but Marlena stops him. She sticks out her hand, "I'm Marlena. Your name is John."

"John?" John says he won't hurt her. He wonders why she is trembling.

"Because you were dead," says Marlena.

"Big deal," says John, "I've been dead more times than a '57 Studebaker with an old battery."

Max apologizes for her kissing him. Whatever. She volunteers to take a shift at the Cheatin' Heart. He doesn't know if she is up to it, but Stephanie insists she can count past ten. The brat interrupts. Max immediately leaves, which is the same reaction Chelsea usually gets when she enters a room. Chelsea tells Stephanie they are in big trouble, "My mom knows."

Sami lectures Phillip for not calling Shawn immediately. She runs off to call Roman. Phillip contemplates his cell phone.

Chloe thinks Shawn is being careful when it comes to Claire. Shawn doesn't want a custody battle and prays Belle fells the same way. He gets the call from Phillip and tries to brush him off. "This is serious," says Phillip.

Belle begs her captors to tell her were they are going. Crystal says, "All we want to do is protect you."

"From What?"

"Not what, but who," says Crystal.

Belle asks, "From whom?"

It would be too obvious to have Crystal say, "Yourself," wouldn't it?

Claire asks, "Can you protect me from her?" Yeah, you saw that one coming, too, didn't you? "

Crystal tells her they are protecting her from Stefano.

Roman stays while Bo and Hope run to find John and Marlena. Stefano offers Roman a cigar. Roman declines and tells Stefano he's pretty cocky for someone facing serious charges. Stefano doesn't understand. He's saved a man's life. He doesn't see this as a criminal act. Stefano thinks he's a hero, "Maybe even a saint."

Marlena apologizes for being so emotional. John asks if he can go. She starts to take his hand but he backs off. Marlena says she will show him the way.

Chelsea tells Stephanie about the contact lens and says Billie wants to question them all. "On the good side," says the brat, "Nick backed up my story." They argue about Nick keeping his mouth shut. Chelsea thinks maybe if Nick spills the beans she can say she acted alone. Stephanie doesn't agree. She wants her to get Nick to clam up. Chelsea says she agrees with Nick. She thinks they should tell the truth, too.

Bo and Hope get to the basement. John takes one look at Bo and shrieks, "HE'S A COP!" John twirls around and the next thing Bo knows, he's locked in a John Black half-nelson.

Marlena tells John Bo is a friend and John lets go. Bo dusts himself off, "You may have lost your memory but your reflexes are good." John says he wants out before they come with the needles again.

Stefano rambles on. He thinks he has performed a great benevolent act. Roman doesn't agree, "Do you think a jury of your peers will see it that way?"

Saint Stefano chuckles, "First of all, I have no peers. Second, I think they will see this as a great benefit to humanity." Roman says if John is there, he sees only one purpose for that – to serve Stefano.

Bo runs in and says, "Roman?" Stefano works on his cigar.

Marlena follows Bo. She turns and encourages John, "It's OK." Marlena reaches toward him.

John walks out. Roman stares in disbelief.

Stephanie says if Chelsea blabs she will go to jail. Chelsea thinks they cannot lie their way out of this, "We need to tell the truth before we look like a bunch of murderers, even though we are. I just can't believe the nightmare Ford's family must be going through."

"What about the nightmare I've been going though," asks Stephanie.

"What do you mean by that," asks the brat.

Sniveling Stephanie stammers, "Uh... you know... with Cordy."

"That's not what you meant," says Chelsea.

Crawford Decker interrupts by pounding on the door. Chelsea lets him in and Crawford lets loose, "You killed him. I know it. You're not gonna get away with it."

Roman is stunned, "John, my God. You're alive. This can't be happening. I mean, I thought we'd drag this out at least until February sweeps."

Hope gets off the phone and says Belle and Claire may have been abducted, "I'm heading over there."

Roman reads Stefano his rights, "You are under arrest for kidnapping, false-imprisonment and stinking up the town with those wretched cigars."

Sami tells Phillip not to get into it with Shawn when he gets there. Phillip vows not to. Shawn runs up with Chloe and, of course, he and Phillip immediately get into it. "This is because of you," says Shawn.

Crystal tells Belle the officer they shot is alive, "Brady... Brady's gone. Rob and I will keep you out of harm's way." Belle presses for details. Crystal just assures her, you are safe and with family.

Belle asks, "What do you mean family?

"In Salem everyone is related," says Crystal.

Phillip and Shawn continue to argue. Chloe referees. The guys get macho but Hope runs up and tells them to cool it.

Crawford rants. Chelsea claims the contact lens doesn't mean anything. "Shut your lying mouth," says Crawford, "I know what you did. This is the last place he was seen. Since then he hasn't used a credit card and didn't come home for Christmas." Stephanie claims innocence. "You killed him," growls Crawford.

Stephanie scoffs, "What did you think – it was a pledge initiation. We're from the suburbs. We're sorority girls. We're harmless."

"I just want to know what you did with his body," says Crawford.

"We don't know anything about this," claims Stephanie.

"OK," says Crawford, "I will find out what happened, and when I do you will all spend the rest of your lives in prison."

Stephanie loses it, "He raped Cordy and he raped me!"

"I don't believe that," says Crawford, "But it sounds like a motive to me. I will make sure that you hang on your own words." Crawford storms out.

Stephanie turns to Chelsea and screams, "Now do you see why we can't tell? He will make Ford look like the victim. We can't let that happen."

Chelsea asks, "Stephanie, did he really rape you?" Stephanie is a heap-o-tears.

Marlena wants to know what Rolf did to John. Stefano says Rolf saved his life but John will never know who she is. John contemplates a crystal decanter top and plans his exit strategy as Marlena vows he will come back to them.

The girls sit by the fire. Stephanie says she couldn't tell Chelsea but told Uncle Max and her mom. Chelsea asks, "Max? You told Max?"

"Are you mad at me," asks Stephanie. Chelsea claims she's not. She's just glad Stephanie told somebody. Stephanie says she is still going through it. She wishes she had blacked out and couldn't remember anything. She knows she could have testified in the dean's office and they wouldn't be going through this now. She says Max has been great and talked her into seeing a therapist.

Shawn asks what happened. Phillip starts to say, but Shawn tells him to shut up so he can listen to the detective. The detective goes over the details. Hope tells Shawn, "Whoever did this knew what they were doing. So that rules out the theory the SPD may have taken them for some reason."

John bolts. Everyone runs after him. Rolf whips out a hypo and jams it into John's shoulder. John melts like an ice cream cone in the sun, "Ahhhhhh... drugs."

Marlena rages at Rolf, "What have you done to him, you monster?"

"What monster," asks Stefano, "Your friend here is the monster." John writhes.

Chelsea thinks they should come clean, "We can't live like this for all the Days Of Our Lives. I'm scared. Don't tell me you're not. We need to tell the truth."

Stephanie says this isn't Chelsea's call, "You aren't the one who was raped."

Chelsea says this isn't about Stephanie or Cordy, "It's about a guy who is dead." She knows they will get caught. She says they need to call the girls for a confab. As she calls, Stephanie walks out.

Marlena begs John to come back and vows to get him help, "I'm just so glad to have you back."

Stefano says he has a question. He asks who informed them about John being in the mansion. "You don't answer our questions, we return the favor," says Bo.

"Get him out of here before I strangle him," says Roman.

On the way out Stefano tells Bo it's not over, "This is merely the beginning." They leave. Marlena cradles John.

Shawn says it doesn't make any sense for Stefano to have kidnapped Belle and Claire.

The officer in charge rushes up and says the van has been spotted near the docks. Hope and the officer run off together. Shawn says they can't let the van out of their sight. Shawn turns to run. Chloe stops him and tells him it's too dangerous, but Shawn says he can't just sit around and do nothing. He turns to go, but Phillip stops him, "Shawn, wait. I'm going with you." Shawn nods. Batman and Robin head for the docks.


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