Powerful And Penetrating

Stephanie sits and sucks her thumb at the pub. Max comes up and apologies for not being himself. Stephanie apologizes for being herself. She asks about the picture. Max doesn't answer, but she thinks that's not what is bothering him anyway. She knows he's ten times smarter than Nick, but not getting the recognition, "I don't get it. What does the professor of the physics department have to do with you?"

Max says, "Once a year, he has me come in and speak to his class as an example of how low students can sink if they flunk out of college." Robbins walks in with Nick.

Dr. Dan rambles on about Kate. The nurse with him goes to check on her as Chelsea walks up and asks, "Do you know what's wrong with her yet?

"What do you think I am, a doctor?"

Phillip wants to go out with Morgan for just dinner. Just dinner. Really, just dinner. Morgan likes that but doesn't think Chloe would. "Then I won't invite her," says Phillip.

Lucas watches as Chloe stands on the dock and bawls.

Sami hides the ankle monitor as Rolf brings Ava in. John asks Sami for some privacy. Sami zones and then snaps like a twig in a hurricane. Apparently Sami's a little sensitive about John dating. She reminds John he's married.

John reminds her that it was Marlena who ran out on him, "She has gone off to find herself more times than the feds have tried to find Jimmy Hoffa's body. There are 27,582 square feet in this house. It shouldn't be difficult for you to give us some privacy."

Sami takes a picture of the happy couple with her phone to email to Marlena. She leaves. John and Ava share a nervous chuckle.

Outside, Sami gets a call from Roman. He asks for Lucas. Sami's says he's upstairs with Allie. Roman asks her to have him call. "It may be a while, Dad. He's really busy."

"That's OK," says Roman, "I plan to be in the neighborhood later. I'll drop by."

Daniel says he doesn't have a diagnosis yet. Chelsea blows up, "So you're just clueless as to what is wrong with her?"

Daniel says, "For the moment. What... you think I have all the answers? I don't. Doctors fail from time to time. Sorry to disillusion you."

Chelsea softens, "Well, I suspected you were human. What throws me is that you are sorry. It's hard to believe you are apologizing to l'il ole me." Suddenly, Daniel wishes his scalpel had ripped a main artery during the pancreas operation.

John serves wine, "I thought a powerful and penetrating red would suit the occasion."

"Powerful and penetrating," she repeats, "Are you a wine connoisseur?"

"Not that I know of," says John. He says he had the cook work up some finger foods. He starts some music. Ava decides she would rather not call this a date since he's married. John asks, "Does the fact that I am married bother you?"

Ava says, "It sure doesn't seem to bother you. Let's call your wife and see if it bothers her."

Sami paces and rants about Lucas. Roman shows up and asks to see him.

Lucas spies. Chloe bawls. Lucas dials. Chloe's phone rings and she answers. Lucas apologizes for what he said earlier. Chloe accepts. Lucas says, "So stop crying."

Chloe asks, "How did you know I was crying?" Lucas mouths the mother of all expletives.

The nurse brings Kate's test results. Chelsea tells Daniel to get busy and cure her.

Max tells Robbins and Nick it's on the house. He leaves to do things in the back.

"Charming young man," says Robbins. Nick says he's been under stress lately. Stephanie comes up. Max asks for a word in private. He asks what's going on with Max. Stephanie dunno. She tells him about the fight between Max and the dean as Chelsea walks in. Chelsea comes over tells them about Kate. Stephanie goes to get Max. Nick and Chelsea share an uncomfortable moment as he tells her he has to get back to the dean. He says he'll call later to see how Kate is doing.

Nick goes back to the counter and sits down with he dean. He apologizes for leaving. The dean waxes eloquent, "Never fault a young man for tending to the fierce lyrical needs of young women."

"Auden," asks Nick.

"No," says Robbins, "Max Brady. He's a literary genius, too."

Chelsea asks Max for a club soda.

Nick asks the professor about the argument. Robbins says Max isn't a fan of his theories and wasn't afraid to tell him so.

Kate tells Daniel the pain is manageable, "Whatever you gave me did the trick. What was it?"

"I have no idea," says Daniel, "It was something John Black recommended." Daniel says he will do everything he can to find out what is wrong with her. She asks about Chelsea. Daniel says he scared her off.

Phillip tells Morgan he and Chloe have a history. He has asked her for space, but doesn't know about a future. "Is she OK with that," asks Morgan.

"Not really," says Phillip.

"Good for her," says Morgan, "No self respecting-woman would buy into that garbage."

"Yeah," says Phillip, "But we're talking about Chloe here, not a self-respecting woman."

John says his relationship with Marlena is complicated. The relationships with Marlena and his daughter don't mean anything to him. Ava thinks he should try to overlook he problems and focus on the love. She says she loved her father. She can't go on when she starts to talk about things he did. She also says she has been in the mansion before, and tells him about her conversation with Marlena, "I'm not keen on stabbing another woman in the back. Kidnapping and shooting, yes; stabbing, no."

John says, "Marlena's in love with a man who doesn't exist any more, and what your father did to you was unforgivable." He says he didn't choose to distance himself from his family, "I had my memory stolen. Sometimes that's liberating – Clean slate, no baggage. A chance to be the man I want to be." They drink to that.

The twins cry and Sami starts to run upstairs. Roman says, "But I thought Lucas was up there."

"He's outnumbered," says Sami. She bolts up the stairs. Roman looks confused. In this case, looks aren't deceiving.

Lucas says he just knew Chloe was having problems with Phillip. Chloe says, "Since we are both in the same boat, you and I could form an alliance... kinda like a 'I got your back if you've got mine' type of deal."

Lucas ponders and then says he's in. He hangs up.

Morgan says, "So you have feelings for Chloe but don't know where it's going? You've used every lame cliché in the book about that relationship."

"This is DOOL," says Phillip, "The Mecca of lame clichés. You're pretty high on yourself, aren't you?" Morgan tells him she has to get ahead in life. A call interrupts.

Morgan answers. It's her dad. She tells him she can't talk because she is with Phillip at the moment. Paul says he doesn't want her anywhere near him.

Chelsea asks what's going on. Stephanie says, "Max has a secret. There I said it." Max brings Chelsea a bag of food. "But I ordered a club soda," says Chelsea.

"If it doesn't have something to do with nuclear physics," says Max, "I can't remember it." Chelsea leaves.

Nick excuses himself and goes over to Max. They argue about what Max said to Robbins. Max says he's too busy to argue. Nick wants to know what this is all about. He wonders how Max knows enough to judge the professor. Max says he just picked up a few things along the way. Nick snorts, "You don't just 'pick up' things about cold fusion." Stephanie watches as they go at it.

Kate tells Daniel she doesn't want Chelsea hurt. Daniel says for his whole adult life he has been Mr. Responsibility. When he's out of the hospital he just wants to be left alone, "Then this girl walks into my life – and that is what she is, just a girl. It won't work. I can't be what I want to be when I am with her. I will be reckless with my own life but not hers. When she starts to work here it's hands off."

Chelsea walks up and asks what they are talking about.

Phillip says he doesn't know why Paul doesn't like him. Morgan thinks Phillip is everything her father wants her to look for in a man, You're powerful, rich, good looking and you have most of your appendages."

Phillip suggests she might be a gold digger. Morgan says she isn't and tells him what her father wants her to have in a man is not necessarily what she wants. Phillip asks, "And just what are you looking for in a man?"

Lucas comes out from the rock he has been hiding under and bumps into Paul. Paul thinks Lucas looks familiar. "I don't think so," says Lucas, "Take care." Lucas runs off.

Rolf serves dessert. Ava says she doesn't have any more room, but she gives it a try, and decides it's irresistible. John smirks. He thinks they have a lot in common, but is envious of her because she has a sense of who she used to be. Sometimes Ava wishes she could forget. John says she shouldn't say that, "A past makes you who you are. I wish I didn't just have to make things up as I go along."

"That's not so bad," says Ava, "The DOOL writers do that all the time."

Ava says she is just starting to discover her morals. "Cool," says John, "That would mean you don't have any at the moment, and I know for sure I don't. So maybe we can do that together." John toasts discovery and exploration.

Max admits he altered some of Nick's work. Stephanie says, "Thank God it's finally out in the open." Max says he was just trying to help.

Nick says friends don't do things behind friend's backs, "Instead of changing my work, why didn't you just come to me? Why didn't you suggest we work together?" EPIPHANY ... "OMG! You thought I couldn't bat in your league. You thought I wasn't good enough to collaborate with you." Nick huffs off and goes back over to dean Robbins, "I'm giving the grant money back. All of it. If you want someone to build the eco prototype, Max is the guy."

Chelsea hands Kate the bag of food from the pub, "Here. You can eat this in case your stomach isn't hurting enough already. A little chowdah ought to send you straight to the ICU." A nurse wheels Kate away for more tests.

Daniel says, "I know you are eager to lay into me but now isn't a good time."

"There never will be a good time, will there," she asks, "I understand. You're not in love with me." She walks off.

Daniel contemplates the counter top, "The problem is, I am."

Phillip invites Morgan to stay. She thinks it's not a good idea. He gets a call. Paul tells him if Morgan finds out it will be bad for everybody. "This isn't a secure line," says Phillip, "We have to talk later."

On her way out Morgan bumps into Chloe. Chloe announces, "I left my earrings."

"Hmmmm...," Morgan turns, "Goodbye Phillip."

Chloe gives Phillip a look that could kill. Phillip madly searches through the Guy Manual and comes up with, "Morgan and I are just friends."

Chloe says, "I wasn't born yesterday."

Phillip tries the Guy Manual again, "You are the one I want to be with."

Chloe snorts, "Go to hell."

Phillip tosses the Guy Manual into the wastebasket and moves in on her. Smooch.

John pours the last of the wine. Ava says, "Any more and you'll have to peel me off the floor."

John says he had a good time, "Would I be totally out of line if I asked if I could kiss you?"

Ava says, "Straight to the point, eh?"

"I'm sorry," says John, "I don't speak Canadian."

Ava gives him permission. John moves in. Ava asks to see the rest of the place. John takes her out for the tour.

As they open the door, we see Roman having a conniption. Sami rushes into the hallway and bumps into John, "Bastard."

Sami tells Roman John is betraying Marlena. Roman perks up, "Drat the bad luck." He says that's not why he's there, though and asks about Lucas.

Lucas steps into the hallway, "Somebody say my name?"


Previews
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You can watch the previews later today on our PREVUZE II website.