Keep Your Friends Close And Your Enemies Closer

John and Marlena have a chance meeting outside the pub. Irritating John and Marlena tinkle music plays in the background. Marlena says she has spent months trying to get back the man she loves and knows it won't happen. "So you're giving up," asks John.

"Oh, no," says Marlena, "I’m not giving up. I'm starting over... a brand new life... without you."

"What's the difference between that and giving up," asks John.

"This is more than giving up," says Marlena, "I’m giving up, acting like a child and prowling around to see if I can add yet another last name to my already awesome collection." She turns to the camera and screams, "AND STOP PLAYING THAT DAMNED JOHN AND MARLENA MUSIC – I'M SICK OF IT!"

Kate joins Tony at the pub, "Is something bothering you?"

"You."

Tony tells Kate he has a lot on his mind. He's taking a stand against John and Stefano. Kate asks, "What does Anna think?"

"She doesn't do a lot of that," says Tony, "But she's dead set against our plan to go up against Stefano."

Hope has planned a romantic picnic in the park complete with a gourmet meal. "Right here in the middle of things," asks Bo, "What are we going to eat? Did you... uh..."

"Cook," asks Hope, "No. You must've missed it when I said it's a gourmet picnic."

"Good," says Bo, "Because if you prepared it, it would be a gore-met picnic. Wow, you thought of everything."

Hope gets a twinkle in her eye to match the twinkle of her diamond Chevrolet pendant. Has product placement no bounds? "I didn't think of everything," she says, "Or I would have bought a tent."

"We don' need no stinkin' tent," says Bo, "It's not raining."

Hope gasps, "Bo! If we made love right here in the park with no tent, someone might see me naked!"

Bo visualizes the horrific sight, "Oh, the humanity!"

Sami rants about the joint custody decision. EJ tries to tell her she has no options. Sami has a terrible feeling about this. And I'm sure we'll hear all about it.

Phillip joins Lucas at the pub. Lucas congratulates him for dodging the murder rap and Phillip congratulates Lucas for getting joint custody of Allie, "That is, congratulations... I think."

"You're right about that," says Lucas, "What guy really wants custody of a screaming poop factory?"

"How do you think Sami will take it," asks Phillip.

"My guess is she won't take it well," says Lucas, "but she has no choice."

"When did that ever stop her," asks Phillip.

EJ thinks the judge's decision was fair. Sami doesn't. She also says she doesn't know why EJ doesn't understand and jump right over to her side, "You know what Allie is like. You've had to deal with her night tremors. Chloe's enough to give anyone tremors."

"I hear she really gave Lucas tremors in that elevator," says EJ, "You know, I think Allie is a lot like her mother."

"That's not really good news," says Sami, "I wasn't exactly the poster teen for mental health."

"You're not exactly the poster adult for mental health, either," says EJ, "You need to concentrate on making things better instead of worse."

That hits Sami like a dagger in her heart, "What more could I have done?"

"Stayed married to me."

John tells Marlena, "I think you're rushing things a bit, especially after you got another taste of the rockin' looooove machine that I am the other night."

"Actually," says Marlena, "I think that machine's warranty has expired. That's what made me decide to look for a replacement. You are my husband in name only."

"Well, that's an easy fix," says John, "You can just move back in with me. When I found you lying on the floor, I thought you were dead and realized how important you are to me." Well, Marlena has made up her mind. She's going to start to date – Trent, no less. She doesn't know if she's interested in him and he made a bad impression on her at first but, Marlena's standards are so low, none of that makes any difference.

John eats it up as Marlena trashes Trent. Marlena catches on, "He's a potential creep and... and... the rest is none of your business."

"I don't like this," says John, "I don't want you seeing him."

"Tough toenail," says Marlena, "Are you jealous?"

Lexie joins Tony, Anna and Kate. She asks to talk to Tony. The girls leave. Tony and Lexie make small talk and then Lexie tells him Anna called her and filled her in on what Tony is up to, "I think you're overreacting."

Tony's insulted, "You can't be serious. I'm a true thespian."

"I said 'overreacting,'" says Lexie, "Not 'overacting.' Although if you want to know the truth..." She tries to talk him out of going up against Stefano and says she thinks he shouldn't stay in the DiMera mansion.

"You know what they say," says Tony, "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer." Tony tells her about the remodeling. He thinks Stefano's rebuilding the labooooratory. He also tells her there is an injunction, but Stefano is going ahead with the project anyway, "This is about the next generation of DiMeras, including Theo."

"I doubt Theo will have much to say about it," says Lexie.

EJ says the courts would have given Sami custody of Allie if she were still married to him. Sami doesn't agree. EJ piles on, "The judge considered the difficulties you are having with Will – the courts know your son was so disgusted with you that he ran off to live with his disgusting aunt and uncle."

Sami remains adamant, "If Lucas is Allie's father he should love her enough to see things my way."

"That ranks right up there with my line about feeling like I'm cheating on one woman when I'm with another," says EJ.

Bo and Hope smooch. Bo gets frisky, "Ohhhh... I love a little afternoon delight. But I'll settle for an afternoon with you/ Say, are you trying to butter me up."

"No," says Hope, "CENSORED." Her Chevrolet necklace sparkles in the sunlight as she tells him about Chelsea. She also says she went to see Daniel. All she knows is Chelsea and Daniel had an argument, "When we were on our way to the airport I just... felt sorry for her."

"Who drove to the airport," asks Bo, "You or Chelsea."

"Chelsea."

"How many," he asks.

"Only three," says Hope, "They were all little boys. Tragically cut down before they reached the prime of life."

Bo decides the only responsible course of action is to butt in and talk to Daniel. "No way," says Hope, "Or there won't be any evening delight either."

Morgan joins Anna. Anna tries to encourage her. Morgan wonders about an internship for the fall. Anna tells her that won't be possible since the Lundberg agency crashed and burned. Morgan says she can't re-intern for Tony. Anna decides she has the perfect place, "You could intern for one of our biggest clients."

Lexie doesn't want Theo anywhere near Stefano. "Oh," says Tony, "I'm sure Theo would appreciate a little nest egg."

"He'd probably throw it across the room," says Lexie, "Family or not, Father is not going to just sit back and let you take over his empire. You need to walk away now."

"Whenever I'm with you, that's exactly what I want to do," says Tony. Tony insists he has to stay to wrangle power from John and Stefano. She wishes him luck.

EJ says he couldn’t love Allie any more if she were his own. He says he committed his past sins to help Sami. "One of your past sins helped me get pregnant," says Sami. She nukes. EJ says his motivation has always been Sami and his love for her. "That's not love," says Sami, "That's control."

Marlena accuses John of being a hypocrite since he dated Ava and had his little sleepover with her. John consults the Guy Manual, "That was different."

Marlena cuts him off at the knees, "THAT WAS NOT DIFFERENT!"

John goes back to the Guy Manual, "I don't want to talk about it."

"I didn't think you would." Marlena huffs off. Apparently Marlena has read the Guy Manual.

Phillip and Lucas continue their conversation. Phillip zones, and his tongue drops out and rolls across the floor as he watches Morgan across the room. Lucas is grossed out, "Stop staring and go over and talk to her."

Phillip takes the plunge. Not that Phillip gets a cold reception, but... let's just say Ted Nugent would give Barack Obama a warmer greeting. Phillip makes an attempt to apologize.

Tony rambles on about bringing John and Stefano down. Lexie says she can't support him. She thinks he should worry about the fact that Stefano could annihilate him.

Kate goes into yet another coughing fit. Anna is shocked at how bad it is, "You sound worse than Ratso Rizzo on a long bus trip."

"It's just a cold," says Kate, "It's hanging on like a john who paid for a whole night."

EJ and Sami continue to argue. EJ tells her she needs to file for custody and stop plotting and scheming. Sami says she can't do that. She doesn't want to wait. EJ presses and Sami finally agrees. EJ tells her after she files for custody, the courts will scrutinize every move she makes, so she'd better be on her best behavior, "I'm not going to have you pulling any of these stunts around Johnny."

Sami asks, "Are you threatening me?"

"No," claims EJ, "You just need to remain focused. If you don't you will force me to choose Johnny over you."

John and Marlena interrupt. John gets right to the point, "So what are you two kids fighting about now?"

Ratso Roberts continues to cough and hack. Anna wants to take her to the ER. Kate says it isn't an emergency. Anna presses. Kate makes her a promise, "If it doesn't go away in a few days I will go see a doctor. And stop smoking John's Cubans."

Phillip tells Morgan he wants to start over – a relationship mulligan, as it were.

As Lexie leaves, she says she wants Tony to think about what she said.

Lucas talks to Mickey on the phone, "That's great news. I'm on my way."

Sami says, "You seem preoccupied with telling me how to run my life."

"I'm just making sure you keep your emotions in check," says EJ. John and Marlena chime in and they all gang up on Sami. Marlena thinks she should leave well enough alone and be thankful for joint custody. Sami blows her top and storms out.

John forges into the jaws of death in an attempt to talk to her. Out in the hall he tells Sami, "I know about trauma. I've lived with Marlena. Trauma bites and so does she. You can count on me. Together, we will arrive at a solution." Hugs and tears.

Morgan knows Phillip's dealings were business and she knows her father isn't completely innocent, but she loves her dad. She can't forgive Phillip's threat.

Phillip asks, "If it weren't for all the bad stuff, would we have made it?"

"We'll never know," says Morgan, "Take care." She turns and leaves.

Anna says she's found the perfect intern for Kate. Kate tells her to talk to her assistant. Kate leaves.

Tony talks to Phillip... about the future.

Sami thanks John for his support. She says she knows EJ is trying to be realistic but his threat to take Johnny set her off. John says he won't let EJ take Johnny.

Marlena thanks EJ for helping Sami. EJ gets a call. His smile fades, "Today?" He hangs up, "Lucas is coming over to get Allie."

The doorbell rings. Sami answers. Lucas tells her he's there to get Allie. Sami protests. EJ comes out holding the tennis ball baby. Sami is stunned. Lucas goes upstairs for Allie's things. EJ hands her to Sami. Sami pours out her love to Allie.

Bo and Hope lounge on the blanket. "I couldn't have made it through these past few weeks without you," says Bo.

Do I have to tell you what Hope says next? Say it with her.

Bo hopes the inquisition rules in their favor. Hope tells him he's getting ahead of himself. Her Chevy pendant glistens as they move in on each other.

Tony tells Phillip he and EJ have taken on family interests and the first order of business is to take down John. He wants Phillip's help. Phillip asks about Stefano. Tony says Stefano is aware of their plans but isn't calling the shots, "John has got to go. When he's out, we'll take care of my father. We're ready to deal. Are you?"

Sami tells Allie to be good and listen to her daddy.

"I'll have to," says Allie, "He talks non-stop."

Lucas comes down, and tries to yank the baby from Sami's death grip. EJ has to help. Sami blathers, "Mommy loves you."

Lucas leaves with the baby. EJ tells Sami it's OK. Sami turns into the Incredible Hulk, "No it's not! This will cause long and lasting damage to my little girl! I'm not gonna sit by! I'm going to fix this and you will not stop me!" Out-of-control Sami runs upstairs.

And don't forget, you can have Hope's Chevrolet pendant for only $99 at My-intelligence-has-been-insulted-again.com. Buy two. Kristian needs a meal.


Previews
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