Tread Lightly, Little Brother

This is the first of our new format "morning ahead" Prevuze posts. You can see the recap of the show that aired yesterday, which we also posted this morning, HERE. We have some people to thank for helping with this, but will do that later. In the meantime... enjoy.

France! Censored.

Melanie comes into Max' room looking for food. Max is looking to get to know her better. Once he does, he'll wish he'd had some food. "Mel," he asks, "why don't you sit down? I think we should get to know each other better. I mean, I want to know about your life."

Melanie says, "No, actually you don't."

A gal from the audience stands up and screams, "Neither do we!"

Chelsea is with Theo trying to get him to talk. Theo is the strong silent type. He's playing with the top to a milk bottle or something. Chelsea finally talks him into giving it to her, "Very good, Theo! It's a plastic top. I've been talking to a surgeon about getting a plastic top myself."

Stefano is glad to be home. Elvis joins him for a drink. Tony declines. Stefano chides Elvis for working for John Black. EJ clarifies. He tells Stefano he's working for Mickey and John is a client. "Good," says Stefano, "If you're John's attorneys, his total destruction has already started. His world is going to come tumbling down soon."

Hope, Roman and Abe can't believe they had to let Stefano go. Abe waxes philosophically, "I guess it was bound to happen. What do you expect with a corrupt government and an incompetent police force?"

Morgan comes in to see Bo. She wants to see her dad. Phillip joins her. Morgan remains in a snit. Bo takes Phillip aside. He tells him they aren't off the hook even though they found Paul alive. Phillip tells Bo he can't take him seriously since he looks like such a twinkie without his beard. John comes in saying he received a call about Paul, "Is there something I can do for you?"

Mark the doc joins Chelsea. Daniel looks on from the door. Mark lures Theo away with a ball. Chelsea leaves and goes into the hall with Daniel. We go down the same old road — Daniel sooooo regrets his humpathon with Kate.

EJ asks how Stefano got out of trouble. Stefano says he has friends he can count on but that's more than he can say for his children. He disowns the whole lot of them.

Bo tells John there will be an investigation so he might as well save them time and tell them what he did. John wants to know why Stefano isn't in jail.

Mel tells Max an uninteresting story about her childhood, "Dad got a professorship and we moved to Ann Arbor."

"MICHIGAN," says Max, "So that's when his life hit rock-bottom."

"Not at all," says Melanie, "Later he transferred to Purdue." Melanie's sob story continues, "In the sixth grade I stole a teacher's wallet and Dad shipped me to a chain of boarding schools. Right now he thinks I'm in summer school but I'm not. I think Dad means well, but we just don't get along."

"I think it's pretty ironic," says Max, "You're rejecting him and he rejected me."

"If he rejected you I guess he does have some sense," says Melanie.

Daniel insists the fling is over. Chelsea can't look at him the same way, "You and Kate are probably the people who care about me the most. I guess that's why it hurts so much."

Tony is confused, "I'm sorry, Father, I actually thought we were disowned when we weren't in your will."

"When I didn't put you in my will," says Stefano, "You were on double-secret probation. NOW you're disowned."

Lucas walks in and surprises Stefano by telling him he lives there. Stefano has a fit, "What has John been running here — a damn hotel?" Lucas announces he's moving out. He and Chloe go for his stuff.

Victor rings the doorbell and then takes the liberty of letting himself in. He and Stefano greet each other and share their well wishes about each other's health issues. The ruthless old men ask for privacy. Tony and EJ leave. Victor says he is happy to be doing business with Stefano again, "Just like old times."

"It certainly is," says Stefano, "And we're using the same scripts, too."

Bo tells John the DA isn't filing charges because corruption is running rampant. Abe comes out and John badgers him about why Stefano isn't in jail. Abe hauls Bo to internal affairs. John goes in with Roman. Roman tells him Stefano pulled strings to get himself freed. John is upset that Stefano is on the loose. "You need to worry about yourself," says Roman.

Morgan hugs Paul as he comes back in. Paul assures her he will be all right. He looks over at Phillip and sneers, "Hey, Kiriakis, today is your lucky day."

Victor says he needed the Hollingsworth case closed to protect Phillip but he he wants to know why Stefano would go out on a limb for John. Stefano says it's all about control.

Chelsea tells Daniel there is nothing he can do. Daniel says he knows what he wants – Chelsea. He's not going to let her walk out of his life, "Do not give up on us."

Lucas and Chloe come downstairs all ready to move out permanently. Chloe carries the suitcases and Lucas has his teddy bear. Stefano says he is happy to see them go. As Lucas and Chloe leave, Stefano gives a thumbs up, "One down... if only you ingrates would do the same." Tony and EJ tell him they aren't moving out. They have a right to be there. Stefano asks, "Are you challenging me?"

EJ says, "Actually, yes."

Stefano tells them they have no idea what they are doing. EJ says they have learned a lot observing Stefano. Stefano isn't worried, "Stefano DiMera will win one way or another." He lifts a glass, "Here's to my sons. Go ahead... bring it on!"

Max tells Melanie how he was adopted. She tells him Trent never mentioned him. Max says he knows Trent never cared about him. Melanie's cell phone rings and the audience wakes up. Trent wants to know what is going on.

Roman grills Paul. Paul says he is pleading guilty to planting cocaine on John's boat and setting the fire. Roman sends John outside. Roman tells Paul he thinks he probably was kidnapped and held somewhere. Paul tells him that's not true. Roman wonders where he got the cocaine, since he knows it was expensive and Paul couldn't afford it. He offers a deal if Paul talks. "No," says Paul, "I'll just wait until you lock me up, then I'll walk out past your guards." Roman asks if Phillip paid him to plant the drugs on John's ship. Paul says Phillip wasn't involved, "I did it all on my own and I'm ready to face the consequences of my actions."

Roman says Paul is giving him no choice. He knows Paul is covering for someone but doesn't know why. He plays the "Morgan" chip. Paul says he's always thinking about her. Roman takes him out and tells them to take him to soap opera limbo.

Morgan wants to know what's going on. Paul tells her he's going to jail. "I want you to be strong," says Paul, "when you whimper like an infant." They haul him off. Snot flies as Morgan goes into a complete breakdown. Phillip comes up to comfort her. Morgan votes him off the island.

Roman takes Phillip into his office, "Do you have something to say?"

Stefano calls John and tells him he interceded on his behalf. He wants something in return, "You are to remain silent about what happened in my laboratory." John wants to know how Stefano got Paul to come around. Stefano tells John he threatened Paul's daughter, "And as for you, one word and I assure you Mr. Hollingsworth will renege on his confession. Tread lightly, title brother."

Lexie comes to pick up Theo. Daniel gets a call and leaves. Chelsea offers to take Theo for ice cream. Lexie says she has something to do regarding Stefano, "I'm going to find out what he is up to." Lexie leaves. Daniel comes back and continues to beg, "What do you say... can we try again?"

"I want it more than anything," says Chelsea.

"Not more than Kate," says Daniel.

Chelsea makes it final. For the final time... except for the next time, "It's not going to happen. I could never be with you without thinking of you with her."

"But that's what you told Nick about him and your mother," says Daniel, "And you eventually came across for him."

"You're right," says Chelsea, "That was gross. But this is extra-dimensional, extra-generational grannygrandgross to the max." Don't bother coming back." Daniel sulks off with his tail between his legs.

Trent says Melanie has maxed out her credit card. She hangs up on him. Max wants to know why she didn't tell him. "I'm not eighteen," says Melanie, "But I'll be 21 next week if it's convenient for the story."

"I didn't realize you were that young," says Max, "Have you met Dr. Daniel Jonas? I understand he's on the rebound." Max suggests she come back with him. Melanie says she needs her freedom. She won't go back and put herself under Trent's control. She doesn't want Max involved. He says he's already involved since he is her brother.

"I never realized 'involved' and 'meddling' had the same meaning," says Melanie.

"I'm leaving," says Max, "to give you some time to think."

"With me," says Melanie, "It doesn't take much time."

"I'm still leaving," says Max, "And I'm taking my wallet with me."

Tony tells Stefano what he did at the hospital was horrendous. Stefano says he had nothing to do with that. Tony accuses him of lying. Stefano claims innocence and dares him to prove otherwise.

John tells Roman he's not suing Stefano, "I changed my mind. What there is of it."

Victor calls and tells Phillip Paul has taken the fall for the cocaine and Phillip is in the clear. Phillip hangs up and smirks.

Chelsea tells Theo she has something important to say, "I'm gonna be gone for a while, far far away." They continue the conversation, but the audience cheering drowns it out.

"Do you understand," says Chelsea, "I'm leaving, but I will be back soon." They continue the conversation, but the audience booing drowns it out.

Max meets Nick and tells him Melanie is opening up but he feels like she's hiding something. He's not sure what to do. "You have two options," says Nick, "You could go back to being a rich, famous, successful race driver or you could go back to being a down and out whining loser who serves people beer."

"I'll think it over," whines Max, "Can I get you a beer?"

Melanie calls for a car.

Roman can't believe John's change of heart. John says he just doesn't want the hassle of a long lawsuit. John leaves. Outside, he runs into Phillip and smiles, "Phillip! It looks like we're back on. That's right, I'm not calling a truce with you or Stefano. That's right. The old bastard is back. Somehow he wriggled his way out of prosecution. The old man hasn't taken control yet and as long as I am around, he never will." They have a staredown. Face to face... to face.

Stefano struts, "Listen carefully my sons. I am back, I am free and from now on I will be calling the shots around here. Any questions?"

Previews
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You can watch the previews later today on our PREVUZE II website. Prevuze II should be up no later than noon, Eastern Time.