Believe In The Magic Of The Pickle

Oh, for joy. We're starting out with another Rantmi, er, I mean Rafemi scene at the safehouse. Who knows... Rantmi... Rafemi... Gag me. Sami is bouncing off the walls and ranting at Rafe for going to the DiMera mansion, "The DiMeras have a security system. The video of you being there will probably be all over YouTube by this afternoon. And no doubt it will have a lot higher ratings than DOOL."

"They don't post DOOL videos on YouTube," says Rafe, "They post those on DownTheTubes." Rafe tells her he disabled the DiMera security system. Sami is sooo impressed. Sami impresses easily. Her euphoria, however doesn't last long. Her emotions take a nose dive. See the pattern? Manic... depressive... manic... depressive... I wonder if there is a clinical term for that condition? Anyway, Sami figures Stefano will still know he was there, "Don't you see, your life is still in danger and it's all because of me."

EJ thinks there may be a connection between what happened on the pier and the fact that the security system is disabled. Stefano disagrees, "The people on the pier were bumbling idiots. Whoever disabled the security system was a highly trained professional."

"I guess you're right," says EJ, "It takes a high degree of sophistication to pull a wire."

Brady walks up to Nicole in the Cheatin' Heart and watches her computer screen. He closes the lid of the laptop and Nicole tells tells him she was just surfing the net. Brady says he saw the screen and knows she was on adoption websites. Nicole still wants Brady to keep quiet, "You're not going to tell EJ about losing the baby at are you?"

Nicole wants Brady to play along. He reminds her what Stefano did to his father, "When he finds out... and he will find out... that you've been trying to put one over, he's going to eliminate you."

Lucas and Chloe stroll by the pier. Lucas says he is so proud of her because she has volunteered to save Kate's life, "I can't believe you're doing this for my mom. love you."

Chloe says she is a little worried about him, "With both your mother and I at the hospital together, it might be a little hard on you. But I'm glad she knows we're engaged because now I can show off my ring."

"You still need to get it sized, though," says Lucas.

"I know," says Chloe, "It's too small. I can't get it off unless I use soap and water." So for some reason, the dingbat decides to demonstrate. She yanks on the ring and struggles to get it off her finger. Pull... yank... pull... yank... Chloe gives it one final big heave. The ring comes off and keeps going. Lucas and Chloe watch in horror as the ring plops into the river. Lucas of course immediately rips off his new $150 Countess Mara shirt, popping buttons and ripping fabric in the process. Chloe screams at him and tells him not to dive in, but it's too late. Lucas does a dying swan off the pier and hits the 35° ice bath.

Rafe insists he has gone against people more dangerous than the DiMeras. Like Sami, for example. He reminds her she has a kid with one of them, "Be a naive idiot if you want," says Sami, "It's your life. You think I'm a drama queen. I miss my children and I'm pregnant with all these emotions."

"You're not just pregnant with emotions," says Rafe, "You've had a whole litter of them."

Sami tells him about the pictures Hilda brought, "The twins looked so different and big. By the time I'm back they will have SORASed them into high school. They looked fine and, I know it's selfish, but I don't want them to be OK without me." They immediately stop taping the show to take time to award Sami the Mother Of The Year Award.

Stefano wants EJ to be a man of his word. He asks about EJ's intentions with Nicole as EJ leaves a phone message for her. Stefano thinks EJ should marry her have a legal claim on the child, "If you love her as much as you say you love her, marry her and be a family. What is standing in your way? It's Samantha isn't it?"



Rafe... Sami... zap away.

Nicole tells Brady she can take care of herself. He tells her she is underestimating the power of the DiMeras. He thinks if EJ loves her he will love her even if she tells him she lost the baby. Nicole tells him to stay out of it. Brady refuses.

Chelsea walks up to the bar as Max contemplates the box Trent left him. He goes to throw it in the trash and she tells him not to.

Nicole begs for Brady's help. Brady says he will help her by telling EJ the truth.

Lucas comes out of the water with the ring. Chloe thinks it's a miracle that he found it. He slips the ring back on her finger.

Brady says he can't keep up an ongoing lie. Nicole thinks he wants to destroy her life. Brady is adamant, "Will you tell him or will I?"

Chelsea encourages Max to open the box. Max argues, "I'm not going to let that bastard have the last word." Chelsea says she has an idea and drags him out.

Nicole and Brady continue the same dumb conversation. Brady starts to leave but Chloe and Lucas come in. Brady and Nicole take a look at Lucas and say in unison, "Lucas! You're all wet!"

"I hear that all the time," says Lucas. Chloe fills them in with the story of Lucas diving into the river and finding her engagement ring. Nicole freaks when she finds out Lucas and Chloe are engaged and we endure several minutes of girlie squealing. Finally Lucas and Brady stop squealing and we get on with the episode.

Sami tells Rafe she wants to go see Sister Teresa. Rafe vetoes that. He goes to take a shower and asks if she will try to sneak out. "Wouldn't dream of it," says Sami, "I bet you'll be walking out of the shower wrapped in a towel and I wouldn't want to miss that."

EJ says Stefano is like a broken record, "Every time I bring up Nicole, you bring up Samantha."

"Every time I bring up either of them," says Stefano, "I also bring up my lunch." EJ insists he wants nothing to do with Sami. Stefano seriously doubts that. He asks if EJ is afraid what Sami's reaction will be when she finds out Nicole is the stepmother of her boy. EJ says he's not afraid of anything and needs to call Nicole. Stefano leaves.

Nicole admires Chloe's ring and suggests a round of drinks for the table. "Drinks," asks Lucas, who is now completely dried, fluffed and folded, "I don't think we should be ordering drinks. We've got an alcoholic, a recovering drug addict, a pregnant woman and someone going in to donate bone marrow at the table."

"Sounds like a typical Salem group to me," says Nicole. Lucas and Brady go for sodas. They talk about Chloe's bone marrow donation. Lucas gets his Guy-dar up, "Hey, don't be thinkin' about bringin' Chloe any flowers when she's in the hospital."

Nicole tells Chloe she's feeling great. Chloe is skeptical.

As predicted, nekkid Rafe comes out of the shower. Sami stares in disbelief. And stares. And stares. And stares. He sees her in the kitchen and asks what she is doing. Sami says she has baked him gingerbread cookies. She 'splains the fact that the cook at the DiMera mansion helped her learn how to bake. Sami is beginning to get in the Christmas spirit, "This is a bad situation, but I realize I have to make the best of it."

Rafe nearly faints, "OMG you almost had an adult moment there." Sami hands him a cookie. Rafe takes a bite. Funeral arrangements are pending.

EJ is in Roman's office asking to talk to Sami. Roman refuses.

Chelsea and Max arrive at his apartment. She lays the box down where it will be ready for him when he decides to grow up and look inside. This was her big idea? Max asks her to stay, picks the box up, sits on the bed and unties the bow.

Chloe senses something's up and wants to know what's going on with Nicole. Nicole dodges the question.

Brady tells Lucas to stop marking his territory.

Chloe thinks it's odd Nicole and Brady would be there together, "This place used to be pretty nasty. But then I stopped coming here. I hope Brady isn't slipping. This would be a pretty easy place to get drugs." Chloe rambles about how things are great with Sami out of the picture. Nicole is distracted.

EJ tells Roman what he has to say will profoundly affect Sami's future. Roman OK's the call but says he will have to listen in on the conversation.

Chloe toasts a bright future. Nicole sees Rick the bartender heading out the door, excuses herself and follows him. Brady tells Chloe what she is doing is brave.

Nicole catches up with Rick and asks him for a favor, "Are you still hooked up with Roland? I was wondering if you could get me some cocaine. It's for a friend."

"Sure," says Rick, "I can get you a little candy cane."

Nicole hands Rick a wad-o-cash, "Make sure it's good cocaine."

"Hmmm...," says Rick, "Good cocaine. Isn't that an oxymoron?"

Rafe has magically gotten dressed. Sami stands at the Christmas tree and contemplates one of the ornaments, "It's a pickle. What's a pickle doing on the Christmas tree?" Rafe comes up with some crock about Hilda telling him it's a German tradition, "They put a pickle on the tree and whoever finds it first gets luck for a whole year."

Sami takes a bite, "Ouch! It's not a real pickle. So much for that cockamamie story about luck." She tells Rafe she doesn't believe in that kind of thing anyway.

"Believe in the magic of the pickle," says Rafe, "You believe in the magic of mistletoe, don't you?"

"Yes," says Sami, "Just not the magic of birth control."

"Then believe in the magic of the pickle."

"You know what's magic to me," asks Sami, "That Agent Do-it-by-the-book is trying to convince me to believe in the magic of a pickle." Suddenly , Sami goes soft. She stops and says she realizes this has been all about her, but they haven't talked about him, "You mentioned mistletoe, so is there someone special?" Rafe gives her a dejected look.

EJ tells Roman it's personal. "Put it in your diary," says Roman, "If you want to make this call, I'm listening in." EJ agrees and asks him to call.

Max opens the box to find a toy doggie. He tells Chelsea it was his. We flashback to Max in bed playing with his little toy doggie Charlie. Trent comes in and tells him he's supposed to be sleeping. He takes Charlie from Max and turns to leave, "Who do you think you are you little swine?" Trent storms out with Charlie.

Max sits alone in bed, cries and calls after him, "SHANE... SHANE..."

Max tells Chelsea all about Charlie. She tells him there is something else in the box, "It looks like Charlie had a little accident. "

Roman says, "My gut is telling me not to do this."

"What does your mind tell you," asks EJ.

"My mind doesn't speak to me, " says Roman, "You say anything suspicious and I will cut you off."

Nicole serves drinks. Lucas says he and Chloe have to go. They leave and Nicole fakes a cramp. She asks Brady to get her some aspirin. He leaves and Nicole spikes his drink with the cocaine she has somehow come up with. Devil music plays.

Chelsea hands Max an envelope. He opens it and reads, "I'm sorry." Max holds back the tears. Chelsea hugs. Another tender uncle/niece moment fills Max' life.

Chloe and Lucas stand outside. She says she is glad she's not checking into the hospital tonight, "Because... after surgery... we might not be able to... you know... for a while."

"I have no idea what you are talking about," says Lucas, "I think you'll have to show me."

Bo is on the phone with the police station, "Yeah, I'm bringin' 'em in. Yeah... right there on the park bench. Naked as jay birds, in front of the whole world."

Rafe and Sami get cutesy over the milk and cookies. She wants to know about him. He says he's supposed to know about her but she's not supposed to know about him, and that's just the way it is in the witness protection program. Sami strings popcorn and pricks her finger. Dr. Rafe looks at it and decides she will live, "But only because I don't have to take you to Salem hospital. " The phone rings. Rafe answers. Roman asks to speak to Sami. He says he cleared this call with Rafe's supervisor.

Sami gets on and Roman hands the phone to EJ, "Hello, Samantha."

Sami gasps, "EJ!" That gets Rafe's attention.

Brady brings an aspirin to Nicole. She hands him his glass, "Drink up!" Brady stares at his Mickey Finn.

Mickey Finn sits at the next table and stares at his Brady Black.


Previews
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